Auxilliary Electric Booster Fan

[garre1tt]

Is anyone using the auxilliary electric booster fan that SS diesel Supply is selling. It is made by AC Delco. They say this was standard on the Heavy duty towing package. Is this true.

Thanks
Michael D.

[Robyn]

I have had two GM trucks that came from the factory with an extra little electric fan out front.
My 86 dually has one and our old gasser 95 Burb had one

They are a big help when running slow and using the AC.
Will not hurt you at all to install one.

Good luck
Robyn

[Shikaroka]

Hmm....
I haven't seen one of these, but I have been thinking about adding an electric fan. Especially to help with the A/C

I would love to replace the clutch fan with an electric, but I'm not sure if there is one that could keep up with the 6.5.

[garre1tt]

This fan is not for replacing the clutch fan but to help add extra cooling.
I am interested in it to help with the continued cooling. RPMs are always high as well as the temps at the top of the hill but going down the other side the RPMs drop and then the fan slows down.
With the added electric fan I hope I could cool it down before I gets to hot or keep it from getting to hot in the first place.

Do those with the HD towing packages have the same cooling problems?

Michael D

[Shikaroka]

This fan is not for replacing the clutch fan but to help add extra cooling.

I am aware of that. I have been wanting to add a fan, but I would also like to replace the clutch fan.

[moondoggie]

Good Day!

"...I would also like to replace the clutch fan." Good idea! Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be an electric fan that can move as much air as the stock fan. This comes up from time to time; apparently the stock fan moves ~ 10,000 cfm. The last time I checked, I couldn't find an electric fan > 5500 cfm.

It never hurts to think about new ideas, so keep 'em coming.

Blessings!

[gmctd]

As Robyn indicated, it can't hurt to install that fan - it is for the 350 and 454 with hd towing package.

When's the last time you cleaned the trash from the areas between the heat exchangers - that's a yearly maintenance routine that always restores the original cooling capacity.

[Shikaroka]

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be an electric fan that can move as much air as the stock fan. This comes up from time to time; apparently the stock fan moves ~ 10,000 cfm. The last time I checked, I couldn't find an electric fan > 5500 cfm.



Yeh, that's the problem I've run into.
I've "heard" that the stock unit moves 10,000 cfm, but I don't have any reliable data to back that up.
They make fan kits for the Duramaxes, but I don't know if they require less airflow then the 6.5.
An electric fan would help the truck warm up faster, improve A/C effeciency, and probably free up some horsepower. As long as it can keep things cool when need be, then it would be a great upgrade.
I may experiment with one someday.

[moondoggie]

Good Day!

"I've "heard" that the stock unit moves 10,000 cfm, but I don't have any reliable data to back that up." Me either. It had been discussed at great length here on the Page over the years. Maybe searching would unearth the sources of this info - I know it was convincing enough for me. I'm also unwilling to take any kind of a chance, the 6.5's reputation being what it is. On the other hand, if a guy (oops, robyn - gal, er, guyl?) kept a real close eye on the temp gauge, it might be worth a try, eh?

"They make fan kits for the Duramaxes, but I don't know if they require less airflow then the 6.5." This would be fun to chase down - can you provide a link? I strongly doubt the DMax needs to move less air than the 6.5, but of course it's possible.

"An electric fan would help the truck warm up faster, improve A/C efficiency, and probably free up some horsepower." I've really wanted this to work too - mpg is my only hobby. It's pretty silly to have that fan turning all the time, even though it's not absorbing much power when it's freewheeling which, running down the road unloaded, is most of the time. I'd REALLY like my A/C to actually work at times other than when I'm cruising at highway speed. :mad:

Keep us posted, we all profit from your work then.


Blessings!
(signature in previous post)

[JohnC]

Actually, I don't think an electric fan would be much benefit to air conditioning. The benefit of an electric fan is you can turn it off when it's not needed. When the AC is on, the electric fan has to be on too, so how would the electric fan be any better? Same thing for an intercooler (Duramax), except they're always on so when do you turn the electric fan off?

