Radiator electric fan

[Azureblue]

Hi,

I need to fit an electric fan to my S4 which has the wider S3 stanpart radiator fitted. Can someone tell me what size and type of fan I should fit? I have a set of sprint fan mounting brackets but the fan has had it, can you buy a replacement motor?

Thanks

Ian
(Elan S4 SE and Mk 1 Elise)

[twincamman]

Mine was an old racer [a 26r] and in bits when I got mine ---but I found adding a floor to the nose bottom and directing the air to the rad and blocking air to the head light area in the sides solved any over heating problems ---the fan is from a Morgan a friend was throwing out and the mounts were made from i/2 inch diameter tube cost about nothing as the alumnium was left over from a floor pan for the vee ----pics are hard to get as it involes sticking the camaera in and taking what I get -----hope this helps ---ed---pic is looking in through the grill

[twincamman]

looking down with oil cooler and rad at rear

[stuartgb100]

Ian,

I have the wider radiator in my Sprint, as well. After changing to it, I fitted a 9 inch Kenlowe fan with an adjustable thermostat.

I mounted the fan to one side of the rad, so that another could be fitted alongside, if needed. Not needed so far. Approx ?90.

Fan mounts on the rad, so no brackets required.

Regards,
Stuart.

[twincamman]

I looked at that system of attatching a fan to the rad but felt it blocked too much of the flow ---this allows air around the fan when its not on --mine runs off a switch on the dash and is only on when in stop and go traffic -ed

[cliveyboy]

Hi Ian
I am just doing the same as you, fitting the wider radiator.
I am currently using a Pacet Fan (from Burton Power) on my small rad and will transfer it onto the wider one.
The pacet fan does the job very well its the small rad that is the problem.
(I disagree with the argument that it will block too much airflow).
You can buy new original type fan motors but last time I looked they were very expensive.
If you want pics or more advice email me.

Clive

[Dave-M]

The Fan motor on the standard assembly is nothing more than a Smiths Heater motor as fitted to countless cars of the era. If you want to use the standard set up I have a Fan/motor assembly. Send me a PM if you are interested.
Regards
Dave

[tdafforn]

Anyone fitted a fan from another car?
Seems it would be a lot cheaper to rip one off a modern Eurobox.
(I have a new aluminium Audi radiator ready to go in to my elan that cost me 10 quid on ebay!)
tim

[cliveyboy]

Tim
What about using the Audi fan and mountings?

Clive

[ElliottN]

Unless you're after authenticity there are a lot of modern options, ducted (shrouded), fittings to push or pull air, etc. - and vastly more compact profile wise, simpler and more efficient than the original equipment.

For example look at

http://www.daviescraig.com.au/main/display.asp?pid=11

OK I am Australian and they are an Aust company but there are comparable companies in north America and Europe and if you can't find them then these guys are represented on both continents (trawl their website for contacts).

Choosing size is precominantly about the footprint of your radiator as mostly they are fitted directly (fittings through the core) and wire in simply - thermal controllers are available or you can manually switch if you want.

Funny thing is I have an S4 with narrow radiator and NO electric fan (though I do have an 8 blade plastic fan on the pulley) and have never suffered overheating under any conditions out here - weather or traffic wise - including the occasional 38-40 deg centigrade summer day.

[tdafforn]

Would use the Audi fan, unfortunately I do not know which Audi the radiator came from!
Cheers
tim
PS is it better to have a push or pull fan?

[john.p.clegg]

Tim

Depends which side of the radiator you're going to mount it.....

John

[JKING]

About 40 years ago I installed a home made electric fan assembly in my S1. I bought a Kenlowe fan, blades only, and went down to NAPA Auto Supply and got a generic heater motor. The motor had a two speed winding so I got a two position switch and a three position switch. I also got a VW thermostatic switch which I installed in the large water hose between the head and the radiator top tank. I built up a simple four legged mounting frame out of 3/4" aluminum angle from a hardware store bolted together which held the motor/fan up about in the middle of the radiator. I bolted this to the floor of the cowl sufficiently spaced in front of the radiator to allow the front of the hood (bonnet) to clear the fan blades when open. I used the three position switch to switch between manual operation, automatic operation through the thermostat and off. The two position switch selects fast or slow operation. I have found that I rarely use the fast position.
This arrangement has worked very well throughout the forty some odd years that it has been in use. Well, I take that back. The heater motor burned out after about twenty years and I simply replaced it with another generic make.
This is probably about as cheap an installation as you can imagine.
Incidentally, I also mounted my front license plate on a swivel base so that it will lay down and not block the air flow. It is spring mounted so the air pressure pushes it out of the way easily. I have been stopped by the law for not having a front license plate but not ticketed after the officer, on closer inspection saw that here really was a plate there, it having sprung back into position while stopped. He figured he had made a mistake and hadn't seen it as he flashed by in the opposite direction.
The plate and the fan are still in operation today.
JK

[poiuyt]

I installed an electric fan from Dave Bean that mounts through the radiator with what looks like TyWraps. Comes as a kit and I ran it off the white wire from the ignition switch. This turns it on every time the car is started. I also have a cut-off switch under the dash for whsn it is not needed.

Make sure you connect it before the tach or it will affect the tachometer readings.

Steve Becker

[dlbarnes1]

In the US, a popular supplier of radiator fans is SPAL. They have a good selection of fans and accessories. www.spalusa.com
They are probably distributed in the UK as well.

Dave 72 Sprint DHC