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Electric fan on a 258 inline 6

11K views 45 replies 22 participants last post by  jay5.9l 
#1 ·
So I have been reading thread and thread on the contour and Taurus fan swap on a cj7 with the 258 but the room just is not there. I only have about 2.5in of space between the radiator and my pulley on the water pump after fan removal. I have a dual fan setup from a 1999 contour and it just doesn't have the room to live there. Has anyone done this with any success on a 258? I didn't try and cut on this fan housing yet since it was new from parts house but I just want to make sure it can even be done. Thanks for any advice
 

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#3 ·
With your current set up, no, you don't have the room.
Looks like you have a 3 core radiator. You need a HD 2 core with a deeper offset.
Next, what front accessory set up do you have going on there. Is that a 258 from Mexico? Swap to a later CJ/Early YJ V belt set up and you will have room.
 
#6 ·
Next, what front accessory set up do you have going on there. Is that a 258 from Mexico? Swap to a later CJ/Early YJ V belt set up and you will have room.
Right hand drive accessories? I would look for the left hand drive accessory mounts to get the power steering lines corrected.

WHY do you think you need an electric fan?
Because body lift and factory fan may hit the bottom of the radiator/be too low to draw air through the center of the radiator. I would look at drilling new holes for the radiator mount and move it down the same amount as the body lift and run the factory fan and add metal in above the top tank to direct the airflow.
 
#4 ·
The pulleys are simple. Power steering belt alternator and water pump belt. Just had a flex fan on there and after my body lift it is too close to run on my setup. I don't have a problem getting a new radiator. This one has had a good life but I don't want to just start swapping parts just to make an electric fan work. So you are saying I will gain more clearance with a HD 2 core setup over my current setup?
 
#7 ·
The only reason I want a e-fan is so I don't hit the radiator with the flex fan. I have a factory shroud and I dropped it for the lift but at high rpm you can hear the fan starting to hit and if I ever flex it any it will hit hard . my accessories are ok with me. Brand new Saginaw gm power steering pump and alternator. Just don't have clearance for a ford contour or Taurus fan like everyone brags about swapping into a cj or how easy it is. Just curious if anyone with a 258 has actually done it. There is a lot more room under the hood with a v8. I may end up just putting the factory fan back on and letting it ride. 3 ROW or 2 ROW I don't think there is much difference in width there
 
#9 ·
The only reason I want a e-fan is so I don't hit the radiator with the flex fan. I have a factory shroud and I dropped it for the lift but at high rpm you can hear the fan starting to hit and if I ever flex it any it will hit hard .
I am NOT a fan of the flex fans (pun intended). Ive seen the damage they can do.

my accessories are ok with me.
They might be OK with you, but they are not OK with an electric Fan swap. In OEM configuration, there are several different combinations of water pumps, pulleys, spacers, and fans (with and without clutches) that work with several different radiators and some with and without shrouds. It all needs to match and work together.

Some examples:





Brand new Saginaw gm power steering pump and alternator. Just don't have clearance for a ford contour or Taurus fan like everyone brags about swapping into a cj or how easy it is.
There is plenty of clearance if you have the correct set up. I have two in the yard right now. While these are 4.0s, they are the same dimensions as the 4.2 (258) and both of these are in CJs.







Just curious if anyone with a 258 has actually done it.
There is a lot more room under the hood with a v8. I may end up just putting the factory fan back on and letting it ride.[/QUOTE]

Not all 258s are set up the same. Yours is very different from both the older and later 258s that Ive seen. And Ive seen MANY. This is why I ask about the accessories.

3 ROW or 2 ROW I don't think there is much difference in width there
It DOES make a difference and this shows us that you need to do your research. The brackets that hold the radiator to the grill determine the depth the core is held in relation to the grill shell. Combine this with the extra room given by a row not there and it makes all the difference in the world.
 
#8 ·
What would be interesting would be to have a thread asking how many folks that switched to electric ended up switching back due to noise or other issues... I know of several people in that group.

Does your flex fan actually let the blades bend forward of the blade mounting surface when it flexes? Can you switch to a clutch fan or something to prevent that?
 
#12 ·
Get rid of the flex fan and go back to the solid, factory type fan.
Problems solved.
Funny you say that. I ran the fixed 4 blade/no shroud factory set up in my Laredo for 160K MILES......ZERO problems.

And while I use Contour fans in trail Jeeps and such like 4.0 swaps....my daily driver Scrambler still uses the fixed fan.
BUT
as I said above, your components need to match and work together on whichever you use.
 
#11 ·
I am doing research by asking people who have done this. I'm not being ignorant just wanting to do it correctly and not keep ordering parts that don't work or play well together. But I think it is crazy to replace all pulleys and redo accessories and replace the radiator just to make an electric fan work. There is a lot of bad advice on the net that's why I am asking in here....
 
#14 ·
One nice thing about the electric fans is that most controllers have the ability to have an override off, and override on, along with adjustable temp control. Useful when in water, or working around the engine. Supposed to improve MPG. less drag on the engine?

I used mine for a while until the controller burnt out, then threw on the old fan..... and never went back.
 