[Shikaroka]

On cars that don't have belt driven fans and only use electric fans, the fans come on when the temperature in the radiator gets hot enough and/or the A/C is turned on.
The A/C on these trucks don't work so well when you are setting still or driving slowly because there is not enough air being pulled through to cool the condensor. An electric fan that came on with the A/C would greatly help with this.
Having an electric fan on would cause a little more draw on the alternator, but I don't think it would create nearly as much drag as the clutch/fan assembly.

[JFerg65]

Just saw an article in diesel power regarding a flex-a-lite electric fan replacement in a 97 dodge ram 3500.

This sounds like a great set up. Stats from company indicate 27 hp gain and 6% gain in mpg.

The set up moves 5500cfm at full power. They indicate it runs at 60% once engine is up to temp or the AC is on , if temps continue to rise she goes to 100 percnt. The way they wired it was also interesting.

Any body else see this or know if they have a set up for the 6.5??

[gmctd]

The 6.5 has designed-in problems which can result in overheating in normal cruising events - takes a high-output waterpump and high-flow fan to overcome that when loaded.

The 5.9 has designed-in concepts which result in over-cooling in normal cruising events, which results in adequate cooling in loaded events - even at that I wouldn't trust that electric fan to deliver on a hot day, fully loaded with air conditioning burning on max.

Ya got three heat-exchangers to draw thru @~90deg ambient in that system -

ac condenser at ~300deg

charge-air cooler at ~300deg loaded

engine-coolant radiator at ~250 deg loaded.

Imo that would be a dangerous game in either case, especially with the 6.5 - I'd prefer the electric fan clutch and the factory fan as an upgrade, particularly when most of my driving is unloaded.

Installing that fan on the frontside of the radiator could greatly help the factory 6.5 engine-driven fan cooling system

[DA BIG ONE]

Land Rover has installed louvered vents at fenders sides which allows better flow of hot air from engine bay I'm thinking this would be a consideration to help cooling of the 6.5td too if applied properly........................

[garre1tt]

Well every one thanks for the replys. In my continued resurch I found a diagram for the auxillary electric fan. It is installed on the RH or passengers side in front of the radiator.

Problem is the AC looks like it mounts in the exact same place using the same mounting holes.

I am just looking for that little extra cooling when I am doing 35-45 and still have miles to the top of the 6% grade.

Thanks
Michael D.

[garre1tt]

Hi Michael,

I have not tried it personally on all years, but we have sold quite a
few and never had one returned. All years had similar body styles and
rad and a/c locations, so I would assume it should work great in almost
all situations. Worst case some minor tweeking would be necessary.

This is the response I got from the seller of the fan.

Once again has anyone installed one of these or if the vehical came equiped is it on the RH side with out AC

Thanks
Michael D

[gmctd]

That auxillary fan was designed for the '70s-'80s body styles -

I installed the factory auxilliary engine-oil cooler in series with the in-tank cooler - the aux 'cooler fit in the same holes as for that aux fan on the passenger-side front of the radiator bulkhead - driver's-side has duplicate holes for same purpose, which now has the factory auxiliary trans fluid cooler.

I used longer factory sheet-metal screws and aluminum rod spacers to mount that fan in front of the oil-cooler, which was where I thought it would do the most good - and did.....does....still.

You could mount it anywhere in front of the ac condenser by using those plastic thru-ties - look like long plastic rivets - thru the tubing\fins with 1" rubber washers as vibration-absorber\dampers.

Should come with an appropriate harness and relay for 'factory' installation

[garre1tt]

Thanks,
I guess this is why he has no returns.

For a hundred bucks it looks cheap compaird to many other electric fans

Thanks
Michael D

[gmctd]

Well, you know salesmen - but, if you're anything like me, nothing short of armageddon would stop you from installing that fan, or anything else, if you really thought it would help.

Good luck with it, dude.

[garre1tt]

some more information.
The ACDelco part number is 15-8686.
I found the part for only 65 and change at rockauto dot com

Searching for this part i found ACDelcos web site that list all the products they carry for the 6.5. Nice reference.

yes I am determined to get this to work and I will keep you all updated.

Michael D

[moondoggie]

Good Day!

"...I will keep you all updated." Thanks! That's one of the things that makes the Page great.

Blessings!
(signature in previous post)