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TR2/3/3A TR3 Tropic Fan
- Thread starter croz
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PeterK
Yoda
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Here's mine https://home.myfairpoint.net/kentech0822/triumph/fans_tropicaltop.jpg also side view https://home.myfairpoint.net/kentech0822/triumph/fans_tropicalside.jpg and early TR250 and TR6 (early and late) https://home.myfairpoint.net/kentech0822/triumph/fans_tr250-6.jpg
TR3driver
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Is that different than P/N 211986, shown as fitted to early TR4A?
PeterK
Yoda
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Gee I don't have that answer. I have had a few of these fans and they have all been the same size and pitch.
toysrrus
Yoda
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Howdy Folks,
"Interesting". How much more "Significantly" does this fan keep the temps down at "Prolonged Idle" as well as sitting in "Traffic"?
I just purchased one of those "Fail Safe Thermostats" ($16.00) to help the above situation. Not installed yet.
I spoke to one of my Guru Mechanics & He "Highly Recommends" that "Long / Deep" Thermostat that Moss is selling for nearly $100.00. Whats been some exp. with you folks who have bought the $100.00 one???
Thanx, Russ
"Interesting". How much more "Significantly" does this fan keep the temps down at "Prolonged Idle" as well as sitting in "Traffic"?
I just purchased one of those "Fail Safe Thermostats" ($16.00) to help the above situation. Not installed yet.
I spoke to one of my Guru Mechanics & He "Highly Recommends" that "Long / Deep" Thermostat that Moss is selling for nearly $100.00. Whats been some exp. with you folks who have bought the $100.00 one???
Thanx, Russ
Geo Hahn
Yoda
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I have no data to offer, just anecdotal experience. It is significant. On a hot day it is the difference between a gauge creeping up and a gauge holding steady. It moves a lot of air. Must require a fraction more HP but I've got more where that came from.
As for $100 thermostats -- never looked into that. Once that sucker is wide open then I don't see how it can get much better.
I do have the bypass hose almost entirely blocked so if the $$$ are for the sleeve to block that, there may be an alternative.
OP
croz
Senior Member
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So that's what the fan looks like. Thanks to all who provided images. I'll keep a lookout for one now.
You may not think it's needed here in the Great White North but summer temperatures touring in southern BC wine country can get scorching.
Hello Russ, I had one of those 100.00 beauties fail when a solder joint sprung a leak. I keep it on the workbench as a reminder of vintage technology, 6 months later it's still half full of water.
I guess it's a one way leak. It's replacement has been working well.
You may not think it's needed here in the Great White North but summer temperatures touring in southern BC wine country can get scorching.
Hello Russ, I had one of those 100.00 beauties fail when a solder joint sprung a leak. I keep it on the workbench as a reminder of vintage technology, 6 months later it's still half full of water.
I guess it's a one way leak. It's replacement has been working well.
Geo Hahn
Yoda
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Scorching huh?
I've mentioned before the day I drove the TR3 past one of those time/temperature displays and thought 'It seems later than a quarter after one'. Then the display changed to 2:30 and I realized that the 115 I saw wasn't the time.
trglory
Jedi Trainee
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I have one of those "$100" thermostats in my '59. I bought it during the restoration before the price became outrageous. I had the radiator cleaned and pressure tested (still have the crank hole) before I put it back in the car and I elected to use a yellow TR6 fan. Before the restoration, the temp was generally good but would climb quickly when I sat in a traffic jam on a hot day. Now it works like a brand new 50 year old car. Something made the difference but I'm not sure which had the biggest impact.
Joe
Joe
toysrrus
Yoda
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TR3TR6
Jedi Warrior
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Croz;
One thing to keep in mine since your way up north. With that type of fan, driving your car on a cool or cold day will keep the engine from reaching normal operating temperature. Therefore, your heater won't be putting out any heat and you may have to use your choke to keep it idling. I take mine out every once in awhile during the winter. I installed an electric fan which never comes on when it's cold out and the heater works pretty good.
One thing to keep in mine since your way up north. With that type of fan, driving your car on a cool or cold day will keep the engine from reaching normal operating temperature. Therefore, your heater won't be putting out any heat and you may have to use your choke to keep it idling. I take mine out every once in awhile during the winter. I installed an electric fan which never comes on when it's cold out and the heater works pretty good.
vivdownunder
Jedi Warrior
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The 4 blade fan has always been inadequate in warmer climates than the UK. I recently gave a friend a spare (ex Triumph 2000 sedan) tropical fan as per pic 4 above. His TR3A now runs at normal temperature in our very hot TX like summers.
Viv
Viv
Tr3aguy
Jedi Knight
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Wow. Do they really make that much difference. I can see the pitch is steeper. It seems that there were not that many made if it was an addition to the model after shipping. So as far as judging goes, any car could have have one added by the dealer in warmer climates?? Correct.
Were they made for other model Triumphs as well?
Were they made for other model Triumphs as well?
TR3driver
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Lack of airflow is definitely the primary problem at idle, IMO. You could certainly have other problems as well, but airflow is the weak link with the stock setup at idle. With my previous 270 sweep temperature gauge, I could literally see the needle drop when the electric fan came on, and even it doesn't move all that much air.
But (again IMO) if you have problems with running hot at speeds of 30 mph or more, more fan is not likely to help.
From my discussions with an ex-dealer in the US, it seems that the "tropical fan" was never actually listed as an option for the TR3; just something that dealers in Australia discovered would fit and work. It's still not clear to me that the fans pictured are, in fact, the same fans that were installed back in the 50s. PN 211986 seems to have been introduced some time after 1960, and was the stock fan (or at least listed as an option) on several Triumph models including TR4A, early Vitesse/Sports 6, Triumph 2000 and early GT6.
As a side comment, my father's opinion is that the stock 4 blade fan tended to twist in use and lose pitch from what they were originally. It makes a certain amount of sense to me. And he claims to have solved his idle cooling problem by carefully tweaking more pitch into the 4-blade fan (making sure that all blades are bent the same, to avoid introducing vibration).
Also, there is a 6 blade Volvo fan that can supposedly be modified to work on a TR. Just redrill two holes in the right places. Bob Schaller wrote of what I assume is a different Volvo fan, that "fit perfectly" but required the fan extension to be shortened.