How much diffrence does an I/C fane make?

Jacob_Royer

SCCoA Member
I am thinking of buying an I/C Fan how much diffrence do they make? Can i get the cooler weather performance on hot days?
 
the difference they make depends on how much you're overdriving the blower. They work great in my opinion. They are no substitute for a nice cool morning though. I'm overdriving my blower with a 12% pulley and the IC fan keeps it pretty cool with the stock IC for the most part. It really depends on a lot of things like how much you're in boost and outside air temps.
 
Its not a performance mod as much as a safety/endurance/insurance type mod in my opinion, I have the 8" 800 CFM one form JEGS:
http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=1132&prmenbr=361

It did reduce my engine temps, on the stock guage, I know others will say this doesn;t really effect coolant temps, but my guage didn't get as high as they did before I installed it.

I meant to do a pass at the strip with it on and off, but never got aroudn to t before tearing the car apart for some upgrades...

Use the search function fr some more opinions, the same question had been asked many times.

I'd suggest one, but wouldn't expect any significant power gain from it. Unless you are already hitting the knock sensor....
 
i would agree with the safety factor. Just installed one this weekend. I look at it more as a way to decrease recovery time after a wot run and possibly slightly reduce max temp of the air charge.

I'm going to try and probe my intake air temp sensor and rig it up so I can see if it impacts max temp at all.

I've gotta wire in a switch yet also.
 
It was pointed out to me recently that the air velocity hitting the front of the IC at high speed was much greater than what any fan could pull or push thru and that it was only really effective at low speeds. It sounds reasonable.
Several times I've forgotten to turn my IC fan on before a run at the drag strip and then made my next run with it on and haven't noticed any difference in my e.t.'s. But ya'll have given me an idea though. I usually have an hour between runs which isn't enough time to get it as cooled down as much as I'd like. I had tried hosing it down at the watering station just past the the time ticket booth but water collects somewhere and drips on the start line when I launch so I had to quit doing that after being called down for it 3 times. Now when I return to my pit I spritz the IC down with an ice cold alcohol and water mixture which doesn't work as well. But if I left the IC fan running when I do this it might cool down much better. I'll try it next weekend.
 
The only positive side to running the fan at speed may be that it prevents the blades on the fan from acting as rudders stopping air flow. Thus 2100 CFM may not be of benefit if the air's moving at 3000 cfm, but at least then you don't have fixed blades increasing the effort.

All just garage logic though so ya never know until you give it a shot.
 
I think it made a differance at the track in the staging lanes the intercooler will not get as hot. When I ditched the air on my car got a double intercooler and fan I ran a half a second faster. What did what I couldnt tell you. :D
 
So basicly if i get a 5% pulley a K&N cone filter and an I/C fan then i will see a diffrence? What kind of boost levels will you get with a 5% pulley anyway?
 
you're just getting boost sooner.

Max boost at max RPM will depend on the car. With a 5% jackshaft I went from 10psi to 12psi or so. Haven't hit max RPM yet due to not making it to the track yet and the damn auto keeps shifting on me. I'd have to do 100 down the highway to hit max RPM. But I see 12PSI on the way to 80.

With the 5% jackshaft I'm seeing 5psi in a basic 1/4 throttle pull away from the light. Just hard enough to get moving, not hard enough to get the trans to downshift. Before the jackshaft I was at 0psi or slightly more on the same move.
 
you know what i think... might be pointless... but have any of you noticed that the radiator doesnt recieve air directly... it is diverted by the front fins.... and the intercooler doesnt receive air directly either... this aint no import ya know! a intercooler fan would be nice... but if you would do that then you can shell out the money for the heat shield tape to wrap the lower IC tube in...
 
My speedo is off so I haven't had a chance to check mileage. I'm sure it impacts economy with the 5% pulley, but only if I'm using the boost. I can still easily drive the car and keep the boost gauge below 0. Just can't drive it fast that way.
 
Your biggest gains will be seen in daily stop and go traffic. I haven't had a chance yet this year to get my SC to the track, but I wouldn't be able to give you a good idea anyway since I've done a lot of other mods as well.

But here's some pretty basic information that will give you and idea of potential.

First, we all will agree that the IC is not in the best location nestled behind the condensor and not in the direct airpath anyway.

