86WS6

iTrader: (1)

My 86 came with one electric fan. Several years ago, I found a OEM dual fan setup on Ebay, bought it and converted the car to dual fans. I have a new HD radiator, and the cooling system is in like new condition. For a controller, I used an aftermarket fan kit and wired it to bring both fans on via HD relays at 195F or with the AC. Running a 195 T-stat. For the most part the car runs right at 195F, and the fans cycle of and on on the switch. At idle it stays right at 195F. The biggest complaint that I have is that the AC does not cool very well at idle. From the head pressures on the AC it is not disipating the heat. Start moving and the AC will frost you. My 82 with a mechanical fan cools great all of the time. The difference has to be air-flow. The amperage draw is also steep on these fans. In heavy traffic, the volt meter hangs around 11 volts, with the AC, lights, and stereo on, than jumps to 13 volts moving. Is there a replacement fan system that will flow more air, draw less amps, and still look pretty much stock? Thanks in advance.
Charles

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

I haven't seen any fans that have the OEM look with the 3 leg mounting points and things.

I sold my OEM dual fans and went with some Permacool ones. It think they were 10". They will kind of work with the dual fan mounts if you want to zip tie them from the wire ring to the upper and lower fan mounts. They seemed to move a lot more air and solved my cooling issues with my Stock 350 during summer heat. Since then I went with Griffin 31x19 and made my own fan shroud for it.

How's the shape of your alternator? If you have a lifetime warranty replacement type like I do you could do the same thing I did and grab an extremely small pulley off eBay and put that on it. It'll overdrive the alternator. I think I picked up around 0.5 volts while charging just with that swap. And it was like a $15 pulley and 10 minutes to install it (used the impact after I got the alternator off the car). I haven't had any issues with it yet.

8t2 z-chev

with that voltage drop at idle sure sounds like a faulty alternator or a wiring problem-i once tested a set of factory dual fans and found the two fans running together pulled 15 amps once up to speed;any stock alternator in good shape will handle 15 with no noticable voltage drop.'85-86 TPI should have 97 or 108 amp 17si-si type delco alternators are prone to bad connections between the stator leads and the rectifier(gets loose oxidized connection where the ring terminals crimp to the stator leads-soldering fixes this) if you just want to boost condenser airflow at low speeds,i wonder if a 12 or 14"pusher fan placed in front of condensor would have any effect on low speed A/C effectivness-noticed some cars have auxillary condensor fan with either electric or belt driven main fan.
For a H/D GM electric fan,certain fieros,'86-87 GN,and 82-85 4.3 transverse diesel have very high power electric fans.

86WS6

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the suggestions. This is what I know right now. The altenator has been ruled out as a possible source of problems. The original altenator, a 108 amp unit failed at the Rod Run in Pegion Forge Tenn a couple of years ago. The current altenator is a NAPA premium unit, and bench tests at 120 amps.

I have not ruled out the possibility that there is a wiring issue somewhere, like a weak fuseable link or something. When the car is cold the altenator charges well and the voltage stays around 13 to 14 volts. After idling in traffic for hours at the Rod Run the voltage begins to gradually drop off. This pattern makes me think that something may be getting hot and increasing resistance thus reducing available power to run stuff.

Granted the altenator was working at maximum for several hours in 95 F heat with the AC on, lights, and the stereo with a subwoofer amp. Add in the dual electric fans and things began to fatigue after a few hours of driving. By the time we got to the hotel after four hours of stop and go the car was at 9 volts with everything off except the cooling fans. The subwoofer amp would pop and crack, but did not have enough power to function. After sitting all night the altenator was back to charging well with all accesories running. Oddly, the car started right up the next day, and the altenator charged like crazy for a while. We drove the car two hours back home the next day, and the power was just begining to drop by the time we arrived home.

The twin electric cooling fans are pulling 15 amps each, and it hot weather they stay on most of the time, especially when the AC is on.

If the car did not live primarily for the shows and has to remain stock to continue to show in the stock class, I would convert it to a OE style fan with clutch like my 82 has. Yes it does take HP to run a mechanical fan, but the cars with the mechanical fans have a more effective cooling system, and don't stress the charging system like this car does. The 82 will run stop and go traffic for hours, and has zero issues. The engine temps stay below 200 F, the AC cools great, and the voltage stays at 13 all of the time.

Adding a pusher fan will help the AC, but will add additional electrical load which will make the altenator work even harder. Unless I can figure out how to make the altenator make more power, or figure out if the power is not getting from the altenator to the battery, then adding additional power draining equipment is out of the question.

Charles

8t2 z-chev

could check the engine to body ground strap or add a bigger one-that could be what is heating up and causing the voltage loss.If it is found the alternator volts are dropping off when hot with a heavy electrical load,you could try a 108 or 120 amp CS144-early style CS144 started to appear on some GM vehicles about 3/86 so period correctCS style alternator has a more powerful voltage regulator than Si type,so they put out better at low rpm/heavy load conditions-same size and mounting as 15/17 si.Late style CS144 came out in 1990 and includes a 140a rating,looks a little different though.I have clutch fan on my '82 and like it,though it does roil up dust under the front of car when tranny still is 1st at low speed-see dust blowing out rt side

86WS6

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, I have to ID the altenator and see which one it has.

The car is a July 86 build, and for some unknown reason the parts books are wrong about the altenator, belts, and hose design for this car. The altenator looks like the unit on the 82, but has a serpentine pulley on it. When we replaced it, the parts books were totally wrong, calling for a unit with a smaller frame, and a v-belt pulley. After going to three different NAPA stores, and none being able to correctly ID the altenator, one parts clerk said that he knew which one fit the car by looking at it. Lucky for me, he was correct and he ordered it accordingly.

It sounds like I need to check for electrical gremlins. Started the car yesterday and ran it for 30 minutes. I noticed that the volt meter stayed at about 15-16 volts for the whole time, so what ever is causing this problem does seem to get worse the longer it has been running.

8t2 z-chev

AFAIK,the CS144 was never used on any thirdgen-4th gen '93z used the early style cs144,while 94-97 used the late style cs144 .Since the alternator on your '86 looks like the one on your '82,probably 17si type-on 17si,the case halves come close together over the stator while early cs144sthe black stator laminations are more exposed with about a 1"gap between the halves.Since your TA is 7/86 build,a cs 144 would be authentic even if it didn't come that way

86WS6

iTrader: (1)

I will make an attempt to id this thing and see what it has for an altenator. The Napa book shows a slim newer style altenator, however this one looks like an older style with a serpentine pulley. Is there a fusable link somewhere in the circuit? The ground strap looks new, however it could still be the issue.