Delete mechanical fan, just electric one now. OK?

I'm not going to use my tow package Roadmaster to serve as a tow vehicle anymore. If I remove the fan, clutch, bracket, belt, etc., would the electric fan be able to handle cooling duties acceptable all by it's lonesome?

Yes. Did it like that for years in the Georgia Heat.

Why not convert it to dual fans like all the non tow pack cars were?

Deadmanonduty wrote:

Why not convert it to dual fans like all the non tow pack cars were?  

I guess because it comes down to

1) extra time
2) extra money
3) aggravation considering electrical issues really grind my gears!

Although, I do have a '98 Gran Prix donor car with factory dual electric fans. Just maybe.............

The dual-fan conversion isn't all that hard. The wiring kit makes it pretty straightforward. A couple of hours and some hand tools is all it takes.

In the least I'd consider adding the second fan and piggybacking the two together, but if you don't get stuck in traffic very often it may not do much for you.

Right now the Buick is back on the road after sitting unused and uninsured since late last Summer after the Caprice replaced it as my daily driver. I've spent quite a few hours re-doing most of the exhaust system plus some needed rust repair at the rear most panel where the rear bumper cover attaches at the top.
Point is, the Chevy project has basically come to a halt during that time and now I'm hoping to get it (mostly) finished and back on the road by late May/early June.
I will still need to dedicate enough time to the Roady to replace the water pump and make sure it will pass Pennsylvania inspection.
Oh yeah, grass cutting season is almost upon us with seven customer's lawns to cut plus my own.
Yikes! Wish I could clone myself sometimes.

I did the dual-electric fan conversion with the kit on my ’96 Roadmaster, and there is some good, and some bad. When you remove the mechanical fan, you can also remove the bigger shroud, fan mount and belt tensioner, but grab shorter water pump bolts and the smaller shroud at the salvage yard when you grab a used fan.

The good is it REALLY cleans-up and opens up the engine compartment. You can SEE the motor so much better. If I have to do a water pump or Opti in the future, this should really speed up the repairs.

The BAD is when my car had the mechanical fan, the temp gauge never went up to more than halfway…ever. Now the temp gauge goes way beyond halfway, to almost the red mark, before both fans kick on fully…and then it cools down again, and starts over. On the highway or while moving it runs nice and cool, but get in traffic and it heats up. The fans, when on, do run independent, with one kicking on and off as needed while the other runs full or turn off. It’s interesting to watch… I just don’t like seeing my car get that close to overheating.. I always have this worry the fans won’t kick on in time and it WILL overheat.

That said, it you turn on the ac, the fans kick right on and it never gets above halfway on the gauge while running a/c. It only gets “hot” when running with no a/c. I’m told it’s possibly to program the PCM to kick the electric fans on at a lower temp, but I’ve not found anyone locally that can do this, and don’t really want to send my PCM off to be re-programmed somewhere, so I’ve just lived with it.

The other issue, related to your comment about running with just one fan, is a/c performance. While your car my not overheat, when you turn on you’re a/c, both fans need to be on to pull air through the radiator and the condenser in front of it. With only one fan, you are only pulling through half of the condenser when in traffic or sitting at a light, and that could cause some high pressures and strain on you’re a/c system. Something to consider.

-Mike

Nice input, thanks Mike. Can a second electric fan unit be spliced into the original one so they both operate at the same time in the same manner?

Steve Smith wrote:

Nice input, thanks Mike. Can a second electric fan unit be spliced into the original one so they both operate at the same time in the same manner?

I actually bought the kit to do it the "correct" way, so I don't know about splicing them together. I'm thinking someone will chime in here.

-Mike

81X11 wrote:

I actually bought the kit to do it the "correct" way, so I don't know about splicing them together.   I'm thinking someone will chime in here.

-Mike

Steve as Mike said, do it the correct way!  If you hack and slash, that's exactly what kind of a job it will be.  You will have relays and wiring that could melt down, you don't want to do that.

Tom

I was wanting to do the double fan conversion where would I be able to find the wiring kit?

Go to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] they have the full kit. I used it to convert my mechanical fan RMW and have been happy with it.

Gary at Innovative over engineers everything so you will have no worries with his product. Great to work with.

Innovative Wiring is where I got my kit. Very nice kit, well made and clear instructions. It works like it's supposed to. Just want the fans to kick on earlier.

The reason you see the temp go up so much with the electric fans is that they are not calibrated to come on until the coolant temp exceeds 100°C. I removed the mechanical fan and I am just running the secondary electric fan but I moved the enable temperature below 15 mph down to 80°C and left it at 107°C above 15 mph which was the stock calibration. No issue so far but it has not been too warm yet in Michigan this year.

cjweinga wrote:

The reason you see the temp go up so much with the electric fans is that they are not calibrated to come on until the coolant temp exceeds 100°C.  I removed the mechanical fan and I am just running the secondary electric fan but I moved the enable temperature below 15 mph down to 80°C and left it at 107°C above 15 mph which was the stock calibration.  No issue so far but it has not been too warm yet in Michigan this year.

How did you change the temp settings? I'd love to do this.

-Mike

81X11 wrote:

cjweinga wrote:

The reason you see the temp go up so much with the electric fans is that they are not calibrated to come on until the coolant temp exceeds 100°C.  I removed the mechanical fan and I am just running the secondary electric fan but I moved the enable temperature below 15 mph down to 80°C and left it at 107°C above 15 mph which was the stock calibration.  No issue so far but it has not been too warm yet in Michigan this year.

How did you change the temp settings?    I'd love to do this.

-Mike

I changed it using Tuner C.A.T.S.

cjweinga wrote:

81X11 wrote:

cjweinga wrote:

The reason you see the temp go up so much with the electric fans is that they are not calibrated to come on until the coolant temp exceeds 100°C.  I removed the mechanical fan and I am just running the secondary electric fan but I moved the enable temperature below 15 mph down to 80°C and left it at 107°C above 15 mph which was the stock calibration.  No issue so far but it has not been too warm yet in Michigan this year.

How did you change the temp settings?    I'd love to do this.

-Mike

I changed it using Tuner C.A.T.S.

I need to fine someone that can do this here. Thanks!