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Fan shroud depth

Mdrat

Member
I don't post a lot as I usually find what I'm looking for. I DID read rule #1. That being said, I have a question concerning fan shroud depth. Based on my needs only, I have decided on electric fan w/shroud. Respectfully, don't need opinions on this subject. There is 4 inches from pulley to rad core. How much distance do I need between shroud and rad core? I can move rad further out about an inch.
Also, when using adjustable temp controller, what do I set it at? I have 180 thermostat and it does fine except when outside temp high or in slow or stopped traffic. Fan will have override switch regardless. Thanks in advance.
 
Your shroud depth will be dictated by your fan/ motor combination..,...my shroud is about 1 1\4" deep , the ring of the plastic fan guard is about 1\2" off the rad. core....I set my controller to come on at 200 off at 185 w/ a 180 stat....
 
2 Old is right. Ours are about 1" deep. If you have more room it would probably help. Our shop does work with C&R Radiators - they stress that he shroud must be tight and sealed properly, or it will be inefficient.
 
I wouldn’t pay too much attention to the number on the fan control. I would adjust it to where the engine temp remains steady, within the normal operating range. The temperature where the probe is located will likely be different than the engine temp, depending on its mounting location. Selecting a correct position for the fan control temp probe is important to obtain reliable temp control. I don’t care for the probes being mounted on the radiator. I prefer them on the engine, in the intake or thermostat housing coolant ports as that’s more accurate of the engines temp, but that’s my preference. Your thermostat will determine the running temp more than anything. Too cool of a thermostat can actually cause overheating. 180 is a decent temp for most carbureted engines. With a 180 stat, I would expect operating temps from 180-200 as normal. You dont need the fan to run until the temp exceeds your normal range, you want the fan and thermostat to work together and cycle. If you need the fan to run constantly to maintain this temp, you may be better off with a mechanical fan or maybe a secondary electric fan to cycle and prevent overheating in traffic or at idle.... the problem with electric fans is they are usually required at low rpm where the electrical output is low, depending on your alternator and battery. As for the distance from fan to radiator, the closer the better without contacting it, and the more surface area, the better. Ie, large fan or high velocity fan and a quality shroud. Also, there are push and pull fans, just be sure yours is correct for it’s location, push for mounting on the front or pull for mounting on the back or engine side of the radiator. I assume you know this, just overstating the obvious.
 

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