Our '91 Pathfinder had a mechanical fan, but the fan included a clutch controlled by a metal temperature sensor. So it only ran in high ambient temperatures. I would guess that some of the savings were cancelled by the thing typically having to be replaced when the vehicles got older. It would have to save a lot of gas to pay for the $100-300 replacement bill. Not to mention the fuel/energy needed to manufacture the replacement unit. I wonder if it was a net savings either way?
(When it failed, it took a while to realize something was wrong. It seized, so the fan spun all the time, making a funny noise I can't even describe. Diagnosing it was quite a challenge, as the strange noise corresponded to the engine revs.)
Even my '79 Chev Impala had a fan with flexible blades, so as the fan sped up, the blades flattened out. Hi tech!
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Vancouver, Canada
2006 Grand Vitara JLX-L
1990 Dodge Spirit
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