I've been doing some research about trying to improve fuel economy on my truck, along with trying to achieve more power. I'm considering changing the clutch fan to a Flex-A-Lite dual electric fan setup, but the factory claims they don't recommend the unit for about 18,000 pounds. So, along with this, I've contacted Evans Cooling up in Pottstown Pennsylvania, as they offer a waterless propylene glycol coolant. Their coolant is basically a lifetime fill coolant which uses NO water in the system, and has a boiling point of 375 degrees F, instead of the usual 50/50 water/glycol coolant that most of us are probably now using. From my understanding, a 50/50 mixture boils at around 249 degrees F under 15 PSI, and the 192 degree F thermostat is the highest available for the 24 valve Cummins engines. Evans tells me, if I can experiment with setting a higher temperature ( maybe around 210 to 220 degrees ), a diesel engine will get better fuel economy and will have no chance of boilover due to their 375 degree F boiling point for their waterless propylene glycol coolant. They also told me they could build an all aluminum radiator and although a bit pricey ( from 1000 to 1200 bucks ), it would help to cool an engine even more, especially if an aftermarket aluminum intercooler is being used. I've just replaced the plastic tanks/aluminum radiator in my truck with an OEM unit and still have the OEM unit which came in the truck, to maybe send them so they can have a model in which to build a custom radiator for my truck. When replacing a stock intercooler with a new upgrade aluminum unit ( which boasts temp drops of up to 150 to 200 degrees F ), the engine cooling radiator is "the last device in line" which will get the heat ( from the air ) that first passes through the intercooler. Evans told me in a recent phone conversation I had that, when I send them my old radiator, they will study and evaluate if I should go to a little thicker core, which will be 3/8" thicker or to go to the next size under this. So what I would like a little feedback on, is......the dual electric fan setup. I pull a 14,000 pound flatbed gooseneck trailer daily, so the total weight for both the truck/trailer is around 24,000 to 26,000 pounds, and the Flex-A-Lite dual fan unit isn't recommended for over 18,000 pounds, but with replacing the coolant with the Evans waterless coolant, would you think the fans would be able to cool more effeciently and maybe get a little better fuel economy, being the engine would be operating a little hotter? I know it's a "pricey" option, but with diesel fuel prices continuing to soar higher, I've heard that by 2010 it may be over 7 bucks a gallon, so in my opinion, it may just be worth it. And I do run Amsoil 15W-40 synthetic oil in my engine, along with Amsoil synthetic transmission fluid in the tranny ( a SunCoast complete transmission and torque converter ), with Amsoil severe gear 75W-90 in the rear end. Right now, I get close to 24 mpg if I keep my size 15 off the thin pedal and use cruise. Also thinking about replacing the Banks system with a compound turbo setup, an edge box and a little bigger injectors. Have been told by a couple of people that have them, when I am finished playing with them and can drive to save fuel, I should notice an extra 1 to 3 mpg with this setup, along with lower EGT's. About 6 months ago, I learned I have one of the few dogleg rearends, so I called a reputable South Carolina shop yesterday and they priced me an ARB Air Locker setup for my rear differential, stating that I can go from normal to lock-up in the rearend when I want a positive locking rear end, for drag racing, with the flip of a switch, and not have to deal with the noise of a Detroit Locker or to replace the clutches every 60 to 70,000 miles using a Power Lock ( clutch ) unit. Seems I now have to get busy fabricating an overhead console, to hold all of the extra goodies, as I haven't been able find one that goes from door to door. Anyway, some feedback for the cooling issue above would be appreciated, as I'm now not having a cooling problem, even though I pull the gooseneck fully loaded with the A/C on and it was 91 outside yesterday. Just trying to plan for the future, should diesel prices continue to climb skyward !

 

Ask yourself how much diesel could i buy with all the money spent on the cooling system upgrades?
Get one of the mileage box's ( Edge, Quad) that should help. Compounds will help in the towing dept along with some good injectors.

 

you need whats in my sig

 

There is saving had in upgrading , for heavy use and less repairs , so including a better work horse add to the investment .
I would suggest one of the companies that already make after market rads , may be cheaper than having a one off custom , unless they are working with you , because you give them your old rad .
Making your truck better / last longer is payback by its self .
I like that you did some good effort in talking to them , it could make good for them & us .
There are many things to do for millage , a friend of mine is getting 27 3/4 at 65-70 mph , lots of tuning , propane ect .
It all cost money , a built trans helps also , stacking [ not settling for pump fuel , adding bio & other additives ] your own fuel helps too , 2-3 mpgs min.

 

I did some sniffing around regarding the electric fans also. I emailed flex-a-lite and never did get a response (I have a gvw up to 21k). On their website they do not recommend electric fans if you're over 18k or in mountainous areas. There are other threads with people who have put on electrics and have taken them off. Flex-a-lite diesel electric fans can pull 5500 CFM (according to their website), the stock fan on our truck can do 8800 CFM. Plus you're not really freeing up all that much more HP, when they kick in, its a 30 to 40 amp draw off your alternator. So power you've freed up from the fan is now being put back into the alternator.

I've put on a mileage max module and noticed a 1.5 mpg (hand calculated) increase. That and staying off the skinny pedal helps...

