5000 radiator fan update

[AUDIDUDI@delphi.com]

Having lived with the Scott's Mfg. fan setup I recommended for another week,
I thought I'd pass along a few observations:

1) It's definitely quieter than the stock fan ... with the engine running, I
can't hear it from inside the car until it hits stage three.  I compared the
noise level to that of my '87 5k wagon using my trusty Radio Shack SPL meter
and it averages 3 dBA quieter.  It's also quieter (subjectively) than my '91
100 fan.

2) It doesn't move quite as much air as the stock fan: instead of staying at
approx. the 5/8 point on my temp gauge, it now hovers at 3/4 ... even at 115
degrees with the a/c on, it hasn't gone any higher so I figure it has enough
reserve capacity to keep the car from overheating but this must also mean it
moves less air, right?  Since the gauge in my other 5000 typically reads 3/4
most of the time, I'm not overly concerned about this ... yet.

3) The black paint applied to the motor doesn't adhere very well.  I cleaned
the engine compartment yesterday using just a hose and Simple Green (I broke
the heater valve and it sprayed coolant everywhere!) and the paint's already
started peeling ... since I'm a fanatic about the car's underhood appearance
-- isn't everyone? ;^) -- I'll have to repaint the motor shortly.

4) The OEM fan/motor assembly weighs nearly twice as much as the Scott's fan
does ... the racer in me appreciates the weight savings although it probably
doesn't make a bit of difference for street use. 

Overall, it looks like I made the correct decision here but since my savings
versus a rebuilt OEM fan motor amount to only $25 and the quieter fan is the
only unqualified improvement I've noticed, you might think differently.


                /| | | |\  |   |\  | | |\  |  AudiDudi@delphi.com
               /-| | | | | | = | | | | | | |  Jeffrey Goggin
              /  | |_| |/  |   |/  |_| |/  |  Scottsdale, Arizona