rm31859

Hello all, I have a 1988 Chevy Silverado K1500 4WD., 350 TBI, Auto trans, and tow package,I had wanted to change my mechanical water pump over to an electric model but after a lot of research, I have found that most, if not all, of these type pumps are for high performance racing applications and not for daily driving. So I guess I'm going to have to have to stick with just electric fan(s). My problem is that there are so many different fans on the market I don't know which will work the best. If anyone has experience with electric radiator fans and can give some advice, I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance for any and all help.

mountainmanjoe

Why do you have to have to have electric fans?

rm31859

As I said in my original post, I wanted to convert my mechanical water pump to an electrical one to do away with the drag it and the fan induces on the engine. As all of the electrical ones that I found are intended for racing applications, My only option is to replace just the fan. Replacing it in itself will help reduce the drag and also help keep the truck cool at idle, especially on hot days. My truck is a daily driver with some stop and go traffic so there is some heat build up during the stops.

mountainmanjoe

Electric fans drag down the engine too. You're just shifting the drag (and wear) to the alternator. Dyno testing seems to show the difference isn't noticeable. Idle speed should be more than enough to move a ton of air and keep an engine cool. Is your truck overheating?

rm31859

No, my truck is not overheating and my goal is keep it that way. There have been a few summers here in NC where the heat got pretty high and the temp on the truck started to go up when I would be sitting at a stop light. As far as the alternator, I was a Firefighter for a number of years and I installed a high output alternator to handle the emergency lighting. As far as electric fans versus mechanical fans, my local chevy/gmc dealer tells me that all of the new/ newer trucks all have electric fans. This would seem to indicate that having electric cooling fans would be an advantage over a mechanical one.

tech2

The advantage is being able to control it with the pcm...which means multiple speeds, shutting it off when you don't need it for fuel efficiency, less engine load, lighter. Without pcm control...running it off a temp switch, if that is what the after market systems do; not worth the effort imo. Can you find a kit with a module to control operation?

mountainmanjoe

A high output alternator uses more hp than a regular one. You don’t get something for nothing.

rm31859

That is my goal. I have to do some research to find one. That's why I have asked about electric fans on the forum.

rm31859

That depends, Yes, the more amperage the alternator makes, the more horsepower is required to turn it. All alternators are regulated, so unless there is a heavy electrical load against the alternator, a higher amperage alternator will not provide any more drag against the engine than an OEM alternator.