BMW Blog

Anyone Running 3,000 CFM Electric Fans? If so, what brand are you using?
The Ford Taurus and Ford Lincoln (Mk VII I think) is a two speed fan and will work in the Jeeps I used the Lincoln because it provides move air flow then the Taurus. Install separate relays, the low speed on the after market T-stat, and a manually switched high speed (that interrupts the low speed power). I think that STU's Website offers a diagram.
The Ford Taurus and Ford Lincoln (Mk VII I think) is a two speed fan and will work in the Jeeps I used the Lincoln because it provides move air flow then the Taurus. Install separate relays, the low speed on the after market T-stat, and a manually switched high speed (that interrupts the low speed power). I think that STU's Website offers a diagram.

The fan I have came off a 90-94 tarus
with a 3.8 litre(needs to be a 3.8 litre)
these fans are more than capable of cooling a small V8...
and for only 20$ you cant go wrong considering a
new electric fan is like 300$
I use the dual fans from a Ford Contour. Much thinner than the Taurus fans so no clearance problems in front of the engine. Combined they pull 3400 CFM vs. the Taurus 3800. The Contour fan is a perfect fit for the stock CJ radiator as you can see below.

Jeff

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc163/jscherb/contour.jpg
Wow. Looks like a perfect match.
I use the dual fans from a Ford Contour. Much thinner than the Taurus fans so no clearance problems in front of the engine. Combined they pull 2400 CFM vs. the Taurus 3800. The Contour fan is a perfect fit for the stock CJ radiator as you can see below.

Jeff


I went this route as well, perfect fit. Jeff - The research I found said the contour pulled 3400 not 2400? The only catch I had was having to install spacers between the fan mounts and grill in order to mount it, but it wasn't much of a problem.

EDIT - To the OP - The fans cost me about $70 at a local junkyard and I used a torqflo controller from AZ, about $30 or so. Total set up = $100 - Not bad for electric!
I went this route as well, perfect fit. Jeff - The research I found said the contour pulled 3400 not 2400? The only catch I had was having to install spacers between the fan mounts and grill in order to mount it, but it wasn't much of a problem.

Oops typo, it is 3400, I'll go fix the original post.

Not sure what you mean by spacers, I didn't need any in my install.
Jeff
Oops typo, it is 3400, I'll go fix the original post.

Not sure what you mean by spacers, I didn't need any in my install.
Jeff

With the fan shroud installed, the tabs that are used for mouting were about 3/4 inch from the surface of my radiator flange. So i had to make some 3/4 inch spacers to fit between the tabs on the shroud and the grill in order to get a tight fit. How did you do it?
I too have electric, but I got mine off a dodge pickup for next to nothing. Mine took some real shaving and trimming to fit though. What are you guys running as far as a thermostat for the fans? The push through the radiator kind or what?
With the fan shroud installed, the tabs that are used for mouting were about 3/4 inch from the surface of my radiator flange. So i had to make some 3/4 inch spacers to fit between the tabs on the shroud and the grill in order to get a tight fit. How did you do it?

On mine the shroud fit right down inside the recess in the radiator, the bottom of the shroud rested on the radiator fins and the tabs were flush with the radiator mounting ears.
I too have electric, but I got mine off a dodge pickup for next to nothing. Mine took some real shaving and trimming to fit though. What are you guys running as far as a thermostat for the fans? The push through the radiator kind or what?

I'm using a DC Control electronic variable speed controller. It has a radiator probe temp sensor, pushes into the fins.

Jeff
You guys are good. I was sitting here wondering how my wife was going to react when I show up with a new fan assembly. I am going to try and find a contour, but I think either would work for me. As long as I am over 3,000 CFM, I think I should be fine.
You guys are good. I was sitting here wondering how my wife was going to react when I show up with a new fan assembly. I am going to try and find a contour, but I think either would work for me. As long as I am over 3,000 CFM, I think I should be fine.

FYI mine is 2500 and it has done fine for me, so 3000 should do you well.
Couldn't find a Taurus or Contour here locally, so I went with one off a 1996 Lincoln Town car with the 4.6 in it. Got it for about $40, so I figured it was worth a try and it is a pretty good size fan and shroud. I took a tape measure with me, since I have an Summit Aluminum Radiator for a SBC.
I tried one 3,000cfm fan and my V8 still overheated, put on one more 3,000cfm fan and cool as ice now. Oh, and take the time to invest in a thermostat/cut off switch. Its nice to turn them off when you go thru deep water......
I use the dual fans from a Ford Contour. Much thinner than the Taurus fans so no clearance problems in front of the engine. Combined they pull 3400 CFM vs. the Taurus 3800. The Contour fan is a perfect fit for the stock CJ radiator as you can see below.

