Cooling – Flex Fan or Electric Fan – What’s the Difference?

Have you ever seen, or even wondered, why some guys run a Flex-Fan and some guys run an Electric Fan? While the factory clutch fan assembly on the Toyota engine is ok for everyday driving, it is also heavy and the Flex Fan Dual Electric Fan clutch will eventually wear out and become a burden to the motor. Clutch fans also take horsepower to turn once they lock up.

There are two very good replacement options available. A Flex-Fan w/Billet Aluminum Spacer or a Black Magic Electric Fan:

The Flex-Fan has fan blades that flatten out at higher RPM to reduce fan drag. At lower RPM, the blades return to their original shape to pull the maximum amount of air through the radiator and fan shroud. It is important to understand that a Flex-Fan is most efficient when it is used with a fan shroud. They also don't take as much horsepower to turn and allow the motor to deliver more power to the rear wheels.

The ultimate choice is the Black Magic Electrical Fan. These are thermostatically controlled and take the place of the factory clutch fan and radiator fan shroud. These electric fans do a great job at pulling air through the radiator and do not tax the motor for horsepower and torque. They are fairly easy to install and are very efficient.