TR2/3/3A New Fan For The TR3

Well, I just ripped off the front apron from the TR3. Nice when all the bolts are new with never seize on them. I took my time and it was off in about an hour and a half.

I have to change the fan, because the one that was supplied with the rack and pinion kit is just too small for the job. It's a 10" fan that can't keep things cool if the outside temps climb much above 85 deg F. I got a 12" Spal that moves 1630 cfm. It'll be a tight fit behind the radiator, but I need a bigger fan as I don't have any engine fan, the motor has a few more horsies then stock.

Will keep you guys posted. Should be done by the end of the weekend.

OK, the fan is mounted on the radiator. I had to move it up as far as possible so the fan motor would clear the frame cross brace. The mounting kit worked out really good. Much better then those plastic nails going through the radiator like the previous fan had.

Oh, and thanks to Don Elliott for his suggestion of slotting the radiator hold down screws. It made it a breeze to get those screws in there. I used a large set of forceps to get the screw in position, pushed up with with my finger, unlocked the forceps and with a screwdriver, ran the bolts into position. All of this done topside from the front. I also tapered the ends of the screws to help with the lead in.

Should be finished today.

Looks good Art!

Might as well drop an aluminum radiator in there while you're at it :wink:

What controller and what kind of temp sensor are you using to activate the fan?
Screw-in or wedge-between-the-fins type?

I have a toggle switch under the dash that I flick on if I see the temperature start to rise. In my 1958 TR3A for the area where I live and drive, I only need my fan if I stop in heavy traffic like just before a bridge or if a major highway is merging down from 2 lanes to 1 lane and it takes more than 10 minutes to do this.

OK, here's a follow up from last week, and it's not good. I got everything installed without a hitch, but then started it up. It seemed to take a long time to get up any temperature, in fact it never really did. This is without the fan running, and I don't have any engine driven fan. I only have a toggle switch to turn on the electric fan. Finally, I looked under the hood, and the engine seemed to be running hot. I didn't have the radiator cap screwed down tight, and coolant started to overflow. Shut the engine off, turned on the fan to cool things down a bit and let things sit until this weekend while I thought about what might have happened.

Today I removed the thermostat and checked that on the stove in a pot of water. Opens at about 175 deg. That's OK. Took the pot of boiling water out to the car and dipped the end of the temp gauge in and temp was lucky to get to 100 deg.

No wonder I was getting sleepy, all of the ether leaked out... :laugh:

This was a gauge that I repaired about two years ago. I guess this time I'll leave it to the pros. For now, I'll get a cheap capillary gauge from the FLAPS.

What about going electric from a TR4. I want to keep the look of the original. I just need the gauge, sender, and 10VDC voltage regulator, right??

Also, who does repairs on the capillary gauges.

Close call Art, but sounds like things will be fine. As to the TR4 gauge yes, you just need to get on a 10VDC circuit. Keep your eye out for the early TR4 dome gauges, very close look to the TR3 I doubt people would even notice.

That's too bad Art, but at least you didn't damage anything. MOMA in Albuquerque does repairs on the analog temp gauges:

MOMA
1321 Second Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone: (505) 766-6661

Art
Nisonger on Long Island does them as well as West Valley in California. West Valley did my Fuel gauge and it turned out very nice at a resonable price. I understand the pricipals of Nisonger changed hads recently and some people have had issues with it.
Hope the rest of the process goes smoother.
Gordon

Art, I run a TR4 electric sender and domed glass temp guage in the 3A, but you need a voltage stabilizer fitted to the loom as per the TR4. One of the new electronic stabilizers is best as the old bi-metal type is less reliable.

On a TR4 the fuel guage is also stabilized, and as such gives a more reliable readout, so I use that as well.

A TR4 wiring diagram will show where the stabilizer splices into the loom, and it mounts on the inside of the LH firewall near the battery box.

Regards,

Viv.