Electric fans and water pumps?

[Basecircle]

I never see electric fans and/or water pumps being used in the dirt world. Has anyone tried it with good or bad results? I can’t see a downside if you run an alternator and there are no rules against it, unless it just doesn’t get the job done.

[TheJet-09]

I don't know about an electric water pump, but with the cold temps up my way this time of the year, I'd be curious about an electric fan. Especially if you could vary the speed, even if just a low/med/high sort of arrangement.

[Austin34471]

From what I’ve seen, electric fuel pumps have much less flow than a normal belt driven pump. And there’s no electric fan on the planet that will move as much air as a GM 4 blade hooked to the front of the engine.

[RaceEngineer]

I have used an electric fan with success on a small engine on methanol.

[Basecircle]

The gm fan being discontinued just has my gears turning on how to get the most efficient cooling without it. We run the gm fan now, and started to have cooling issues due to pulley issues. We had to replace belts often, or temps would begin to climb. Updating to a serpentine system for next year for sure. Nothing worse than fighting heat issues. I’ve always found it strange how some motors you can’t build heat, and others you can’t keep cool with the exact same cooling system and similar size/power. I wish there was something better than trial and error for finding the perfect combination of pulleys, pumps, fans, radiators to reach target operating temps.

[CCHIEF]

Electric fuel pumps have no place in dirt circle racing. The best way to control heat is not to make it i the first place.(tune) Second biggest cooling issue is dirt track rads get clogged with cooked clay and rocks. Cleaning your rad, (correctly!) is a weekly maintenance must. You usually go thru ~2 a season... if racing once a week 25 lappers. More if you race long distance runs. Screen placement has gotten much better, if your not on a screen right in front of the rad you definitely will use 2 a season....and need deep cleaning weekly. Track configuration has a lot to do with cooling system demands. As does how nailed down your valence is. HTD drive makes slippage a non issue. Only place electric fan on water pump "might" have some advantage is in limited power engines...like crates...on short runs... but I don't believe anyone allows them. If you run an alternator to make power, it cant be as efficient as using the engines power directly. KISS

[CageFaraday]

Most of the people I've talked to that have tried it say it didn't work. In a way I'm not surprised, with everyone running with the nose closed up and sealed to track. However I've wondered if mounting the radiator in the deck with an electric fan might be the answer. In Australia/New Zealand they have what are called "super sedans" and they mount the radiators on some of those in the rear deck area over the fuel cell. I was thinking mid-car and I've got some old photos of a guy doing it in the early 80's, Jimmy Hensley I think it was... I'll have to look. Anyway most say it doesn't work in conventional situation, even with special radiator and dual fans.

[MBR Performance]

Ed Feree owner of Frankland Rears tried this with very mixed results and eventually abandoned the idea.

[hucktyson]

Jay (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)ens claims to have an exact GM replica. If his Isn’t an exact surely someone will
Make a good one soon for what they can sell for

[talclipse]

Most of the people I've talked to that have tried it say it didn't work. In a way I'm not surprised, with everyone running with the nose closed up and sealed to track. However I've wondered if mounting the radiator in the deck with an electric fan might be the answer. In Australia/New Zealand they have what are called "super sedans" and they mount the radiators on some of those in the rear deck area over the fuel cell. I was thinking mid-car and I've got some old photos of a guy doing it in the early 80's, Jimmy Hensley I think it was... I'll have to look. Anyway most say it doesn't work in conventional situation, even with special radiator and dual fans.

Delmas Conley did this a few (maybe five seasons) ago after they cooked a few motors. They got away from it eventually; I'm not positive what the reasoning was for that decision but it apparently it wasn't effective.

[CageFaraday]

Delmas Conley did this a few (maybe five seasons) ago after they cooked a few motors. They got away from it eventually; I'm not positive what the reasoning was for that decision but it apparently it wasn't effective.

Where was the radiator mounted? Up front or laying flat in the deck?

[talclipse]

Where was the radiator mounted? Up front or laying flat in the deck?

It was laying flat in the deck basically beside the drive (one of the reasons its a bad idea IMO).