Best Fan setup, Stock fan clutch or Electric fans?

[OM3GA]

Im trying to figure out whether to stick with the original fan clutch and shroud on my SR or to go with an electric setup. I hear that the stock clutch fan setup provides the best cooling. Some people will argue that and say that electric is better.

I feel that electric may only be better for a power gain not really a better cooling setup.

Im either going with all new mechanical fan parts or i am going with an electric fan setup.

With electric fans i would have them wired to be on when the car is on with no thermostatic switch or anything like that.

Just trying to get some feedback before i purchase anything.

[DrifterProdigy85]

Im doing over 500whp and still using the stock fan. Its a fail safe design imo. Electric fans are great when they work but ive seen quite stop working and let people sit. If you get an e fan make sure its from a good name like Flex A Lite.

[OM3GA]

Thank you, Ive been wanting to go with the stock fan setup i just think its the best route IMO. I mean i could do a FAL 345 setup and just leave them on all the time and i would be comfortable with that but i think the mechanical clutch fan is still the way to go.

[Fuel4Blood]

I would go with dual flex-a-lite fans. Thats what I had on my SR, I had the thermostat switch. Never had a problem, never overheated and I live in florida where its hot as balls and incredibly humid.

[OM3GA]

Well i was just thinking about getting the FAL-345 setup or the Mishimoto dual fan setup and just having them wired to be ON all the time when the engine is running. Is there any disadvantages to this? besides that itll take longer to warm up.

[codyace]

Altima or Maxima fans. OE quality, easy as hell to wire in, makes working on the car super easy.

Screw paying big bucks for some aftermarket stuff!

[OM3GA]

True but i like paying alot of money for aftermarket things. Right now im either buying all new Mechanical fan stuff, or im buying the FAL345 kit and having it ON all the time lol. Just trying to figure out what cools better and im pretty sure the Mechanical fan is the winner.

[codyace]

Good for you throwing money away then LOL.

There was a write up and actual study over what fans worked best (I believe it may have been here, or SR20forum...user Rittmiester) and the Altima fans on highspped were the most effective of them all. Why you ask? Highest speed, great OE shroud.

On the same topic, it has OEM durability...gotta remember, every bozo out there with a Altima or a Maxima (lol I have both) has these fans, and they never fail!

The debate of mechanical verus electric will always be up to the end user. Both work better at specific RPM's, it's up to you to decide where you think it will work best.

For my car, I have the one side on full time at high speed, with the 2nd fan coming on at 180 degrees via Derale fan controller. It also works when in engage the airconditioning system (it has a specific AC input/override wire, so when AC comes on, it kicks the second fan on).

Another con of the mechanical fan is the lack of room to work on stuff (in the event you need to)...I guess I'm just lazy and hate having that big ole fan in there haha. On top of that (and probably the least important reason), the electric fan aesthetically pleasing...especially the altima setup that looks OEM as you can get.

FAL (while a good company) is overpriced IMO, especially with no shround to assist in airflow.

[240life]

I used a set of Pontiac grand am fans, trim 4 tabs drill 4 holes for mounting hardware and wire up to your preferred control unit...they fit prefectly and do a great job cooling my sr. I think I paid 30 for a brand new never used o.e replacement on ebay

[mi240sx]

I saw a test awhile back, it may have been Sports Compact Cars that did it.1.They did stock radiator fan setup with schroud, and the undercover from front bumper to radiator cross frame support.2. One larger elect. fan3. Two elect. fan setupTheir results were number 1. was the best, it's cooling was better.But after my install, with the SR fan schroud, my stock temp gauge went from half to the next mark up. I change the SR sending unit, thermostat the stock radiator was 7 months old. I don't know what the temp difference was or if after the swap the engine was at normal temp and electronic differences made it appear this way. But I didn't like it so I purchased Dual Flex-A-Lite and a Koyo Radiator and this is the set up I currently have, it looks more impressive anyway.