'92 cooling fan options

[FearlessFoe]

I have a '92 350 and want to change out the clutch fan with an electric. This would be a lot easier if i had a 34" radiator.. but i dont. Does anyone know of any kits they make for 28"s?

[Elbert]

Originally Posted by FearlessFoe

I have a '92 350 and want to change out the clutch fan with an electric. This would be a lot easier if i had a 34" radiator.. but i dont. Does anyone know of any kits they make for 28"s?

flex-a-lite and perma-cool both make a fan "kit" for your truck. I have a 92 K1500, I did install a 34 wide radiator. I'm fairly sure that both make a kit for the stock radiator setup. You can find their web sites fairly easy or look up electric fans on the summit web page.

there is a company name SPAL that makes some good electric fans. If you go with their stuff I would advise you to get the "angled" fan blades as opposed to the straight ones. The straiight fan blades perform better but they sure make some noise. I like the SPAL products but I think the perma-cool and the flexi-lite products are more of a complete kit.

Even with a 34 inch radiator its almost impossible to run two 16 inch fans. If you setup your own fans do some research and measure your radiator.

[Elbert]

Originally Posted by FearlessFoe

I have a '92 350 and want to change out the clutch fan with an electric. This would be a lot easier if i had a 34" radiator.. but i dont. Does anyone know of any kits they make for 28"s?

I've been told that a setup off one of the z/28's that had dual electric fans will almost bolt up directly on a GM pickup. You might check out the junkyards in your area. If you are not comfortable with wiring then I would make sure to buy one of the relay kits that has the wiring and realys plus instructions..

If you want I can email you some stuff (directions)

You can email me at elbert.clarke@**adelphia.net
remove the two ** to email (spam avoidence).

you'll need a good alternator too.

[FearlessFoe]

alright.. sounds like a plan

[cbongo247]

i have a 94 with a 350. it had the 28 inch radiator but replaced with the 34 inch! added permacools dual electric fans! awesome! easy install, three wire hookup , ground, batter and ac switch. never gets above 200 degrees. even while running at the dunes for over 3 hours in 90 degree weather. best mod ever! I would go with the bigger radiator and perma-cools kit. they do make the kit for the 28inch as well. but more coolant is always good!

[Elbert]

Originally Posted by cbongo247

i have a 94 with a 350. it had the 28 inch radiator but replaced with the 34 inch! added permacools dual electric fans! awesome! easy install, three wire hookup , ground, batter and ac switch. never gets above 200 degrees. even while running at the dunes for over 3 hours in 90 degree weather. best mod ever! I would go with the bigger radiator and perma-cools kit. they do make the kit for the 28inch as well. but more coolant is always good!

Is the fan controller attached to the bracket on the permacool setup? How do you adjust the settings on when the fans come on? I've only seen pictures of the permacool setup, is it made well?

How does it perform in the heat of the summer, I imagine it cools down at an idle very well ? what about under heavy load in 4*4 or in the mountains etc.... please comment? You've never seen above 200 degrees in all driving conditions?


For those with the older model trucks like mine (1992) who want to run a larger radiator like the 3/4 ton truck has. YOu can do this. Order the fan shroud and upper radiator mounts for a 1998 Z71. The 34 and 28 inch cores mount to the core support differently. The stock (at least on my 1992) radiator mounts to the core support using the fan shroud. The 34 inch core uses the upper radiator mounts like the 1998 truck along with a different fan shroud. Plus when you go to a thicker and wider radiator you will not be able to use the stock fan shroud that came with the tuck on a 28 inch radiator. I also changed to 20 inch fan clutch fan
(aftermarket flex-a-lite). The 1998 trucks use a different radiator clutch fan, and fan clutch and water pump pulley. I think the 98 OEM fan and cluthch works fine I just did not replace those since I had a good fan clutch (old style). A friend of mine has a 1998 truck so thats what I was looking at to see what had changed. THere may be other differences. I like the OEM setup on the 98 and I may change to that style fan clutch and fan when and if my current fan clutch goes out. or I go to electric fans.

