overheating - time for new fan clutch?

[bksmith]

well, my overheating problems have started to creep up again. I believe that my fan-flutch is bad because it is a thermal unit and i can spin the fan when the engine is hot. i am also going to have my radiator checked and cleaned out.

my question is this: would you guys go back to a fan w/ a thermal clutch or should i get a flex-a-lite fan? I looked into the electric fans from flex-a-lite but they are to much money for me right now.

thanks for any help you guys offer.

 

[Junkpile]

The best cooling fan you can use is a clutchless engine driven, rigid blade fan that will spin relative to engine speed. The draw on power from a fan like that is surprisingly high, though. The Large blade factory clutch fan does a pretty good job, and because of the clutch it is easier and more economical to run. Flex fans don't cool as well, but they don't rob power and they throw a good amount of air at lower engine speeds. Electric fans are the best way to go, but you get what you pay for and a quality properly set-up aftermarket electric fan is expensive. There are plenty of nice OEM quality fan setups sitting in junkyards if you don't mind a little fab work to mount and wire them.

 

[derff96963]

I have a direct driven fan on mine and I don't really notice any adverse affects. My Engine is out of a 76 and I don't think they had thermal clutched back then.

 

[TwistedCU]

For alot less money you can run any appropriately sized electric fan (alot of posts recommend one from a junked Ford Taurus) if you figure out the mounting which shouldn't be too difficult. Several options for wiring it, but you could just connect it to switched power and add a thermostat and kill switch later if desired.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Go electric, you'll never go back. The Taurus unit is good. Make sure your electrical system us up to par, I think it pulls 30A continuous and 100A at startup.

 

[Snitty]

i never realized they were so high draw

 

[TwistedCU]

Re: 35s with 3.73

It might draw more when it first kicks on, but the Flex-A-Lite I just ordered claims to only draw 9 amps.
http://flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/jeep-wrangler.html

 

[bksmith]

thanks for the help guys, i'm going to look into the taurus unit