How important is the Intercooler Fan?

[BradWE4]

I just received my overdrive pulley and got it on the car I went to start it to find out that the intercooler fan hits the new pulley. Before I go and pull the fan I wanted to get some feedback. How much air does it actually pull through the intercooler?

 

[Reaper]

some late build 87s did not come with them........

 

[83ttypecooled]

IC Fan

Hi Brad,
I did not know that a few late models had no IC fan, but believe that it must do something pretty critical, regardless. better to have it than not, on the street!You can always go front mount, I guess! Better to make the underdrive pulley setup work with it. How about notching the blades?
Dale

 

[49-blues]

There are also thin electric fans which would work without the stock ic fan.

 

[Russ Merritt]

Throw it away.

 

[mgmshar]

I always thought that the little fan would help to cool-off the intercooler after a run. In fact, I would think that building a nice little shroud around that little fan would help a stock I/C. Same principal as the fans that suck air through your radiator.

I would try to adapt it, if I were you.

 

[BradWE4]

What about a 900 or 1000CFM electric fan pulling air through it instead of the stock fan? With the stock fan gone there should be more than enough room for an 8 or 10" fan.

 

[zam70]

don't forget that an electric fan is also a restriction when it's not running and when the forced air (caused by acceleration) exceeds what the actual fan can pass.

Some OEM electric fan shrouds (for radiator) actually has flaps that push open by the air pressure created by the car moving...this helps overcome the restiction of the fan & shroud.
The cheap way to do it is to not cover the entire radiator with the shroud (like most cars, including ours, do)
I say toss it.