Whippled 496

iTrader: (4)

Now that i have the I/C done and everything is running well again. I am looking for a cooling fan upgrade. I want to keep a clutch fan in there because they really pull some serious air and i will be doing a little towing as well, i dont want to go to Efans. The 8.1L has a 21" 5 blade steel fan. I tried to use a duramax fan blade (very aggresive 9 blade design and flows a crazy amount of air) but the clutch mounting holes were further apart. I tried to use the duramax clutch and fan together, and the clutch nut is bigger than the bolt on my truck. So im striking out here.

I have a 160* stat in the truck and at highway speeds with the A/C on (even in 95* weather) it holds right at 180*-185*. When i stop for a long period of time (still with the A/C on and still in 95* weather) it runs up to about 195*-200* and sits there......Is that to hot? I know with a 9 blade fan i could cool this thing down even more, i would like to keep it around 180* max sitting still on a hot day with the A/C on. Is that not a possibility? I am looking for a 21" 9 blade fan with a clutch bolt mounting pattern of 3-1/4" center to center. Should i be satisfied with where i am now, or am i running too hot?

I may try and modify a Dmax fan blade but if i am off in the slightest with the center hole, it will cause a bunch of stress on the clutch i would imagine. I dont want that thing doing a bunch of wobbling up there. I did just get through filling this thing up with antifreeze a couple of times.....is there anything special about filling these up as opposed to any other vehicle? I filled it up, ran it for a minute then added a little more fluid. Then i let it run up to temperature and added a little more. Seems to be fine, but i guess i could have some air still stuck in there. Any suggestions?

Whippled 496

iTrader: (4)

Its the 160* or 165* stat, the one that comes with the whipple kit.

MikeGyver

iTrader: (5)

With our different engines our ECTs are similar. My readings are from HP Tuners. Before intercooler (B I/C), my cruising temp was 172° or so on a hot day, after a second gear pull, it went up to 185°. That was with very hig IATs. A I/C, same cruising temp, same hot outdoor temp, and ECT doesn't change after a similar length pull. It will also get up to about 195° just sitting in traffic with the A/C running. I don't think that my electric fans hindered or helped much. I think my ECTs are pretty good considering that the air flow through the radiator is being blocked by 4" of intercooler, and it sounds to me like you are doing just as well. It seems that cooling the IAT does more to help the engine temperature than improved airflow through the radiator.

Jamesbond2509

iTrader: (1)

My prior point is that the intercooler is to cool the intake charge so that you can run higher timing and also prevent detonation. Measuring coolant temp may not tell you as much as the effect of the lower IAT. Im curious how much lower your IAT's are with the IC so you can adjust your tune for more power. Either way great mod. Congratulations.

Whippled 496

iTrader: (4)

thanks JB (not sure what your name is LOL)....if you have not figured me out yet, i am whats known as a "dweller". I tend to dwell on things to the point of madness sometimes, so just bare with me (or ignore me). I just want to be sure that everything is on the up and up, thats all. It looks like the ECT's are going to be what they are...seeing as how they were recorded in probably the worst conditions they are going to see, i can live with what i have without to many worries i suppose. And thanks for the comparison Mike, i see what your saying. It seems that maybe a sacrifice in ECT's is a small price to pay for the big improvement in IAT's. Considering this thing runs as good in todays heat as it did in the cooler weather without an I/C makes me very anxious for some cool autumn air. I am going camping Thursday morning until Sunday....but i hope to get to the dyno next week. Thanks for the input guys.

Jimmie

MonteCarlo31

Not to be a bubble burster here but you could put the biggest fan in the world on and it would still run the same tem. What you need to change is your clutch which controls the temp and how much lock up the fan gets. The fluid inside is what tells how much lock up the clutch is going to give speeding the fan up. The only way to fix this is with what real trucks use, an electrohydraulic clutch which you could flip a switch and will engage the fan in full lock up. Using this will also allow complete release of the fan from the engine robbing NO power. A normal fan clutch will always run between 20 and 75% lock up all of the time. Horton makes a kit for the V-10 ford gasser along with the powerstroke and cummins. I'd check them out for one for your truck.

Whippled 496

iTrader: (4)

Really? The only time i have any issues (and its not really an issue), is when i have the A/C on..... or if im sitting still for a while. Even then it only gets to about 195* or so, and that was when it was 97* outside ambient temperature. What i was looking for was a fan like the Dmax fan with its aggressive blade design, to really pull the air in and cool it down quicker than the 5 blade fan i have now and keep it cooler while at idle. I would think that the Dmax fan would bring it down much quicker than the one i have now. I have accepted the fact that with the I/C up in front of the radiator, im not going to see temps like they were before (always at 180*). 195* is normal for these engines, and i dont think i will have any issues. Thanks for the input.

MonteCarlo31

Not to be mean but once again the point has been missed. Your running up to that Temp b/c the fan clutch is tuned to that temp for engagment. The reson you run cooler when moving is that the fan is still locked up some, probably 20 to 25% even though the temp is not high enough for almost full clutch engagment. Again, if your worried about your temps you need to go to an electric lockup clutch where you can control fan lockup with the flip of a switch. Even if you switch to a 9 blade fan it will keep the same temp.

Manic Mechanic

iTrader: (3)

Linda, another way to say what he is saying is that your stock fan clutch isn't designed to fully enguage and spin the fan at max speed UNTIL the temperature is higher than the factory thermostat rating (195*). So 200* operating temp is normal for that fan clutch. The reason you had lower temps before is because without the intercooler the amount of airflow through the rad was sufficient to keep the temperature at your thermostat(180*) even without full clutch lock-up.

Usually auto parts companys produce "Heavy Duty" fan clutches for most truck applications. If so for the 8.1 it would have a tighter setting and should maintain a lower temperature. The only problem is that in my experience they are too tight and rob horsepower by not disenguaging when accellerating, especially through 1st gear. It seems they take too long to let go at high RPM's. But this experience is with wimpy engines and small radiators. Your set-up might muscle it into submission without issue. The kind of fan clutch MonteCarlo mentioned that is switchable like an AC compressor might be the best choice because you could rig it so that it only locks at closed throttle.

And yes I'm steadily working on getting there myself. I just bought injectors from a fellow board member this morning. I'm looking forward to your web-page. Thanks for all your hard work, it will pave the way for those of us without your reasorces to do the same thing. It is really cool what you've done, congrats on a job well done and can't wait to see the beast's dyno numbers.

Vernon

Whippled 496

iTrader: (4)

Thanks Vernon, i catch on, just not as quickly....but i understand what he (and you) are saying now.....Thanks MonteCarlo. Well, i think i will stick with my current setup for now and see how it does in some cooler weather (at least cooler than 100*..LOL). I am not to worried about 195* and as long as it doesnt get any worse than that, so be it. I will try and get everything together this week and start putting together the parts list and a some whats needed for a step-by-step on the install. I literally just walked in from a mini-vacation to southern Virgina (didnt take the truck). Tomorow I am hoping to get the IAT sensor hooked up and plan on doing a trany fluid change to some Mobile1. If all goes as planned i should be getting to the Dyno by Wednesday at the latest. I will keep you all posted on the #'s.