Preliminary Electric Fan Math for MPG's

Year: 2004
Engine: 4.6l
Tire: Michelin LTX A/T2 245/65R17 inflated to 40psi (Basically brand new)
Engine Mods: Electric Fan Only
Issues: No front bumper, should cause more wind drag.
Travel: 44 Miles 5 days/week for work.
Time: 2 hours.
Driving Style: Conservative, not jumping off the line nor gunning it up on-ramps. (though this is a struggle and I've been bad a couple of times.)
Conditions each way: 15-20 minutes street level with stop lights and heavy traffic, 15-50 mph
20-25 minutes highway(575) heavy traffic 5-45 mph
20-30 minutes highway(75) heavy traffic 10-50 mph

MPG's pre electric fan: Avg. 15.5
MPG's post electric fan: Avg. 16.4

What's this come down to? A savings of $137.31 in the first year. Again, this hasn't been tested too much. Need to go through a few more tanks of gas, and different driving conditions.

@15.5 MPG, 44 miles per day cost $9.62, annualizes to $2502.04 working 260 days.
@16.4 MPG, 44 miles per day cost $9.10, annualizes to $2364.73 working 260 days.

Based on a gallon costing $3.39.
If anything, it paid for the fan install in the first year.

This is all preliminary, I may come back later after eating crow. Hope it'll only improve though.

thanks a lot for doing this! this is a huge help in my decision whether to go ahead with this mod. I'm currently in nasty city traffic, averaging only 12mpg, as between each light there is space to get up to speed but the lights end up being red rather than green when you get to the next one. If I could get another MPG out of my stock 4.6, that's almost 10% better!

16.8 last tank.

89% of the time the fan is off. Thermostat and natural air flow keeps it between 191 and 201. Fan is set to come on at 208.

Great info! What did you use for an elec fan setup?

I plan on writing it up. Haven't got around. I purchased a Flex A Lite controller and hose adapter, the got an electric fan from a 2000 Mustang GT. I plan to do my 05 as well, but will use the Volvo fan controller set up.

17.4 this time, but with a little extra freeway at good speeds. I'd guess it to be closer to the previous 16.8.

Does anyone make a direct bolt in options for third gen explorers? I want to do this to my 4.0 ,but I don't like the hacked up look of the fan shroud.

Really digging on this thread. Looking forward to, hear the rest of the results!

Well, I've been running a fan&clutch setup now for a while, after losing my e-fan.

I was averaging high 15's to low 16's during daily commute. Now that I'm back to the fan clutch, I'm averaging mid 14's. So yeah, fan clutch setup kills your MPG's.

Number4 said:

Well, I've been running a fan&clutch setup now for a while, after losing my e-fan.

I was averaging high 15's to low 16's during daily commute. Now that I'm back to the fan clutch, I'm averaging mid 14's. So yeah, fan clutch setup kills your MPG's.

Click to expand...

what made you lose your e-fan? This is on my list of things to do...

It was used and the motor separated from the housing. Took out my radiator. There were signs, I ignored them. (20/20)

I'd do the same setup again, just with a new fan instead of used. Though, I'm going to try something else this time.