I picked up the C&R/Visteon w/SPAL fan during the group buy a couple years ago. At the time I was N/A and dryer climates - never had any overheating issues.

How many of you have a FMIC? This past summer was my first in central Florida and cooling issues that I have never had in SoCal showed their ugly faces. The biggest contributor to ineffective cooling I believe is the SPAL fan being spaced too far away from the radiator core. you can see in the photos that the unshrouded fan pulls a lot of air around the fan rather than through the rad.

I am going to remove the SPAL fan, and grind the welded brackets off the Visteon radiator to enable mounting a twin FAL setup - most likely the FAL 325 designed for the 4g63 models. Minor trimming of the shroud is necessary due to the difference in water necks. Mounting the twin FAL setup is the next question - the brackets that come with the FAL grip the sides of the OEM radiator because there are lips there. The Visteon does not - the ends are solid. The last thing I am going to do is run the damn zip ties through the core to secure the fan assembly.

I am interested to see how others have secured electric fan assemblies to radiators.

i didnt get a chance to get in the group by but understand what you're saying. Don't you mean the FAL 220? Same design, just cheaper.

damn, nevermind, i just tried to find them and it looks like they're discontinued.

FAL 420 is the new one I think. Cheaper than the 325.

Your probably going to want to run more than one fan in Fla. I have a a Fluidyne, so not sure how the Visteon radiator is, but I just took some thin metal and cut out 4 custom brackets/fan. And zip tied the fan to the brackets and screwed the brackets into the radiator. Also hit the brackets with some VHT exhuast paint

That bracket setup is most def part of the problem Dave.

these are the links i have bookmarked.

discontinued/n/a: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FLX-220?part=FLX-220&Ntk=P_ManufacturerPartNumber&N=100+400226&Ntt=220

old link that helped me wire em up: http://forums.2gnt.com/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=56866&mesg_id=56866&page=&topic_page=2

the 220's used to be about $199, damn, the 420's substitute part is like $100 more. shit, ridiculous. i love inflation

Originally posted by 420agreenvilleSC
these are the links i have bookmarked. discontinued/n/a: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FLX-220?part=FLX-220&Ntk=P_ManufacturerPartNumber&N=100+400226&Ntt=220 old link that helped me wire em up: http://forums.2gnt.com/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=56866&mesg_id=56866&page=&topic_page=2 the 220's used to be about $199, damn, the 420's substitute part is like $100 more. shit, ridiculous. i love inflation

Thanks for the link - found that one while searching. I exhausted Tuners and threads here as well relating to FAL fans. The 420 is considerably more than the old 220, but still coming in under the 325 (Mitsu drop in model). There is no real difference between specs between the 325 and the 420 - just some trimming of the shroud for water neck relief.

Terry - Appreciate the insight. I am surprised that it took an FMIC and a summer in FL for me to find out about the problems. After reading more about the importance of fan shrouding and mounting electric fans as close as possible to the core, I am really surprised that the C&R/Visteons were released in their current configuration. The single SPAL serves only to recirculate hot air in the engine bay.

if you remove those brackets you can mount it right ot the core with the pull through straps

I ordered the Flex-a-lite 420 from Summit Racing and it arrived today. For those wanting to spend a bit of change on a nice slim dual fan setup do not buy the Flex-a-lite/FAL 325 that is designated for the 2G Turbo models. You will need to recut the shrouding to clear the N/A radiator inlet/outlet anyway, and the 420 (universal application) is about $50 cheaper than the Mitsu version. Same specs otherwise - dimensions, CFM, etc.

I cut the welds and removed the SPAL fan brackets from the upper & lower tanks. Laid the new FAL 420 shroud against the radiator and marked where reliefs were needed for the inlet/outlet & drain. I am not a huge fan of using the pull-through straps to secure the fan shroud but I do not have any other option at this time. With 6 straps pulled snug, the weatherstripping seal provides a great deal of friction with the radiator frame.

This bitch pulls some air - with my hand against the FMIC I could feel the vacuum created by these.

awesome. yea, mine pulls like mad too

Originally posted by Star Turbo Talon
if you remove those brackets you can mount it right ot the core with the pull through straps

This.

I didnt realize that the radiator was supposed to have those weird brackets when you sent me a text Dave.

I bought the rad and fan used. I have no brackets, and the fan is put on with pull through straps.

No issues during the summer in SC.