Keeping the cool

I want to do away with my clutch fan in place of an electric fan. It is in an 01 dodge ram 1500 5.2L. I want to do what ever I can to improve gas milage. All ready put duel exhaust & high flow air filter. Need to know size & cfm of fan to equil or better the stock fan

Just go to a salvage yard and find a fan that will fit or one you can make fit…Look at Cadillacs and Buicks…They have large fans.

But don’t expect much improvement…That old 318 is a good engine but not very efficient. Your truck weighs 2 tons. 16-18 mpg, that’s it…

thanks, I have a pick-n-pull just around the corner

J.C.Whitney may still sell electric radiator fans to replace a mechanical clutch fan. Google J.C.Whitney and see what they have. However, it takes energy to drive an electric fan just as it takes energy to drive a clutch controlled fan. I’m not certain that making this change will make a noticeable difference in your mileage.

Why do you believe this will increase your mileage? There’s still load on the engine either way.

I once owned a 318 Dodge van. I removed the rigid stock fan for cross-country trips. It DID improve mileage and reduced noise…But now and then I would get caught short in detours and traffic jams…Modern clutch-fans are much better…But an electric fan can be wired to a dashboard switch and used only when needed…Which is not very often…

According to the guys on the show extreme 4X4 it reduces the drag on the motor, but you have plenty of unused electricity to spare while driving. They just didn’t specify what size of fan to use. I am not a novice at working on cars & I have always believed this theory. I just need more facts. I also have never had a vehical that was so thirsty.

I do not have a overheating problem with the stock fan, just need more mpg

The fan has always been a drag on the motor that is why they put the clutch on the post 1970 cars to reduce drag & noise. That is why a flex fan cools better than a clutch fan.