Electric fans

[89 burban]

my 454 has a 180 degree thermostat, and a 3 core radiator, and when driving around town it stays around 180. When sitting in traffic it has gotten up to 220. so im thinking i need electric fans and/or a bigger radiator (4 core) I have heard of people using electric fans out of a ford taurus. how do they work? Anyone have any other ideas?

[SandmanII]

What year is the truck? My '92 has a stock electric in front of the radiator that turns on when it gets hot.

[89 burban]

its an 89

[SandmanII]

Friend of mine has an '89 Four Door Dually (old body style) with that same electric fan. If you could find one at the yard that would be a nice bolt in option.

In My Blazer, I went with the Ford Windstar setup. It fits almost perfectly and works great. $75 from the junkyard. Search on that. There should be tons of stuff. That is in the case that you would be dumping your manual fan.

Maybe you could also check the fan clutch. It might be getting a little loose on you.

[acprokeith]

i would keep the manual fan and get a electric, i did. and with the ac on it runs at 195 all summer long. in texas. and definatly get a factory heavy duty fan clutch. also i run a 4 core 1 ton radiator

[Buckshot33]

Ive heard good things about the taurus fans. no experience with them though. I have had contact with a set of electric fans out of a mid-late 80's camaro/transam with v8. the TPI motors had some nasty powerful fans on them and they move some air. Buddy of mine has a 305 TPI in an 86 blazer and it says around 185 with just the electric fan, no mechanical fan.

[89 burban]

k, how are u supposed to know if the fan clutch is slipping? i have a 3 core radiator not to mention do ya think i just need a bigger radiator or should the 3 core be enough if everything is working properly

[Hawaii500_1999]

after driving the truck,(when it's hot) spin the fan. if it spins easy then it's worn out if it gives resistance then it's good. kind of a red neck explination but that's how i check mine.

a four row would be better and a five row would be even better than that. (i had a 5 row in my old truck with a pumped 454.)

when was the last time the radiator has been roded out? maybe it just needs a good 75 dollar rodding.

electric fans are good as well but most of the time not entirely neccesary.

if you do get a new radiator i would get a 4 row and try to get it build stagered. some shops will do it and it works a whole lot better.

[LilWes278]

I also have one of the factory electric fans in my '89 crewcab. Friend of mine has a '85 1 ton and he's been trying to locate one for his truck. After scouring the junkyards off and on for almost a year (and not getting any results trying to order one through the Chevy dealer), he's now thinking about a Taurus fan...