Jeff

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc163/jscherb/contour.jpg

What year Countour/Mystique fan did you get that out of? I know they made them from 1995-1997 and then 1998-2000. There's one out of a V6 1999 Mercury Mystique by me for $30 (it says dual fans). :2thumbsup: I'm replacing my radiator this weekend so I'll probably do the electric fans at the same time since I ended up destroying my fan at the same time as my radiator. I'm planning on putting a switch under my dashboard and running it straight to the battery, but I still haven't 100% figured out how I want it.
Don't do that, thats what the P.O. did to the jeep I have and you'll not enjoy having to remember to turn fan on and off. Install a probe sensor and a relay like the advice others gave me. Then its like it should be AUTOMATIC
LIKE MAGIC GOES ON WHEN IT SHOULD AND SHUTS OFF WHEN IT SHOULD.:rofl: Have fun workin on it thats what its all about, if you could have seen the condition of the one I have when I got it compared to now, :cheers:
Yeh, that thought had crossed my mind haha. I'll just have to pick it up and fool around with it to see how the relays and everything work. I know my DD has dual electric fans so I can take a look-see there and in my repair manual and figure how it all works and see if I can't adapt something to my CJ.
What year Countour/Mystique fan did you get that out of? I know they made them from 1995-1997 and then 1998-2000. There's one out of a V6 1999 Mercury Mystique by me for $30 (it says dual fans). :2thumbsup: I'm replacing my radiator this weekend so I'll probably do the electric fans at the same time since I ended up destroying my fan at the same time as my radiator. I'm planning on putting a switch under my dashboard and running it straight to the battery, but I still haven't 100% figured out how I want it.

It is from a mid-nineties Ford Contour SVT with the higher performance engine option – either the 16 valve “Zetec” engine or the 24 valve 2.5l “Duratec” V-6.

Jeff

PS: There is a complete writeup on installing the Contour fan and the DC Control electronic controller in the new issue of jRations magazine. (March 08, "Standard Issue 11"). Just one thing, there's an editing error and the controller is called a "Dart Controls" controller instead of DC Control. :-)
I tried to order the thermostatic control from Summit yesterday, and they were backordered into the middle of March. So, I went to Autozone for some other stuff, and got everything I needed for about $40. That would make this whole project about $80, which is a hell of a deal if you ask me.
Sorry to keep digging this up, but I ended up with the same fan as pictured above out of a Mercury Mystique (aka the Mistake) for $30. I bought a thermostat/relay kit from Auto Zone that has a probe for the radiator, but didn't even get to wiring that up, although it looks plain and simple to me.

http://photos-080.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v190/185/66/5018080/n5018080_36053032_1033.jpg

When I bought my radiator, I made sure to get a 3 row heavy duty one, so unfortunately it's a little bit wider (even though the radiator housing itself is the same width). I was test fitting everything and came to the conclusion that these fans were not going to fit between the pulleys and the radiator. I couldn't even get them pushed all the way down to test fit them. I just wanted to check and see what kind of cutting or modifying you guys had to do to get these fans to fit.

I was going to throw on another mechanical fan but it looks like Quadratec has them on backorder, so this is my only choice seeing how I refuse to pay $120 for an electric fan new. I'm going to try and find some time this week to see if I can cut it to be a little narrower to fit in.
I didn't have to modify mine at all; it fit right in place. I did have to place spacers between the fan shroud mounting tabs and the rad/grill because there was about a 3/4 inch gap. So I cut some steel spacers so I could get it good and tight. You can see on in this pic
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m1/bdmonist/Jeep%20Rebuild/IMG_0615.jpg
I also had to drill new holes in the grill for mounting.
Sorry to keep digging this up, but I ended up with the same fan as pictured above out of a Mercury Mystique (aka the Mistake) for $30. I bought a thermostat/relay kit from Auto Zone that has a probe for the radiator, but didn't even get to wiring that up, although it looks plain and simple to me.

When I bought my radiator, I made sure to get a 3 row heavy duty one, so unfortunately it's a little bit wider (even though the radiator housing itself is the same width). I was test fitting everything and came to the conclusion that these fans were not going to fit between the pulleys and the radiator. I couldn't even get them pushed all the way down to test fit them. I just wanted to check and see what kind of cutting or modifying you guys had to do to get these fans to fit.

I was going to throw on another mechanical fan but it looks like Quadratec has them on backorder, so this is my only choice seeing how I refuse to pay $120 for an electric fan new. I'm going to try and find some time this week to see if I can cut it to be a little narrower to fit in.

