Another what cooling fan is this question?

[bj8bn2]

Drove to Monterey this weekend for the car events - lots of stop-n-go resulting in 212F on the dial at times so this is a very helpful post. Spal makes several different types of 14" pusher fans. Which is the best to get?

Do the bolt holes on the BMW fan line up on the BJ8 pump? ebay may be a better (cheaper) source than DW, although I like the DW stuff. I installed a Hayden flex fan years ago and thought I was helping the cooling situation and now to learn is was the wrong approach...:stupid:

 

[jjs64bj8]

bj8bn2

I have a spal 13" fan (30100399) pusher on order from eBay for $59 free shipping. I think a 14" might be too big. The 13" will just fit across the front of the radiator. I will post picture when I get it mounted.

I just got the BMW fan (BMW part number 11521255505) yesterday, again from eBay for $36 free shipping. The BMW fan comes ready to fit on the 2002Tii model BMW. You will have to do several things to make it work on the Healey. See photos.

1. On the back side of the fan where it will mate with the water pump, there are reinforcing plastic webs/ribs that will need to be machined a little. The ends of the ribs will interfere with the water pump mating housing. On my water pump the mating surface is a 2-1/2" square if I remember. The corners of the square will interfere. Very little plastic will have to be removed so there should be no problem with any weakening.

2. A circular strengthening plate should be fabricated to place on the front of the fan. I made mine out of 1/16" AL. The four bolt will go through the plate.

3. You will have to drill the 4 holes. Be very careful to get it on the same bolt circle as the BMW smaller holes. If not centered exactly will cause a possible balance issue.

Fan seems very well made and I am told look just like the Texas Kooler, but red!

jjs64bj8

 

[Rob Glasgow]

Yes it does look like my Texas Cooler fan. Nice touch with the hand painted X brace complete with brushmarks. Just like they did it back then.

 

[John Turney]

jjs64bj8,

You've given me an idea about how to get air flow into the passenger footwell, by going through the blanked master cylinder openings.

Thanks,

 

[RAC68]

Hi John,

Keep in mind, air sourced at the radiator bulkhead and directed to the MC opening on the passenger side will also be susceptible to the problem of hot air recirculation. As such, when powered and the car is stopped during, hot engine compartment air will be sucked into the duct as has happened with the powered cold air duct. Have you identified another air source other then at the radiator bulkhead?

Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[jjs64bj8]

Correction,

In my last post on the BMW fan I said "Be very careful to get it on the same bolt circle as the BMW..."

That is not correct, I meant to say the Healey bolt circle has to has the same center as the BMW bolt circle. The bolt circles have different diameters, thus are not the same. Sorry for any confusion.

jjs64bj8

 

[John Turney]

Hi John,

Keep in mind, air sourced at the radiator bulkhead and directed to the MC opening on the passenger side will also be susceptible to the problem of hot air recirculation. As such, when powered and the car is stopped during, hot engine compartment air will be sucked into the duct as has happened with the powered cold air duct. Have you identified another air source other then at the radiator bulkhead?

Ray (64BJ8P1)

Ray, I have aluminum baffles that go out to the grill to stop that.

 

[RAC68]

John,

Wow!!! Do you have any pictures or can you describe your baffles/arrangements?

Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[John Turney]

Ray,

I'll see what I can do.

They are on each side of the radiator. Nothing on the top or bottom. They use the radiator mounting bolts to clamp the back edge between the supports and the radiator body brackets. They come straight out about 3 1/2", then are bent to the outside and mount the front edge using the upper and lower grill mounting bolts on the outer vertical grill bars. There are cutouts at the bottom to clear the tie rod and steering idler arm and steering box arm, and the top edge follows the upper radiator bracket. The front edge is rolled so there isn't a sharp edge.

The first photo shows the rolled edge just to the right of the vertical grill bar. The second photo is looking straight down. At the height of the bottom of the grill is a triangular fold which holds the angle of the forward half and has the tab for inserting the bottom grill fastening bolt.

 

[jjs64bj8]

While waiting for the electric fan I am doing something similar to John Turney. I am fabricating extensions to the existing stock air baffles (probably missing on most Healeys) on the top and bottom to help funnel air to the radiator and at the same time help reduce the influx of hot air into the air ducts.

I will post photos when completed.

jjs64bj8

 

[dcarlg]

jjs64BJ8,
You ordered the same SPAL fan that I installed. #30100399. Low Profile, pusher 13". It fits nicely inside the air deflectors.
Does not block air flow at road speed.
My previous post that mentioned a 14" fan was in error.

 

[RAC68]

John,

Many thanks for the pictures. I really like your baffles for diminishing, if not eliminating, hot engine compartment air intrusion into the radiator's cooling air stream ... especially when the car is stopped. However, since the air duct pickups (heater, cold air, other) are outside of the channel you have created, did you do anything to seal the duct pickups from escaping engine compartment air through such gaping spaces in the radiator bulkhead as the idler or steering box openings?

