Fan question

[canadian]

The fan on my 87 supra 7M-GTE has one blade broken off somehow from the previous owner. I don't know how much it is effecting the engine, but I want to replace it, just in case.

I found one from an 89 supra at the junkyard and it looks to be in decent shape. How do I test it, or see if the fan is in good condition? I twisted the metal flange on it both ways and I felt a bit of friction...normal or bad?

Thanks

 

[Godspeed]

why do you just use an electric fan? you will gain power. there will be a difference believe me.

 

[canadian]

why do you just use an electric fan? you will gain power. there will be a difference believe me.

I've heard bad things about them failing or the wiring messing up, and the power gained isn't that much, is it?

 

[Godspeed]

i havent had any probs out of mine. i raced my wifes v6 camry in my 1g supra with a clutch fan and barely beat her by half a fender. well i changed it to electric fan and raced her again i beat her by 3-4 no prob. stays cooler and has better response. my car has stock 210hp and the camry is 200 hp. i think thats a bigg difference to me.

 

[canadian]

What kind of electric fan are you using? What are you using to control it?

Thanks

 

[Godspeed]

its just a 12-14 inch fan that i took off of a 94 cavalier i zip tied it on kinda ghetto but it works.
i ran it to a hot wire that comes on when the car is switched on. works great. that way i dont have to worry about forgetting to turn it on. it does it as soon as the car is switched on.

 

[supraman7mgte]

I use a permacool 14 inch fan with the thermal sensor to activate it.
The turbo fan blade should have 10 blades. having one broken will cause it to spin out of wack and possibly self terminate later on down the road taking everybody with it.
check the replacement for cracks,and maybe grab 2 blades at the same time and squeeze them and listen for cracking. go to the next 2 and do the same.
save for the elc fan upgrade and just stay with the stockker until then my 2 cenz

 

[canadian]

I don't know what to do:

http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15589&highlight=electric+fan

 

[DaSuprawolf]

i got one, its awesome! love it.

 

[jdub]

Have you upgraded your radiator? If not, I'd stick with the stock fan set-up.

I've got FAL dual fans with an FAL variable speed controller on a CSF radiator...no problems at all, even in Phoenix AZ where it hits 43 deg C on a regular basis in the summer. The reason it works for me (IMHO) is the larger capacity radiator...gives my Supra the ability to absorb the heat in this hot enviroment. Plus the electric fans run when the car is in low speed conditions, providing a constant airflow.

If you're running a stock radiator, you don't have that extra capacity...the stock fan (with a good shroud) is more efficient in getting the airflow across the radiator. In your situation, BC is not nearly as hot as it is here...a stock radiator and fan should be fine for you.

 

[Wills7MGTE]

I bought the flex-a-lite dual 12 inchers for my car, it helped with response and runs smoother and cooler all around, my stock fan shroud was jacked up and one blade off fan was missing so I did the electrics and never looked back

 

[supraman7mgte]

Thats one of the biggest points on the fan/elc discussion ive seen. i'm under the impression that everyone is using a stock radiator. i have a PWR that is twice the thickness of the stockker and only use a 14 inch with no problems.

 

[Godspeed]

all i know is mine is the stock rad. and my car stays cooler with the electric fan than with the clutch fan.
also you dont get the big whoooosh sound when you rev up. i think its a good investment to switch to the electric fans. but to each his own.

 

[robeats91t]

There are lots of factors to consider here before you should consider an electric setup based on looks or "free horsepower":

-Radiator type (stock or aftermarket)
-General condition of cooling system (and preferably and aftermarket temp gauge)
-Climate (Green Bay vs. Tampa Bay...ambient temps make a difference)
-Condition of charging system and battery
-Budget

The list could go on; I'm sure I didn't mention many points from the "Is it worth it" thread you found, Canadian; what I'm trying to make clear is that going with electric fans and making them work is more involved than just picking out the fans you want. It'll end up costing you significantly more than the price of the electric fan(s) alone--my dual FAL fans only set me back around $200-$220 USD, but the supporting mods from the list above to make me comfortable doing e-fans in the first place (especially in the mutant heat of Florida) easily set me back another $600-$1000. This included:

-Water temperature gauge
-Water pump
-Radiator & Cap
-All new hoses
-New OEM HG w/ ARP's @ 90 ft/lbs
-Programmable fan controller & wiring

Now of course, all items in the list (except the last item) have much broader benefits to the car's health. They should be checked and/or replaced if needed, especially before attempting any sort of cooling fan upgrade project.

If you don't know what to do Canadian, maybe try this--Try to think if there's anything else you'd want to do to the car with that kind of money. You could get a nice aluminum radiator, a brand new fan shroud and a replacement Turbo fan for less, and it'll cool better in most cases than an electric setup.

Hope this helps some...

EDIT: Also, from your first post Canadian--If your old fan clutch is in good shape, you may want to check the bolt patterns of the plastic fans to see if they match up. You may be able to swap over the undamaged '89 fan to your '87 fan clutch. Just a thought; it's probably your cheapest option.

 

[jdub]

all i know is mine is the stock rad. and my car stays cooler with the electric fan than with the clutch fan.
also you dont get the big whoooosh sound when you rev up. i think its a good investment to switch to the electric fans. but to each his own.

Don't get me wrong...I really like my FAL fans too Really cleans up the front of the motor. But, it's a pricey upgrade and it needs to be done right with a controller...otherwise you risk a failure and overheat of the engine. As we all know, the 7M does not like an overheat

I tend to look at the complete system...one part affects the others. The cooling system is very critical to the health of this motor. Even a pinhole leak can cause problems. When I decided to go with the electric fans, I wanted to ensure there was sufficient capacity to buffer the reduced top airflow of the electric fans. I do a fair amount of city driving...the electric fans provide great airflow in this situation. At highway speeds (or in autocross) though, the stock fan is better for airflow.

Each person's situation is different and will determine the cost/benefit of the switch. The HP gain for doing this is nominal.

Edit: robeats91t - Great post...couldn't have said it better myself. :bigthumb:

 

[amd_hcds]

Just get the dual fan from any ford taurus and that should do. Do the wiring right and there should be no problems. Had been running it for a while with no problems and with good results

 

[jdub]

Just get the dual fan from any ford taurus and that should do. Do the wiring right and there should be no problems. Had been running it for a while with no problems and with good results

Heehee...and it's not very hot in Baghdad during the summer either

 

[Suprapowaz!(2)]

I'm against electric fans. But for someone who lives so far up north I just might work for you. You don't have hot ass summers like we do.

 

[robeats91t]

Heh, I'm against electric fans on poorly maintained 7Ms.

I do wish I'd had my aftermarket temp gauge before I switched to electric fans; I'd like to compare mechanical fan temps to e-fan temps.

 

[GotBoost?]

Just get the dual fan from any ford taurus and that should do. Do the wiring right and there should be no problems. Had been running it for a while with no problems and with good results

Yeah. But do the wiring wrong, and pay the consequence$$.