I've installed what I'm calling an auxillary electric fan behind the radiator in conjunction with my clutch fan. To use off-road or when ever you are in a position where you don't have much air across the radiator do to low rpms slow speed. ITs a 16" SPAL thin fan, controlled with a toggle for now. The electric fan does not reduce the cooling of the clutch fan as far as I can tell. Truck runs all day long around 180 - 190. I have a 180 degree thermostat.

[cbongo247]

in reply to your reply.

yes if you want a good aftermarket cooling fan set up, go with the perma cool. the controller is mounted on the setup. you adjust it with a small screwdriver, they supply you with one too!
extreemly well built. concealed yet convienently mounted thermostat controller. it is, as "bolt on", "no holes drilled" as modifications can be. maybe something for your ground wire but thats it. Again the 34 inch radiator will fit. or at least it should. i modified my rubber mounts to make it fit properly. and when/ if you get the 34 inch fan kit, it cleans everything up very well!

and i had the truck in florida, in heavy, slow traffic in 95-100degrees, with the ac on, and didnt even budge ove 190.
also in michigan in the summer, 90 95 degrees at the sand dunes, 4wd all day. running very hard all day! i mean from about 10:30 am to 9 pm, rpms were well over 3000 the entire time, the rev limiter works well! I think i hit 200 degrees for about 2 minutes then it cooled back down. only reason i would stop was to let my tranny cool. so i got tired of doing that and installed a b&m tranny cooler with fan along with another auxullary cooler. eliminated the lines through the radiator, only through the coolers. 180degrees all day at the dunes. so yeah. you should do it.

[cbongo247]

in reply to your reply.

yes if you want a good aftermarket cooling fan set up, go with the perma cool. the controller is mounted on the setup. you adjust it with a small screwdriver, they supply you with one too!
extreemly well built. concealed yet convienently mounted thermostat controller. it is, as "bolt on", "no holes drilled" as modifications can be. maybe something for your ground wire but thats it. Again the 34 inch radiator will fit. or at least it should. i modified my rubber mounts to make it fit properly. and when/ if you get the 34 inch fan kit, it cleans everything up very well!

and i had the truck in florida, in heavy, slow traffic in 95-100degrees, with the ac on, and didnt even budge ove 190.
also in michigan in the summer, 90 95 degrees at the sand dunes, 4wd all day. running very hard all day! i mean from about 10:30 am to 9 pm, rpms were well over 3000 the entire time, the rev limiter works well! I think i hit 200 degrees for about 2 minutes then it cooled back down. only reason i would stop was to let my tranny cool. so i got tired of doing that and installed a b&m tranny cooler with fan along with another auxullary cooler. eliminated the lines through the radiator, only through the coolers. 180degrees all day at the dunes. so yeah. you should do it.

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[Elbert]

Originally Posted by cbongo247

in reply to your reply.

yes if you want a good aftermarket cooling fan set up, go with the perma cool. the controller is mounted on the setup. you adjust it with a small screwdriver, they supply you with one too!
extreemly well built. concealed yet convienently mounted thermostat controller. it is, as "bolt on", "no holes drilled" as modifications can be. maybe something for your ground wire but thats it. Again the 34 inch radiator will fit. or at least it should. i modified my rubber mounts to make it fit properly. and when/ if you get the 34 inch fan kit, it cleans everything up very well!

and i had the truck in florida, in heavy, slow traffic in 95-100degrees, with the ac on, and didnt even budge ove 190.
also in michigan in the summer, 90 95 degrees at the sand dunes, 4wd all day. running very hard all day! i mean from about 10:30 am to 9 pm, rpms were well over 3000 the entire time, the rev limiter works well! I think i hit 200 degrees for about 2 minutes then it cooled back down. only reason i would stop was to let my tranny cool. so i got tired of doing that and installed a b&m tranny cooler with fan along with another auxullary cooler. eliminated the lines through the radiator, only through the coolers. 180degrees all day at the dunes. so yeah. you should do it.

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Ok,
THanks for the comments. I live in norht AL so it still gets fairly hot here and humid in the summer. I just like the idea of electric fans. I may look into the perma-cool setup soon.