Second the IC works by cooling the intake temp via ambient air. In order for this to function, air must be moving over the fins on the IC.

An IC fan aids this process by moving more air over the IC when it cannot get enough airflow to cool the charge.

Again, at vertain mph+ there is positive air pressure on the IC from the speed of the car. This speed is somewhere around 55-60 mph, I've heard (depending on CFM of IC fan). Below that the fan is most effective.

We can see max boost well below the speed where the positive pressure of the air overtakes the IC fan.

So an IC fan will help. I've also noticed a marked improvement in lower engine temps. My engine temps hover at 180 even on very hot days in boost. On the highway, temps are even lower, even after the IC fan install, than before.

I've also had my intake temps monitored during a dyno tune. They did not exceed 95*F when the ambient temp was 76*F. That's with a 2x IC, Fan with shroud. A friend with nearly identical mods (apart from IC and fan) saw intake temps over 150*F on the same day.

Bottom line, I'm sold on the performance of the fan. I highly recommend it to anyone with a stock, 2x IC or even front mounts...
 
A/C Condenser

Mike Puckett said:
It was pointed out to me recently that the air velocity hitting the front of the IC at high speed was much greater than what any fan could pull or push thru and that it was only really effective at low speeds.
Except that the air flowing over the IC is not doing so at the speed of the car. Remember that if you have A/C, the condenser is in front of the IC. Dunno how much air is flowing through the condenser, or how fast it's flowing, but it seems logical that the fan would pull it through faster than simply allowing it to flow lazily over the IC.

Comments or Ideas?

68COUGAR
 
That's with a 2x IC, Fan with shroud.


I have seen your shroud mod in an earlier post this year I was wondering if you are fabricating those or if it was a one time deal for you?
 
68COUGAR said:
Except that the air flowing over the IC is not doing so at the speed of the car. Remember that if you have A/C, the condenser is in front of the IC. Dunno how much air is flowing through the condenser, or how fast it's flowing, but it seems logical that the fan would pull it through faster than simply allowing it to flow lazily over the IC.

Comments or Ideas?

68COUGAR

I think that I'd have to agree with you on this... If you don't remove the air vanes on the bumper insert, you are not getting direct airflow to even the condensor infront of the IC. I hinted at it, but didn't state it.

I stopped short in my earlier post too about a shorter AC condensor, but that along with a "ram air" system for the IC would be very beneficial. I may look at doing some fabrication for that prior to the shootout. I'm not sure though as time is starting to go against me.

darriantbird said:
That's with a 2x IC, Fan with shroud.


I have seen your shroud mod in an earlier post this year I was wondering if you are fabricating those or if it was a one time deal for you?

That came as part of my request for the 2x IC I had special made. The shroud was part of the deal. There are new side curtains installed on the outside of the IC, which are made to fit the shroud onto. It's not as simple adding a shroud to an existing IC. It can be done, but the design of mine was different, so it wouldn't work for the average person.
 
I've also removed the A/C condenser and the vanes from the bumper. One thing that I've noticed is that with my new double IC the larger and better shaped end tanks have helped a lot. I can actually feel a temp difference between the top and bottom tanks. On the road now the temp gauge rarely goes over the N and that's without a front spoiler, it broke off. In this hot and humid Ga heat it still isn't enough to keep my e.t.'s from fading by .3 to .5 of a sec.
 
Sam, are you talking about the black inserts on either side of the "SC"?
 

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NCredSC said:
Sam, are you talking about the black inserts on either side of the "SC"?

Dave,

In your picture, the vanes on either side of the SC on your bumper is what I'm referring to. When you look at them, they direct the air inward toward the radiator. I have not cut mine out, but that doesn't mean that I won't.

Looking at them from an engineering mind... I would guess that they are there to smooth the transition of the air infront of the bumper through the condensor and radiator. But also, they look as though they may actually reduce the airflow into the bumper. But at the same time, they look as though they help cooling at higher speeds.

I personally think that given certain mods to the cooling system, you could remove them without any negative side effects. My mods include 180* thermostat, SCP chip to turn the cooling fan on at 180* and a Grand Am air dam give my SC what it needs to stay cool at highway speeds. I think it can only benefit the IC as it is not now getting a direct path of air.
 
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