elec. fan upgrade...junk yard option...

[fast_Z28_guy]

so if i remember correctly you guys say the elec fan setup out of the ford taurus was a good swap into the Jeep.

what makes THAT setup so good? dimensions? power? shroud design?

i have an 89 buick w/ 3.8L v6 that i've been using as a beater...well one of the pistons finally took a crap. car isn't worth rebuilding.

wondering if i could pull the elec fan setup out of it and retro-fit it into an 03 Jeep Wrangler 4.0L??

other than custom wiring....what would need to be modified or fabricated.

thanks...
looking to get more power and economy out of the jeep....and salvage parts off the beater before it goes to the crusher.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Make sure the fan is from a 3.8L Taurus or similar Ford or Mercury, they're a nice 2-speed fan that moves a ton of air. They fit the Wrangler radiators very well, and bolt in pretty easily. Mine fit perfect and I left a 2" gap at the bottom of the fan to let mud and water flow through the radiator.

 

[jfrabat]

Also, the FoMoCo fan will put out a very respectable 4,000 CFM on high speed (this I found when I was doing my research). Most aftermarket fans will barely reach 3,200 CFM. This is on top of the fact that I paid $28 for the Ford fan and the Black Magic and other aftermarket fans are well over $200 bucks!

 

[fast_Z28_guy]

maybe you guys misunderstood me...

this IS NOT FROM A FORD, its from a BUICK.

was wondering what made the ford fan so great...which you guys kindda answered.

guess i need to take some measurements when i pull it out.

 

[jfrabat]

this IS NOT FROM A FORD, its from a BUICK.QUOTE]

I think we were clear on that; the point is that if you want to use this fan, you will need to know some more information on it (like how much air it pulls!), which we do not know for this fan.

guess i need to take some measurements when i pull it out.

If I were you, I would just go to the junkyard and get a Ford fan; mine was less than $30 with the Ford shroud at the local U-Pick. But if you plan on using the fan you have, (1) find out how much air it pulls to be sure it's enough (in my 2.5L, I would estimate that 3,000 CFM should be more than enough to keep the engine cool, as the electronic speed controller I am using for the automatic never runs at more than half the available speed and the engine stays cool), then make sure it will fit right, and then see if you can use the shorud or if you will need to make one (possible, but a complete PITA).

Felipe

 

[fast_Z28_guy]

gotcha...

seemed like some of the responses were saying otherwise.

ANYWHO...

finding a ford to pull isn't so easy...i'm on an island in the middle of the atlantic. i'd have to drive 2-4hrs to the nearest junkyard...and being near miami...i'm sure they're picked over.

so for the time and effort...i would just spend the $250 on a new unit.

and since i have this one at the house...i would like to try it.

i would think a fan big enough to cool a 3.8L V6 would be enough to cool a 4L jeep.
hardest part will be the wiring.

i guess i just need to pull it out and play with it.

 

[Itchee96]

i guess i just need to pull it out and play with it.

There is so much wrong with this statement!

 

[jfrabat]

finding a ford to pull isn't so easy...i'm on an island in the middle of the atlantic. i'd have to drive 2-4hrs to the nearest junkyard...and being near miami...i'm sure they're picked over.

Actually, not necessarily... The Ford Taurus was the best selling model for those years, so it is easy to find. And I live IN Miami, and found at least 5 of them in the Junkyard here without spending more than 2 hours in the place (including the time taking out the fan)...

I would think a fan big enough to cool a 3.8L V6 would be enough to cool a 4L jeep.

I think so too... Just make sure the shrouding works good; if the fan is pulling the air AROUND the radiator, no matter how big and efficient it is, it will not be doing its job of cooling the engine...

hardest part will be the wiring.

It can be, but does not HAVE to be... Depends on what you want. If you want a simple ON/OFF switch, it is actually very easy; just a relay, a switch and some wiring (and a fuse, of course!). If you want it to come on and off automatically, it is a bit more complicated, but still manageable...

Mine has both options; I can select ON/OFF/AUTO with a 3 position switch. The OFF kills the electricity to both control circuits, the ON uses a 40A relay and the low speed wiring on the fan. The AUTO uses a special controller (speed of the fan is varied according to the temp reading at the radiator, so the hotter the radiator, the faster the fan will turn; it also shuts off if the temp is 190* or lower, or keeps it running at a low speed if the AC is turned on), but for that I purchased the controller from another source and wired it to the high speed wiring of the fan. So far (about a year) it is working like a charm.

 

[redrooster]

The biggest issue is fitment. Everyone says the Taurus fan is a good fit on the YJ/TJ. On my CJ, I used a Ford Focus fan which has dual 10" fans. The built in shroud is an exact fit for the CJ radiator. Price was $140 brand new. I have never measured to see if it would fit a YJ or TJ.

 

[jfrabat]

I agree.... As long as the fit of the shroud is good and tight, I think it would work just fine. If the shroud does not fit, you may need to fabricate one (fiberglass?) and that can be a PITA. Between 1 and 2 fans, as long as the shroud fits, and assuming that the 1 fan motor is stronger than the motors of the 2 fans, both should be more than enough to cool a 2.5L... In the case of the Taurus fan, I know it is enough to cool 5.0L mustang engines (they are a hot comodity for Mustang owners as well), so the 2.5L should be a joke for that fan. Especially if you throw in an aluminum radiator like I did!

So where are you at? Florida Keys? I go to Key Largo every now and then (although not so much now that my daughter was born!).

 

[fast_Z28_guy]

yeah i'm down in the keys...marathon.

trying to get a bit more power out of the jeep (tow a boat sometimes), and maybe make it a bit more fuel efficient (gf drives it 70 round trip to work).


as for the controls/wiring. i'd want it running of a basic thermo switch...no need for anything more than that. it isn't a trail rig by any means.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

If you want to save the trouble of finding a Taurus fan, which we know fits and works well, check out Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market to search junkyards by state, region, or nationwide. Most will ship to you, and prices are great.

We can't tell you anything about using the fan you have because it's not a common swap. It should pull enough air to cool your jeep, but fitment and ease of installation will be a huge factor.

 

[shvlhd666]

Any particular year of Ford Taurus to look for?

 

[jfrabat]

Any particular year of Ford Taurus to look for?

If I am not mistaken, it was the early 90's models... 90 to 96 if I remember correctly... Ford Taurus and Lincoln Mark VIII with the 3.8 litre engine. Make sure it is the one that comes with the 3 wires (this is the 2 speed fan). I dont know if it is the case for all of them, but the motor in my fan is made by Philips.

Felipe

 

[shvlhd666]

Cool, Thanks for the extra info!