#15 ·
I'm just tossing ideas around about the electric fan. I would like one if it is truly an upgrade like everyone says. This isn't a daily driver its just a toy and weekend ride. I think I'm gonna name my jeep Johnny Cash because whoever built it long ago must have gotten it one piece at the time. It is a mismatched nightmare but it is a fun project.
 
#17 ·
Flex blade fans are made for highway use, not at all good for trail use. The contour fan swap has been around long enough that if it were a terrible idea it would long have died but that's not the case. That being said and you not wanting to swap a bunch of parts why not go the easy route. Start by finding a dumpster for the flex fan. Then get as large a fixed blade fan as will fit then go take a look at this thread http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/building-fan-shroud-caution-long-pic-heavy-1219348/ and build a shroud. Most of this project will be time and labor, not parts. I do notice in your picture it looks like at the bottom of the radiator there is some anti-freeze pooling around the lip of the tank. Is that a spill or leak? By the way this shroud thread makes the job look easy. Your fan will need a shroud and even though the fan is lower on the radiator you can make it work.
 
#19 ·
Coolant spill is just where I removed the top radiator hose to try and fit the electric contour fan. I don't have a leak currently but if I keep running the flex fan and it hitting it will be a leak. I will probably replace the radiator with a new aluminum radiator... Just seeing what options I have. I can't use the flex fan with my current setup.
 
#24 ·
I will probably replace the radiator with a new aluminum radiator... Just seeing what options I have. I can't use the flex fan with my current setup.
Why? Copper is more efficient than aluminum when it comes to heat exchange. Aluminum is just cheaper, not better.

A four bladed OEM style fan is $20. That's cheaper than a new radiator.
 
#20 ·
I just was entertaining the electric fan for easy install and a good upgrade but I don't think I can make it work with my current setup. Maybe if I change radiators out but I also was using a new fan from oriley at 149$ so I want going to cut up a new fan if it wouldn't work.
 
#25 ·
For me, it's about taking a very simple machine and making it unnecessarily complex. For MANY years Jeep sent the 258 out the factory doors with a fixed four bladed fan. Many didn't even have a shroud and they cooled the engine (even here in Arizona) just fine. While change CAN be good, sometimes it's not needed.
 
#23 ·
If anyone wants a free nylon flex fan and can find my garage come get it. Never could come up with a spacer that would work with it.

I use an E fan mounted on the grill side of the radiator set to blow instead of suck or vice versa. It has kept me cool through one of the hottest summers I can remember here in the sunny south.
 
#26 ·
WindKnot said:
Why? Copper is more efficient than aluminum when it comes to heat exchange. Aluminum is just cheaper, not better. A four bladed OEM style fan is $20. That's cheaper than a new radiator.
I'm going to use my setup as is for now until I have a failure. I ordered a factory solid 4 blade fan from quadratec today. I am all about getting the good out of something and not swapping out parts just to make something else fit. I just thought an electric fan would be an easy upgrade. But like someone else said. A 2 row radiator would free up some space also. I will keep you posted
 
#27 ·
I tried and tried to get the electric fan, dual electric fan, LARGE electric fan, and any other combo of electric fans to cool my engine.. to NO avail.. they just would not cool it.. so, I bought an 18" flex fan and spacer, mounted it, then made a shroud to keep that cool air directed. now my 258 never gets past the middle on the TEMP gauge.. I'll never try the electric crap again.. I have the thermo switch if your so inclined to keep trying, but my suggestion is to get a good flex fan (metal blade), then build a shroud if you don't have one, and see if that doesn't do the job..
 
#31 ·
Every combo is going to be a little different. However, with that said... If I can cool a 670HP SBC, spray it with 250-300HP more (depending on conditions), and do it all day long in the hot sand, I'd say a single electric fan can be sufficient if setup properly. Never once have I had an overheat problem.
And just to further spread discussion/spread the fire, since changing to E85, I don't think the damn thing ever gets passed 170'ish :laugh:
 
#28 ·
frhrwa said:
I tried and tried to get the electric fan, dual electric fan, LARGE electric fan, and any other combo of electric fans to cool my engine.. to NO avail.. they just would not cool it.. so, I bought an 18" flex fan and spacer, mounted it, then made a shroud to keep that cool air directed. now my 258 never gets past the middle on the TEMP gauge.. I'll never try the electric crap again.. I have the thermo switch if your so inclined to keep trying, but my suggestion is to get a good flex fan (metal blade), then build a shroud if you don't have one, and see if that doesn't do the job..
I had a flex fan on it. At high rpm it would buzz the radiator and if it ever frame flexed I'm sure it would destroy my radiator. I have a factory shroud and I just ordered a factory 4 blade to put back on it. I know that will run fine just wanted to try the electric Taurus setup. It's just not for every 258 unless you have certain equipment.
 
#33 ·
AFRd_CJ5 said:
..... And just to further spread discussion/spread the fire, since changing to E85, I don't think the damn thing ever gets passed 170'ish :laugh:
Well heck, every one knows that E85 has less energy density and burns slower so there will be no argument there. That's like saying my 258 runs cooler since I painted the fenders white. :)

I've heard chrome grills run cooler though, any truth to that?
 
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