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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: wiretap_MD on July 05, 2004, 03:25:51 AM

Title: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: wiretap_MD on July 05, 2004, 03:25:51 AM: I'm planning to replace my custom electric fan setup with the Flex-a-lite system. Has anyone had experience in this? What Flex-a-lite model would fit the 1996 sidekick 1.6L 16v radiator? thank you
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: JDMCRX on July 05, 2004, 04:52:43 AM: Im going to be installing my 16" on my 92 sidekick this weekend ill post some pics
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: wiretap_MD on July 05, 2004, 07:11:57 AM: Great! Looking forward to seeing them. Did you also get the Fan control module as well as the aux manual switch? If yes, kindly post pics of them too. Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: dschwab9 on July 05, 2004, 02:35:11 PM: I have a 97 with a 1.8, and I'm running a generic 16" fan from Advance with a flexalite variable speed controller, and it works great.

One thing I'd recomend is fabbing up a custom bracket to mount it - don't use those things it comes with that poke through the radiator. The vibration will cause them to gradually fall down the radiator, ripping out fins as they go.
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: 90Stomper on July 05, 2004, 02:38:59 PM: Quote
The vibration will cause them to gradually fall down the radiator, ripping out fins as they go.

never had that problem, i love my flex-a-lite fan. works good and doesnt draw alot of power.
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: safarikick on July 05, 2004, 04:14:26 PM: (http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/302000-302999/302365_189_full.jpg)

14in

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=FLX%2D31147&view=257#largerimage
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: explosivo on July 05, 2004, 04:24:50 PM: How do those electric fans work out in the mud and water?
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: dschwab9 on July 05, 2004, 04:42:10 PM: Quote

never had that problem, i love my flex-a-lite fan. Ã‚Â works good and doesnt draw alot of power.

Have you ever taken it off? Ã‚Â If you do, I bet you'll notice it's moved down 1/4" or so and took out a few fins.

Quote
How do those electric fans work out in the mud and water?

You need to wire up a switch to turn it off if you're going in deep water. Ã‚Â The water can break the blades with they hit it.
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: steveofrost on July 05, 2004, 07:48:06 PM: Dammit you guys, just when I think that I have all my part needs covered, you go and say:
Quote
i love my flex-a-lite fan. works good and doesnt draw alot of power.

Now I want one ;D

steveo
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: wiretap_MD on July 06, 2004, 08:45:42 AM: Thanks for all your input guys. I really appreciate it.

I've been browsing the flex-a-lite website and I see a lot of models. Have a few questions:

1. What would be the best model that would fit the sidekick radiator. I'm thinking of the S-blade model:

(http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/assets/images/S_blade.gif)

2. What would be the best size that would fit? 14in? 15? 16in?

safarkick: What flex-a-lite fan model do you have? Is that the S-fan?
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: 90Stomper on July 06, 2004, 01:18:29 PM: i got the smallest one, 14in? its the S one. it just barly fits top to bottom, plenty of room left to right. need to get ya some alen bolts to replace the studs that hold on your fan to help with the space between the motor and the fan. the temp sensor seems kinda cheesy but after 3 months mine is still working great. i agree that fabing some mounts is a good idea. i just checked mine and they are ok (fins) but i think i am going to add some mounts this weekend, better safe.....
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: safarikick on July 06, 2004, 01:27:57 PM: (http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/302000-302999/302365_190_full.jpg)

i make the ALUMINUM piece
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: steveofrost on July 06, 2004, 01:35:01 PM: How are those time wise for installation? How does it rate on the pain in the ass scale?

steveo
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: 95XL7 on July 06, 2004, 01:39:31 PM: I've got dual 12" fans but my radiator is a little wider than the 1.6 radiator.

(http://images.snapfish.com/33%3A%3C394323232%7Ffp64%3Dot%3E2329%3D585%3D374%3DXROQDF%3E2323575%3A5%3C2%3C4ot1lsi)

(http://images.snapfish.com/33%3A%3C394323232%7Ffp54%3Dot%3E2329%3D585%3D374%3DXROQDF%3E2323575%3A59439ot1lsi)
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: idaholwb on July 06, 2004, 02:14:56 PM: I am SOOOOO glad this thread came up so I could see a little more of 95XL7's engine compartment! Every little pic I see of this swap, answers more questions my mind has about the 2.5 going into this 95 4 door I'm going to be doing.
Thank you 95. ;D
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: jerryp58 on July 06, 2004, 02:44:46 PM: I think I read somewhere that the fan shroud should cover at least 80% of the radiator area. There's probably a CFM recommendation by number of cylinders out there too.

I can tell you that my Hyundai 14" fan (eBay purchase) cools mine just fine. It keeps the temp down at the level the thermostat opens.
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: 90Stomper on July 07, 2004, 01:54:31 PM: Quote
I can tell you that my Hyundai 14" fan (eBay purchase) cools mine just fine. It keeps the temp down at the level the thermostat opens.
glad to hear that is still working out for you!

Quote
I am SOOOOO glad this thread came up so I could see a little more of 95XL7's engine compartment! Every little pic I see of this swap, answers more questions my mind has about the 2.5 going into this 95 4 door I'm going to be doing.

is that what that is?! i would love to have a 2.5 in my 90, but it looks like a royal pain....?
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: wiretap_MD on July 16, 2004, 08:58:38 PM: Guys, where should I position the radiator thermal probe? Should it be on the upper part of the radiator as near as possible to the upper radiator hose or should it be down the radiator nearest the lower radiator hose?

From my understanding, this is the water flow sequence right? Hot water from engine --> thermostat --> upper radiator hose --> radiator --> lower radiator hose --> cool water back to engine.

Am I right?
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: jerryp58 on July 16, 2004, 11:46:49 PM: FWIW, I put mine near the lower hose. I guess my thought was that way it would activate as soon as the water going back into the engine hit my target temp. But really, it should make no difference as long as the temp at the upper hose (or anywhere else) is within the upper limit of the sensor.
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: wildgoody on July 18, 2004, 06:32:25 AM: I found that the Turbo produces too much heat,
combined with the intercooler, an electric fan just
wasn't up to the job, but that's another story.

I liked my temp probe as close to the hot water
coming from the engine, my thought was that I
don't want the radiator getting to the target temp,
I want the radiator to be cooling before it gets that
hot. I went as far as mounting the thermo switch
on the thermostat housing to read the water temp
of the engine directly, as soon as it got to 180* it
would kick on the fan and cool the radiator.

Be aware that I was using a 160* thermostat so the
water was circulating before the fan kicked on, I guess
the radiator would have been getting to 180* before
the fan kicked in, but if you have one of those variable
temp thermostats you could set it at any temp in it's range.

Wild
Title: Re: Flex-a-lite electric fan for 4-door sidekick
Post by: JDMCRX on July 18, 2004, 04:29:21 PM: Thats what im going to be doing this week getting a bung tig welded to the top of my thermo housing. so i can run my switch from the housing.