Page 1 of 1

S1 second fan on radiator

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 5:45 pm
by s333fee
hi,

as we all know these cars tend to heat up in traffic.

Have been thinking for a while that I could fit a second fan on the front radiator to run off a switch from the spare switch position in the car cockpit, which would menaI could just manually switch if off or on on traffic as the temp rises.

So before I go taking the car apart ( only to find it can't be done ) can anyone tell me if there is enough space to fit another one next to the exisitng fan,


thanks


S333FEE Support team

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 5:50 pm
by Scottd
With this weather I wouldn't worry about it overheating much :(

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 5:56 pm
by Rich H
Just wire the existing one with a manual override, no need for a second one, first one is more than sufficient just turn it on and leave it on in traffic.

If your really worried, get an uprated Ali rad, they are more efficient.

HTH
Rich

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 6:31 pm
by YvoTuk
The ali rad is more efficient because it's new. Not because it's more efficient as the matrix is exactly the same as the OE rad.

People tend to install a second fan as kind of a backup. When one fails, they can change to the other without taking off the front clamshell, rad etc.

Some people do indeed wire them up in parallel, but I don't think it's needed as the car will not overheat in a normal situation. Only if you'd be crawling for a long time, asking for some serious torque (up mountain) without revving the engine, you'd be due for a nice cooking engine. (been there done that :oops: )

Best is to keep an eye at the temperature. When you see it going up and when you hear the fan kicking in, you can increase play with the idle level (like pushing it up to 2000 - 2500 revs), that will help flushing the heat out of the engine.

Override switches for the fan are great as long as you're disciplined enough to switch it off when you start driving. When you don't switch it off and are driving on a motorway or so, you'd risk overrevving the fan. That's why I did the fan controller (basically because I DO forget :D)

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:45 am
by robin
What Yvo said ...

Robin

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:40 am
by Rich H
Every days a school day :thumbsup

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:14 pm
by s333fee
hi

the problem is the car does is in traffic every day to and from work so if there is space for a second fan this might be a good idea and it also mend i don't need to touch the wiring for the original one.

May have to do a clam off for a complete head light replacement anyway as the reflectors are not good and it would be nice to see what is ahead on the roads at night

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:09 am
by robin
You're going to have to touch the wiring for something to make any fan work.

Splicing a wire into the fan relay control circuit is about as easy as it gets.

You don't have to remove the clam to replace head lights, even when bonding in new headlight mounting brackets.

Cheers,
Robin

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:54 am
by GregR
Didn't Ed's Honda have a 2nd fan run switched on manually?

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 10:37 am
by s333fee
hi,

she does keep an eye on the temp and does increase revs to 2500 cool engine but still creeps up. she is sitting on m8 twice a day, or backroads in renfrew.

so do you think there is space for a separately wired and manually controlled fan mounted on the rad,

opinions please

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 1:30 pm
by robin
Yes, there is space - cars with a/c have two fans as standard.

But, the normal fan is more than adequate - temperature creeps up to the point where Rover think the engine should be cooled, then the fan cuts in to cool down again, repeat until bored. I really don't understand what you're hoping to achieve by installing a second fan.

If you're really saying that the current fan is failing to cool the engine without fan-nying around with revs, etc., then I think you need to check the coolant circuit for airlocks.

Cheers,
Robin