Dave Ashworth Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Hi One and All, I need to put a new electric cooling fan on the TR4. There seem to be a plethora of them out there these days from £12 to whatever you wish to pay. Are their any recommendations? Also, should I use a push or pull fan? The rad is aluminium. Thanks in advance for help. All the best. Dave. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 (edited) Hi Dave ~ I bought my first Kenlowe electric cooling fan for my Mini in 1966 (Sucker). It went on to be fitted to my MGA (Blower) then on to my Mini Cooper (Sucker). It never faltered. I fitted a Kenlowe fan to my 1965 'E'-type Jaguar many years ago (a 'Sucker') and it has never let me down. I would recommend fitting a manual over-ride switch as well. Personally, I have every faith in Kenlowe. The (non Kenlowe) electric cooling fan on my 1960 TR3A was originally a 'Sucker' but I repositioned it to the front of the rad. as a 'Blower' due to the fact that removing the fan from the 'Sucker' position meant a whole lot of unnecessary work. If this fan ever fails I will certainly replace it with a Kenlowe. Hope this helps? Cheers ~ Tom. Edited March 5, 2015 by Fireman049 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Revotec pull fan here. It has a neat mounting bracket too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Scrapyard, anything less than a tenner that will fit . . . . . Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ctc77965o Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Just hiliting that the big modern fans can draw many 10s of amps, make sure your fan & charging system are balanced...especially in 'traffic jam' condition where the fan is doing its work with engine at idle...how many amps do you have at idle?? I have a standard rad & standard fan, dynamo... ambient here is 32C with road temps much higher midday. I just pop the bonnet if things warm up...you can close it from the drivers seat when the traffic starts to move by just lifting 6 inches & letting go....Hasn't boiled yet.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Pacet. Draws lower amps at start up, more cubic displacement than a Kenlowe. Works perfectly. Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chilliman Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Pacet. Draws lower amps at start up, more cubic displacement than a Kenlowe. Works perfectly And I also agree with Alec, you can spend a lot of money on some of these kits, I've fitted a 10" Pacet blower which from memory was one of a pair that came off a scooby, I've also got the ally rad and it works a treat. Made up my own ally brackets - looks good and easy to do. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Hi Dave, I have a Pacet (sucker) (££££) on the 4A and an Accuspark (£) (sucker) on the 4. The Pacet looks well built and fit for purpose. The Accuspark is built and works. Scrappy fans should work well and few quids. Running current can be as high as 20amps so ensure your generator is suitable. Fit the override switch - with a warning light. The only thing I would suggest is to fit it as a sucker. There are reasons why they work better this way but I haven't the grey cells to tell you why. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 (edited) Maybe that the air flow is more or less laminar having passed through the radiator and that the motor frame doesn't get in the way of air flow when behind the radiator. Both effects marginal I expect. Mine's a sucker mainly because it's easier to get at if needs be. Edited March 6, 2015 by peejay4A Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Hi Pete, that is basically what I had lurking in my grey cell. Also when the fan is NOT running the sucker position allows unobstructed flow through the rad to keep it a little cooler under normal conditions. But again it's marginal. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike3md Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Spal blower on mine does the job. Take your pick here: http://www.spalautomotive.co.uk/product-category/axial-fans/12-volt-blowing/ Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Down Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 A common fitment for TVR race cars is a pair of motorbike fans, they tend to pull a lot more air for their size. They can be picked up for a few £s on ebay. I found a pair almost new for £12 a while back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MRG1965 Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Hi Dave, I've just recently fitted a fan to my TR4. did not like the price or look of the kits so chose to source the parts myself from the net. 12" Fan from Bad boys New metal bottom hose pipe with integrated boss from last years IWE Thermo switch from Moss IM50120 after suggestion from RogerH, works well on mine, cheers Roger. Wiring, relays and connectors from Ebay. Fitted mine as a push on the front of the radiator as it is hidden under the cardboard radiator duct. I think most are reversible (but check) and it just depend on which wire you provide power to. Mine has idled for more than an hour without issue. But it does draw 10 amps and so an alternator is recommended as my Dynamo could not cope. Do fit a relay. I've included some diagrams, if needed. Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I suspect you will get as many different answers, as there are types of fan ! FWIW mine is a Revtec, C/W "laser cut" brackets, which fitted very well. It fits on the inside of rad and is the only fan. Have not bothered with override switch (yet) as the thermostat seems to do the job well enough. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I have a tiddly kenlowe 10" on the front side of the rad (whatever that makes it ?). It didn't quite understand all the thermostat wires (loads of pretty colours - oooooohhhh) so it runs purely on a manual on/off (illuminated pull) switch (after several years of cooking race engines I drive by gauges anyway and just pop it on and off as and when necessary). It is very loud for a small fan but works well. On the basis that i didn't use the controllers, thermo etc, the kit worked out as an expensive option. (Sadly we have at least 3 Waitrose stores, but not scrapyards in Bromley) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 MIne too is Revotec with the thermostat in the bottom hose (would prefer to have it set in the top tank but that involved work on the radiator) I added a manual over-ride. The mounting brackets make for a nice fitting. It easily pulls the engine temp down when stuck in lines of traffic during the summer on M25. It needs the bottom plastic shroud relieving to clear an original starter handle dog, if you stay with that arrangement. PM me and I'll send you the photos, that also went to Moss. It draws 10 amps and I have an alternator - The 'Russian Hand Grenade' type from Racetorations. I use the wide belt still. Peter W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hpremote Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Typically, I went for cheap and ugly, 15 yrs. ago, Dave. My prompt was the car boiling in hot weather Le Mans traffic jams. Found a 12'' electric fan on a Jap car on a pile in a local scrappie, unbolted it and saved a length of the wiring. £5, thanks v. much. Initially tried it as a blower, but it looked awful, even behind a 3 grille, so I took off the mechanical fan (but retained the long extension), and made up some unsightly mounting lugs (two to the rad. stays and one to the cross-tube), switched over the wiring connections - and lo - it was a sucker. I was uneasy about introducing a sensor into the bottom hose (sealing snags? - and over complicated, I thought), so just wired the whole shebang through a relay behind the dash to a push/pull switch, plus a warning telltale light. I have stuck with a dynamo, btw. Touch wood, it's been fine since and in fact I rarely have to use the set-up. If in a jam (say in long queues up to tollbooths in France), anticipate by switching on the fan somewhat in advance of the expected temp. gauge climb... In that scenario, gauge registers higher temps, but not too far beyond the mid-mark. Hth, Tim. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Ashworth Posted March 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 Gentlemen - Start your engines. Thanks one and all for help and guidance. Alec, your sound advice is the same as you gave me for the same question three years ago. 10 out of 10 for consistency. Pete, Peejay, A photo of your neat brackets would be a bonus. I'll send you my email address. Thanks one and all for advice on amps, which I would not have considered, being frightened to death of anything to do with electrikery. I recall Roger's sage words some years ago about electrikery failing to work once all the smoke escapes from the wires, leaving one befuddled. Mark, thanks for the diagrams, very helpful. I am now fully clued up, THANK YOU! I'll get a chrome one... Dave I like that out of the box thinking on motorbike fans. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 Dave, my views tend to evolve with experience, we all keep learning, but I haven't come across any good reason to dissuade me from the economy view when it comes to fans. Especially as some of the more expensive versions for classics deserve the Gerald Ratner summary . . . . . The difference between a blower and a sucker is rather more than marginal, depending on operating circumstance anything from 15% to 30+% . . . . . only a politician who has just lost an election would call that a marginal difference . . . . . his winning opponent would, of course, call it a landslide margin . . . . . Assuming a decent width of radiator, the likelihood is that a brace of smaller fans will cool more efficiently than one big thumper, and again by a significant margin. Back in my motor factoring days, 20 years ago, I ran a few tests on the then current fans - we stocked several brands. Pacet drew less amps than their competitors, but OE Valeo fans used an awful lot less current - again the scrapyard, they're on most French cars and a lot more besides. Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 Email sent Dave. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Cochrane Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 +1 with Alec on this one. I've run a large Vauxhall blower fan on my GT6 for the last 20 years. It cost me the princely sum of £2 from my local friendly scrapyard. It's rarely called into action since I'm also running an electric water pump. The thermostatic switch is.a second hand Kenlowe unit which switches the fan on at half speed via a ballast resistor. The full speed switch was sourced from the same scrapyard as the fan if memory serves me correctly. Cheers Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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