New Viscous Fan installed!!

[moparbulldog]

Got my new viscous fan installed.  Just wanted to check with you guys on the spacing.  It is about 1 inch away from the radiator.  Is that too much?  I know I could get a 1/2 spacer if need be.  Still looking for a shroud that would work.  Thanks. 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

How far do the blades stick out from the shroud?

[moparbulldog]

Don't have a shroud for it yet.  Can't find one that will work with my aluminum radiator.

[Chryco Psycho]

1" is approx the minimum distance I would have the fan to the rad any closer & it may chew the core

[moparbulldog]

Thanks for the advice.  I just want to make sure here, the clutch is actually 1 inch away, the fan is behind that.  Seems to work great, I was amazed at how simple it was to install.  Now the search for a shroud will continue...

[Chryco Psycho]

26" shroud is available new from Mopar

[PlumCraZRT]

As Chryco said, if cooling is an issue get a shroud... they work incredible.  Also I have heard to never put a spacer behind the viscous fans cause it'll cause the bearing on the water pump to go bad.  Just makes the thing way more unstable.

[moparbulldog]

Thanks for the heads up on the spacer.  My only problem with the shroud is that the Mopar one will not mount to the radiator I have.  The fan is about an inch offset toward the passenger side, and the rad has a built in trans cooler that is basically just in the way.  I am thinking about getting the 22inch model (size of finned area) and figuring out some mock up with the Be Cool aluminum shroud mounting brackets.  I will figure something out......

[PlumCraZRT]

If looks aren't TOO important, look into the "custom" (or univeral, depending on how you look at it) shrouds they sell.  Think they sell them on Summit.  Basically its just a piece of sheet that you bend into place around the fan.  Probably not as effective as a classic shroud on a reg mopar radiator, but probably more effective than no shroud at all.

[F N Cuda]

I was told by a guy at Griffin rads that if the fan is within one inch of the rad that a shroud would be no help.
He offered to have one made for me but said it would be pricey and it would have no benefit but the safety aspect. I never put one on to test this theory.
My rad is a tiny drag race Griffin, my fan is direct drive and solid aluminum which is also offset a little. It sits about 3/4 inch from the rad. I decided to add an electric fan and wired it as a pusher and mounted it to the front.
The Griffin dude also recommended an anti freeze additive to get it to run cooler, I used Royal Purple's of course. After all that, I run about 180 normally and 200 on hot So Cal days. Never messed with the thermostat but I will eventually. I'm happy for now.

[moparbulldog]

Wow, that is interesting info about the shroud thing.  I was thinking about having a shop make one for me, but did not want to pay much more than a regular one.  Now I have to rethink the whole thing again.  Man this is fun......

[PlumCraZRT]

I was told by a guy at Griffin rads that if the fan is within one inch of the rad that a shroud would be no help.
He offered to have one made for me but said it would be pricey and it would have no benefit but the safety aspect. I never put one on to test this theory.
My rad is a tiny drag race Griffin, my fan is direct drive and solid aluminum which is also offset a little. It sits about 3/4 inch from the rad. I decided to add an electric fan and wired it as a pusher and mounted it to the front.
The Griffin dude also recommended an anti freeze additive to get it to run cooler, I used Royal Purple's of course. After all that, I run about 180 normally and 200 on hot So Cal days. Never messed with the thermostat but I will eventually. I'm happy for now.

*My engineering senses are kicking in*  I would have to go ahead and disagree with what the Griffin guy said.  Of course the closer you get the fan to the radiator the more effective it will be, but when you have a good shroud design (like the factory design) it will pull air in from the entire area of the radiator and will create a much more effective vacuum due to the ring on the shroud around the fan creating much better aerodynamics.  Basically the shroud has a two-fold effect: better air flow and air flow across the entire radiator area.  You wont notice much difference with/without a shroud until you sit at a stop light on a hot summer day... then its a big difference

[Chryco Psycho]

 
the shorud will pull air through the entire surface of the rad where the fan cannot get the corners no matter how close it is

[F N Cuda]

That's what I brought up but he assured me that was not the case. It had been tested with and without shrouds. The fan must be very close or the shroud is a must.
I will probably get to check this out first hand cuz I want a shroud to keep my fingers and hands attatched to my arms for as long as possible.

[moparbulldog]

Well, either way a shroud will not hurt the matter, so I will still be attempting to get one.  Hopefully this will not cost me......