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Opinions on cooling fan possibilities for 83 EA81T wagon with 3" lift kit

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Opinions on what I can do?

 

Option A: I use the stock clutch fan on the water pump.

 

Downside #1 is it is 3" lower than stock and requires that I do some moving of the wiring loom and maybe chop a little bit out of the front radiator support along the bottom edge of the car.

Downside #2 is also that the fan runs continually even during water crossings but I dont know that I will be doing much of that anyway.

Plus # 1 is that it turns as fast as the engine does and runs all the time.

Plus # 2 is I dont really have to buy anything

 

Option B: Put an electric fan on it.

I do gain the fan blowing directly on the radiator but I have to use a very thin fan as it needs to clear the PS pump and the AC compressor pulser and bracket. Will it push as much air as the clutch fan?

Downside: Seems servicing the belts will be harder with this setup. Right now the fans I have are not going to work; they are too wide. I tried the 84 Ea81 carb model AC fan and it has 3 brackets that secure it to the radiator and these are interfering with the pulser AND the powersteering pump reservoir. I managed to make it work with the pulser but barely and I am not 100 percent sure of its worthyness and now the PS reservoir is hitting a bracket too..... :(

 

Ideas? Anybody know what was done on the Mudrat lifted Silver wagon? (closest thing to mine out there).

 

ea82T experts chime in too Im sure some of this is the same.

My 87 Brat came with a 11" shroud electric fan and a 12" 3 bracket ring shrouded fan, I had AC but removed it and the man I purchased it from 7 years ago had started adding P.S., he had installed the pump only. These factory fans were not touching any components. The ea81T engine that much different or did adding the lift change component locations that much? I have both of these factory fans if they would help you. I removed them and installed 1 14" Hayden "S" blade fan for a cleaner look. This keeps my 87 cool in the hot eastern NC climate with no trouble but I don't think it moves the air of the twin fan stock setup. I also have a extra 14" Hayden that might work, it is 3" thick 14.25" x 13.75", looks like you could shift it left or right several inches for clearance. The 12" factory fans are only a couple of inches thick and still will not fit? I have two of them if they would fit and they move right much air, I think they are the cooling fan and the 11" shrouded fan is the AC fan. Let me know if I can help you with any of these four fans I have Shawn.

  • Author

The ea81T looks a lot like an ea82 engine on the front in terms of where the AC and PS pumps are and where the fan is too if I remember correctly.

 

The lift lifts the body but not the engine so you have a situation where the engine is no longer lined up with the things it normally does. The space between the engine and the radiator fans on an unlifted ea81T car is pretty tight as it is.

Shawn, I recently went to a dual BeCool setup to get the CFM I need and I have a $100 fan that is sitting here useless. Half that and it is yours if you want it. It is a 16 inch 2600cfm.

Shawn, I have the perfect idea for you!!!

 

My buddy just turbo'd his 86 VW Scirocco with a Saab 900 turbo. He also pulled the radiator and the dual electric fans with it. He showed me the radiator and fans the other day and WOW, these fans are heavy duty!!! They are made of plastic BUT they are thick and heavy, great for any sort of off-road use. Just a though:D

i like the clutch fan for reliability. but i went without for (horsepower reasons) on my 83 turbo. electric fan was still there. i did some off roading that involved rocker panel deep water(3 in lift).

 

all i can say is if you modify the front end, make sure the wiring harness wont melt on the exhaust cross pipe! anyway that is what killed mine.

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