Just my .02

 

I figured if I saved up about $80,000 and added it to the cost of my truck in add-ons, I could save upwards of $500 a yearin fuel costs! And then, from the mechanical point of view, if I built or bought a dry ice intercooler and oil cooler and refrig unit I could get the engine to run so cool they're would be no reason to have an ice box to keep the brews in!
If I used NASAs latest deep space lubricants I could completely eliminate friction at temperatures between -300 and +500 degrees F and then make my mileage go to over 200 mpg!
What'd think?

Is it worth it? or should I just drive it.

 

Thanks for the comments ! Our business fuel expenses for 6 months ago were around $1100 and last month was closer to $1700, and if fuel continues to rise, I think it's worth everything that I can do to make it better, especially if it means more power to occasionally blow the doors off a corvette or 5.0 mustang ! Several years ago, I had a '72 Duster with a 318 2 barrel with a stage 2 NOS unit that got about 19 mpg and ran the quarter at 13.17 ET, so to be honest, it's a blast to have a 3/4 ton truck that has 290 RWHP with 615 FPT, that gets better fuel economy than that Duster ever thought about gettin' ! And I have wet dreams of when the day will come that my Dodge will have over 600 HP and still have great fuel economy. The truck before this was an '89 Chevy with a hi-per 350, which would run fair, but nothing like the Cummins ! Besides, it got between 10 & 12 mpg on super unleaded, so I'm happy to say the least. I'm just interested in squeezing out all the fuel economy I can and be able to at least run in the 12's on occasion, and still have the power to pull my gooseneck in the business. Don't really want the fastest pickup in the county, but it would be nice to be in the top 5 for a change ! And with a 50 gallon aux fuel tank, it would be nice to be able to top off the fuel, when I come across someplace where the fuel is cheaper, especially IF it comes to where fuel will be around 7 bucks or more per gallon, and to have about a 2000 mile crusing range. And I have no desire to have one of the new "quiet" diesels, as I like the sound of my truck, so I'd rather modify mine rather than to purchase a new one, with a higher insurance premium to go along with a new truck. So I guess I'll get started on a project, to build an overhead console to hold a few extra gauges, switches, a Valentine 1 radar detector, the Edge controller box, the SunCoast Pro-Lok controller box, CB, GPS unit and a few other goodies and have a friend to powder coat it. Then thinking about building the fuel tank from stainless to wrap around the stacks with a toolbox on top, followed by a pair of front & rear bumpers, so 6" driving lights can be mounted in both, as well as air filters in the front bumper, so cool air can be gotten from the front instead of warm or hot air in the engine compartment. I was a certified pipe welder a few years ago, so I don't think it will be any problem to fab these items, and will be something fun to do, and to have something different from the rest.

Cuz in Georgia cuz1369 at ya hoooo

 

I've gotten pretty good mileage with the Adrenaline on level1 and the Pulse has all the gauges built in.

 

I can pull down 20-22 mpg if I watch my speed and I've ran a best of 12.84 in the 1/4 with whats in my sig. And I'm running a 180 thermostat.

 

To me, the appeal of the electric fans is that they fully release (turn off) and fully lock up (turn on). That means you're only paying the mpg penalty when you need to cool things down. Otherwise, you're home free.

This would give faster warmups in winter as well.

As it is now, I have to run fanless in the winter and reinstall it for the summer. I'm still fanless, but yesterday got up to 220º putzing through Chicago traffic, so I should probably go reinstall it.

JH

 

Water cools much better than glycol. Once water boils it obviously does little for cooling, but pure water is much better than glycol at transferring heat.

In less words: It is a step backwards to remove H2o from the system.

 

From what I've learned is, when a diesel is warmer, it gets better fuel economy, so if there is a waterless coolant that boils at 375 degrees instead of the 249 degrees with a 50/50 mixture and has no chance of boiling over such as in hot weather pulling a load, wouldn't it make sense to run it? Go check out the website at Evans: www.evanscooling.com The site has testimonials and pictures from several people who are using the coolant, from diesels to high performance to daily driven cars. The only problem is for Dodge Cummins engines, the only thermostst available is the 192 degree F for the 24 valves and 180 degree F for the 12 valve engines, or that is what several people have told me. Is there any way to make an adapter for the Cummins engines, so a different thermostst from another engine could be used, so the temperature could be raised to say around 210 or 220 degrees F ? Or maybe make an "inline" adapter in the hose, so a different thermostst can be used in place of the original equipment thermostat ? I'm just trying to explore the possibilities, in the interest of achieving better fuel economy while using the Evans Coolant, which is called NPG+. You know, this is the way some people seem to get ahead in the world and sometimes actually save money by doing so. It just seems to me that someone will come up with something in the future which is out of the norm that actually works better than water or a 50/50 mixture and in all reality, the future may be now !

 

Not to change the subject , but which turbine set up do you have on the HTTturbo crabbelle?And how does it work for you?

 

You could pull the thermostat out and try to run restrictor plate to control the coolants flow and let it heat up that way.By putting a plate in it takes allot longer to warm up because it's always open.

Wayne

 

My truck runs better and gets a little better fuel economy with a 180 t-stat. I think it may have something to do with less heat from the radiator radiating into the intercooler making for a cooler intake charge.