I know this may sound obvious but the original cold air duct may not have been powered to eliminate the draw of hot engine compartment air as no air would be pushed into the duct when the car is stopped. On the heater side, air flow in the summer was not expected to be substantial and used primarily to defog the windshield. In the winter, any air recirculation drawn by the heater blower would not be noticed. If powering any of these ducts for summer ventilation, I would suggest designing a baffle system around the duct pickups as, Steve has done, or having the blowers turn off (preferably automatic) when the car is stopped. A summer/winter switch would also be advantageous.

Thanks again,
Ray(64BJ8P1)

 

[John Turney]

I'll be looking at those issues when I get he fan in place. I don't think the original cold air duct was unpowered to eliminate drawing hot air in when stopped, I think it was because it would be extra cost.

I insulated the cold air duct to reduce heat pickup as air flows through the engine compartment and it has worked ok for me as the driver, but the passenger side has been an issue. Shutting off the heater and trying to use the heater fan didn't work, and having a cockpit fan didn't work, so I'm going to try using the right-hand fresh air intake to a bilge blower and in through the master cylinder openings. I'll blank off the heater fan intake as it doesn't do much anyway, although a tee in the 4" tubing may be incorporated so both blowers can draw from it.

We'll see.

 

[Keoke]

I Think this fella John gettin all this duct work set up so he can install an Airconditioner.??---

 

[andrea]

While waiting for the electric fan I am doing something similar to John Turney. I am fabricating extensions to the existing stock air baffles (probably missing on most Healeys) on the top and bottom to help funnel air to the radiator and at the same time help reduce the influx of hot air into the air ducts.

I will post photos

Just to help someone want to make one -here some photos of my aluminium - sorry NO measurement, due the modification involved when the front panel are ON
also the two lateral extensions was eliminated and holes repaired with aluminum adhesive ribbon -NO way to align it to the front
https://picasaweb.google.com/112770...MayJune2011endMayJune2013#5703478864621774258
I have also added a steel bar under the oil cooling radiator (during the frame restoration)
https://picasaweb.google.com/112770...dMayJune2013?noredirect=1#5633422864109852114
https://picasaweb.google.com/112770...dMayJune2013?noredirect=1#5719497002500791490
https://picasaweb.google.com/112770...MayJune2011endMayJune2013#5784406455408410706
https://picasaweb.google.com/112770...MayJune2011endMayJune2013#5784403682459228178

https://picasaweb.google.com/112770...dMayJune2013?noredirect=1#5823629644655875522

 

[jjs64bj8]

Update

Got the BMW fan installed as well as a Spal 13" pusher fan. Photos show the installation including the thermostat to turn fan on/off and an overflow tank for radiator. Also wired a manual override for electric fan.

Have not tested things yet.

jjs64bj8

 

[andrea]

The installation appear correct, dimensions of the electric fan are the max acceptable by the radiator- well also the automatic and/or manual switching
the observation of one my friend are- that when fan go ON with the car STOPPED cool only the radiator water, BUT my consideration are that with the interior termostat open-water can circulate slowly, on principle of termosyphon also in the engine- and cooling the radiator avoid that coolant escapes thought the CAP to the expansion bottle in your case or to ground if in original conformation.
You have used a Very interesting plastic bottle (used also by J.SIMS) where you buy and costs and mark?? very difficult to find one in ITALY -BUT I have a friend in Miami

 

[RAC68]

Hi JJS,

I was wondering if you had completed the air baffle extensions you previously indicated you were working on and how they integrate with your fans? Although I question the positive added benefit the electric fan will contribute over and above your aggressive engine fan with fan shroud, I do think air directing front baffles will provide a benefit and suggest you consider adding top and bottom panels to create a closed grill to radiator passage to more efficiently pull in cool air from outside and limit, if not eliminate, any engine compartment air recirculation.

The quality of your work is obvious and appreciated,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[jjs64bj8]

Andrea,

The overflow bottle installed is from Advance Discount Auto parts, for less than $10 US. Part number MCR-3. Here is the link


https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...vehicleIdSearch=-1&searchTerm=mcr-3&showTitle=

RAC68,

attached are some photos of the added air deflectors made of AL and then powder coated in my wife's OLD oven, now in the garage. Added to extensions on each side of the radiator from top to bottom to work in conjunction with the stock air baffles, first photo. Also added top and bottom plates to hopefully reduce hot air being circulated back through the radiator. No additional holes were drilled. Top and bottom plates are easily removable if they end up not adding any value. In a few weeks car will be driven and will test in Fla heat.

 

[RAC68]

JJS,

Very nice work.

With the baffles in place and your aggressive engine fan and fan shroud, I expect your electric fan will provide little added benefit, even during a Florida summer. Consider replacing your aggressive and noisy Texas Cooler type engine fan with the original, much quieter and less aggressive, metal fan and allow the electric fan to take up any cooling slack. You will also reduce engine drag.

All the best,
Ray (64BJ8P1))