Looks like your aftermarket radiator is a different size than the OEM one. As far as I know my radiator is an OEM part, and the Contour fan slips right into the recess abound the core for a perfect fit but looks like the recess on your aftermarket radiator is smaller. Hopefully you can trim the fan shroud to fit?

Jef
I think my clearance problem is due to me having the 258 I6. A V8 probably has more clearance in front of it, but the I6 is a long darn motor. I guess all I can do is try and trim it today and see if I can get it to fit. If I have to, I'll trim all of the shroud off except for the area around the fans and get it to work like that.

On a side note, did anyone attempt using the factory Ford relay on the bottom left corner? It looks like it's just temperature-controlled, but I'd rather use my aftermarket kit I got from Auto Zone to be on the safe side. Also, where did you guys wire the power for the fans? I would run it straight to the battery but I'm afraid of the relay draining my battery or the fans running while it's turned off. Do you think it would be safe to run it off the same 12V wire the electric choke uses? I just wasn't sure how many amps these fans draw.
Are you using the Torqflo from AZ? If so, you will be fine running the 12V while running wire (mine was yellow) to the choke or any other 12V while in run wire. That wire only feeds the relay and does not actually power the fans. The power to the fans is a 10ga wire - red - mine is run directly to the battery.
I think my clearance problem is due to me having the 258 I6. A V8 probably has more clearance in front of it, but the I6 is a long darn motor. I guess all I can do is try and trim it today and see if I can get it to fit. If I have to, I'll trim all of the shroud off except for the area around the fans and get it to work like that.

On a side note, did anyone attempt using the factory Ford relay on the bottom left corner? It looks like it's just temperature-controlled, but I'd rather use my aftermarket kit I got from Auto Zone to be on the safe side. Also, where did you guys wire the power for the fans? I would run it straight to the battery but I'm afraid of the relay draining my battery or the fans running while it's turned off. Do you think it would be safe to run it off the same 12V wire the electric choke uses? I just wasn't sure how many amps these fans draw.

I've got the straight six and there is plenty of clearance for the Contour fan.

I used the DC Controls electronic controller to power mine, I've got an article on the installation of the controller and the Contour fan in this month's jRations magazine (issue is called "Standard Issue 11" - months are not used to identify the magazine issues). There is an editing error in the article, the article refers to is as a "Dart Controls" controller when in fact it is the DC Controls unit.

Jeff
Yes, I bought the Torqflo kit from AZ that has the thermal probe that goes into the radiator. There are 2 connections on that, and it was my impression that one goes to 12V, and the other goes straight to the red wire on each fan (hence turning the fans on and off by giving them power or not). If the fans are wired directly into the 12V on the battery, won't they always be turned on?
Yes, I bought the Torqflo kit from AZ that has the thermal probe that goes into the radiator. There are 2 connections on that, and it was my impression that one goes to 12V, and the other goes straight to the red wire on each fan (hence turning the fans on and off by giving them power or not). If the fans are wired directly into the 12V on the battery, won't they always be turned on?

Blue and Orange, 14ga , each go to a fan lead
Yellow goes to an ignition source, 12V while key is on
Red, 14ga, goes to battery
Green goes to A/C clutch, mine will be wired to a switch, this lead is not required.
Black to ground

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m1/bdmonist/Jeep%20Rebuild/Torqflowiring.jpg
The Fans will not run if there is not a 12V source to the relay, this is what the yellow wire does. Therefore, the fans will not run if the engine is off, even if your red wire is run directly to the battery.
Don't trim that shroud too much. It is very important to the cooling effectiveness of the fan. there is enough room to move the radiator forward about an inch if you clearance the headlight bucket's and slip the radiator up through the bottom of the grill to get it on the other side of the mounts. It does seem strange to not have the room though. when you lost the mechanical fan, it should have made enough for the electric.
After a little trimming, I have it zip tied mounted to the radiator with about a half inch of clearance from the studs off the pulley that holds the mechanical fan. Do you guys think that's good enough as long as I get it mounted pretty good?

I jumped the fans straight to 12V just to make sure they work, and boy do they move some serious air! I'm going to work on getting my thermostat relay thingie installed later and get it all perfect.

Also, the TorqFlo kit I got that had the thermal probe only has a switch thing with 2 connections. It doesn't have all the wires coming out of it like the instructions above. I guess it's made to wire into 12V and turn on at a certain temperature (send 12V to the fans), and then turn back off after a certain temperature.
From the looks of it you could make a little more room by trimming the plastic on the back of the fan where the pulley bolts are. ( unless you have already ) Looks like there is at least an inch before you get to the fan blades, but you'll want to make sure the tips of the blades are still surrounded by the shroud so it will work as it should.