Fitting fans to radiator - Page 2

David · 28th June 2012, 05:53 PM

Bob, that's a neat fitting.
How far are they off the radiator itself?

My concern would be that if they're too far away they'll just suck air from the side rather than through the rad and if they're too close they'll rub and eventually hole the rad.

Personally I think it still needs a shroud but its a very good start.

Dimi Terleckyj · 29th June 2012, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastdruid

Bob, that's a neat fitting.
How far are they off the radiator itself?

My concern would be that if they're too far away they'll just suck air from the side rather than through the rad and if they're too close they'll rub and eventually hole the rad.

Personally I think it still needs a shroud but its a very good start.

Hi David

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

Dimi

Bob Putnam · 29th June 2012, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastdruid

Bob, that's a neat fitting.
How far are they off the radiator itself?

My concern would be that if they're too far away they'll just suck air from the side rather than through the rad and if they're too close they'll rub and eventually hole the rad.

Personally I think it still needs a shroud but its a very good start.

They are lightly up against the radiator. We use a rubber buffer along the edge of the plastic shroud to prevent the shroud from damaging the core. We've used the same method on our 427s for about 20 years without a problem.

Stephen Tonks · 4th July 2012, 05:00 AM

Hi

Please see attached photo showing how fans are fitted to bracket which is fitted to the rad.

Stephen

Keith Baker · 6th July 2012, 07:19 AM

Have a look at my build Trev. I had lugs welded on the rad top and bottom.
The fans fit flush to the rad, nothing to push through the fins.
If Tornado say it's OK use their method is my advise.

Alex · 8th July 2012, 03:03 AM

I made my own shroud

Keith Baker · 8th July 2012, 12:39 PM

To many options for the same small job
Keep it simple Trev, remember what I said about finishing before your 75th birthday.
The fans you have are the same size as mine and the car runs at 76 deg.The rad switch comes on at 90 deg ' ish ' and as yet it has not come on as it dont get hot enough.

TrevS · 9th July 2012, 06:43 AM

Hi guys, sorry haven't replied to your posts. As Keith said, the best option for me at the moment is to keep it simple and as Tornado advise simply using the plastic ties I am going to do that once the A/C rad is ready to put on. Will let you know how I get on and if I have any issues

Steve W · 14th July 2012, 12:57 PM

That does not sound 110% serviceable. if anything goes awry , you have to cut the plastic ties.

Tim Kay · 14th July 2012, 01:52 PM

Echo Randy, Dimi et al, a shroud is essential for cooling efficiently.

In my opinion and through experience, fans are not much better than steady airflow without a shroud. When I see rads without one I know that car overheats, sees very little driving, or runs in cold climates.

Dimi Terleckyj · 14th July 2012, 08:35 PM

Hi Tim

As I said before

""""You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.""""

Dimi.

Alan Watkins · 15th July 2012, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimi

""""You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.""""

Getting a bit snarky. Listening to (in this case unsolicited) advice does not create a liability to follow it..... Also, Trevor's in England; weather's a bit different there. He's been doing a superb job of building this thing. He and his car will be fine.

TrevS · 28th July 2012, 05:12 PM

Hi all

As I am waiting for some parts for my car to arrive I spent some time today looking at making a shroud that will also allow my fans to be mounted to it rather than using the plastic ties through the core of the radiator.

I made a mockup out of card which I plan to make out of aluminium. Does this look like it will do the job and any suggestions on the thickness of aluminium I should use. I was thinking of using 1.5mm 5251 H22 sheet aluminium which I've used for my chassis panelling

Dimi Terleckyj · 29th July 2012, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awatkins

Getting a bit snarky. Listening to (in this case unsolicited) advice does not create a liability to follow it..... Also, Trevor's in England; weather's a bit different there. He's been doing a superb job of building this thing. He and his car will be fine.

Alan

With all due respect Trevor put it out there asking for advice.

The advice given had more to do with the correct method of mounting the fans than the cooling issue.
Nothing more, nothing less.

Dimi

JohnMcL · 29th July 2012, 05:57 AM

Trevor,
You might consider welding only the four brackets to the rad then fixing the shroud and the fans using the same screws. That way, it is easier to clean out bugs and stuff and also do trials with and without the shroud.

Superb build.
John McL.

Ben · 30th July 2012, 12:37 AM

Please forgive my ignorance but, are people mounting the shroud with a gap between it and the radiator? I would imagine that if there were no gap, portions of the shroud would impede airflow.

Albeit more difficult to fabricate, I was thinking that a "cone" shaped shroud could possibly allow more air to be pulled through the radiator. Again, I'm profoundly ignorant.

Here's a design I pulled from Cad Tech Industries (just as an example of what I'm talking about). This led me to wonder if a manufacturer already produces something that would fit our radiators? I don't have the tools to properly bend sheets of aluminum.

Alan Watkins · 30th July 2012, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimi

With all due respect....The advice given had more to do with the correct method of mounting the fans than the cooling issue.
Nothing more, nothing less.i

Right, and your comment comparing him to a horse that won't drink was made in the context of shrouds, not mounting methods, and went conisderably beyond mere "advice" and well into personal criticism. So I think the "respect" deficit is more in Trevor's direction than mine, but thanks anyway.

Jack · 30th July 2012, 01:05 PM

Who says the shroud has to be made of aluminum?
Easy to make an FRP part, or CF if desired.

TrevS · 30th July 2012, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoey

Please forgive my ignorance but, are people mounting the shroud with a gap between it and the radiator? I would imagine that if there were no gap, portions of the shroud would impede airflow.

Albeit more difficult to fabricate, I was thinking that a "cone" shaped shroud could possibly allow more air to be pulled through the radiator. Again, I'm profoundly ignorant.

Here's a design I pulled from Cad Tech Industries (just as an example of what I'm talking about). This led me to wonder if a manufacturer already produces something that would fit our radiators? I don't have the tools to properly bend sheets of aluminum.

Hey Ben, the shroud sits flush with the radiator casing so there is around a 1mm-2mm gap between the shroud/casing and the radiators core. The plan at the moment is to cut the holes for the fans in the shroud so that the fans are recessed just inside the shroud meaning the fans are touching the core but the shroud isn't.

Also I've taken JohnMcL's comment on board and now plan to just weld on the fan brackets to the radiator casing and then use the same bolts that are holding the radiator to the chassis to hold the shroud on.

Here is a top down diagram of how it might look. Do you think this will do the job?

Keith Baker · 30th July 2012, 04:18 PM

Two brackets top and bottom as you have, bolt the two fans at the middle as the holes are there for it, gives extra rigidity.
Keep it simple Trev, keep it simple look at what I did it's solid as a rock and it works.
Easily made brackets and get someone to weld it nicely.
While your at it weld the a/c brackets on see my picture , Keep it simple Trev.