QUOTE(gereed75 @ Aug 2 2019, 10:29 AM)
As stated already, basically zero effect on a running engine. Would have more effect on a non runing engine (after shut down) but only if the direction was changed to pull hot air out of the engine compartment.
Never hurts to try!
I’ll apologize in advance. I’m an engineer and love to debate for the sport of it.
Exactly what problem is being solved by cooling the engine after shutdown?
Does it justify the weight, complexity and cost of the fan?
I’m partial to the Colin Chapman school of weight management. Less weight = better. 2000 lb vehicles don’t happen by accident or by adding on unnecessary stuff.
It really isn’t a matter of just try. The engineering works or it doesn’t.
A fan like that OP picture is very ineffective without a shroud covering the rest of the grille opening. You will essentially get recirculating around the edges of the small fan shroud that kills the efficiency of the electric fan. Covering the grille to improve the efficiency of the fan would destroy the normal convection that otherwise cools the engine after shutdown.
Additional consequences;
Running the fan post shutdown draws down your battery.
Alternator then has to work harder after restart to charge the battery
That added alternator load puts more load on engine and then engine runs hotter (trivial amount)
That added load from alternator robs fuel economy and creates more emissions at startup (May or may not be trivial depending on your point of view)
Sorry
I just can’t help myself. The point being we don’t have to just try it to work through the effects. Even if someone wants to try, you have 1/2 of the instrumentation needed to do the science projects. Use the cylinder head temperature sensor, measure resistance change over time with the fan on and the fan off. Plot results and let the data decide.
I am easily swayed by sound data.
Oh boy, double sorry guys!