I have an L-98 Iroc with factory dual fans. My fans are starting to go south and pulling too much amperage. Rather than just replace the fan motors on a pair of fans that I feel are not that efficient anyway, I started looking at other options. Since I also own a 97 Z-28 with an LT-1 (stock fans work awsome by the way) and my buddy has a 98 WS-6 LS-1, we parked all 3 side by side and started comparing things. GM really improved on the fan design with a nice shroud on the LT-1, LS-1 cars. The fans have more blades with a better pitch as well to pull more air.
After stairing and measuring for the better part of an hour and finding that the radiators differ very little in size, we thought it might be possible to adapt an LS-1 or LT-1 fan assembly shroud and all to my L-98 Iroc. It also appeared the weather pack connectors would plug in as well, if not a simple trip to GM for the correct connectors would do the trick. There may be some fab work involved to fasten the shroud to the radiator/core support but nothing that seemed too overbearing.

I can pick up an entire fan assembly from an LS-1 car no problem.

Question is,,,has anyone ever tried such a swap? Any obstacles I am overlooking? Larry.

 

I've done it but I have Lt1 fans and a LT1 engine. I dont know what you would use for radiator hoses. You will need the plastic pieces that the LT1/LS1 fans bolt on to. You may have to drill a hole at the bottom of the radiator support for that piece that sticks out of the raditor. This will make it sit better. Also, you can cut off the tabs on the backside of the radiator, they are not hollow, they are there to hold the 4th gen condensor, don't need them unless you use a 4th gen condensor.

Main problem is the radiator cover/shoud. Some have used the thirdgen one with minor cutting. I tried that and didn't like the result. I used a forthgen one and cut it horizonally, because it is too big otherwise. Then on the backside there is a part of it that gets in the way and won't allow it to lie down flush. I can't remember how i removed that though, think i used a saw somehow. Then drill at least 2 holes in the plastic shroud and bolt it down.

 

Okay,,,I noticed the plastic piece laying in the bottom of the core support on the Iroc for the factory dual fans to bolt to. I guess you are saying I need to remove that and get one from an LT-1 or LS-1 car so the fan shroud will bolt in properly? That sounds easy enough.

I was looking at the upper plastic piece that holds the top of the radiator, I noticed it was different and I am not that hip on cutting on my original. I think I may take your suggestion and pick up one for an LT-1 car and modify that to fit so I can simply attatch the fan shroud to it.

I am my own worst critic, and when I am done I want this to look as factory as possible. Since it's time for new fans I feel this is a worth while project that should improve cooling.

Glad to hear from someone that has done this.

Not only should I pickup an entire fan assembly but I should also grab the lower plastic piece in the bottom of the core support and the upper radiator support as well? I will have to figure out the hoses as I go along. Thanks for the response Larry.

 

The LT1/LS1 fan assemby doesn't have that bottom plastic mounting piece. There are tabs on the LT1 radiator, and the whole fan assembly slips into those tabs.

 

Okay, gotcha. Sounds like I will have to fab something for that then.

Looks like a doable project, guess I will dive in and see what happens. Thanks again, Larry.

 

Oooops, just to add,,,,did your factory 3rd gen weather pack connectors plug into the LT-1 fan motors? According to my GM crash book the fan motors are the same (for the most part) Larry.

 

I dont know if thirdgen connectors will work, i used LT1 fan connectors.

 

3rd gen connectors are the same.