elect. fan..push or pull

[69tr]

I am making a bracket for an electric. The instructions that came with the fan said that it could be installed in front of the fan as a pusher or behind the fan as a puller.

Does anyone know of any advantages of the placement? I don't think that I have ever seen a fan installed in front of the radiator.

The bracket that I made will work either way and I had planned to put the fan behind the radiator just because that is where I have always seen it.

The car does have the cardboard fan shroud but this won't affect the location of the fan.

Thanks again, Pete

 

[Vaark01]

Pete,

I have a fan installed in front of my radiator on my TR-3B and it works fine.

Paul

 

[TR3driver]

My opinion/observation: the fan works slightly better behind the radiator. Main advantage is at speed when the fan shouldn't be running; having it in front of the radiator will impede (to some small extent) the air flow through the radiator.

But the difference is small enough that it can probably be ignored.

FWIW, my 1970 Audi had a mechanical fan in front of the radiator. But it was strange in lots of other ways too, like having the front brakes mounted to the transaxle instead of at the wheels.

 

[Geo Hahn]

...I don't think that I have ever seen a fan installed in front of the radiator...

Possibly because it is very hard to see one when it is there. Both my TRs have pusher fans because I kept the stock fan and use the electrics as 'helpers' in traffic or climbing the mountain.

If the stock fan is gone it would seem best & simplest to fit it as a puller.

Depending which you do you may need to flip the blade over. Direction is controlled by polarity but the blades may have an air foil design that works better one way 'round.

 

[SkinnedKnuckles]

A "pusher" will move a little more air than a "puller", but I doubt you'd see any difference. It will also draw a little more current, but again, little difference.

 

[DNK]

Oldest question in the world of cars

 

[hymodyne]

I'm wondering about the plausibility of installing one in front of the rad, and leaving the pulley driven one behind.

I read this also:

https://herald-tips-tricks.wikidot.com/cooling:canley-classics-about-electric-fans

Hym

 

[Geo Hahn]

I'm wondering about the plausibility of installing one in front of the rad, and leaving the pulley driven one behind...

I've done it, which I suppose makes it feasible and plausible -- as to whether it is a good idea, that depends on why you want to do this.

For me, living with 100+ temps for months at a time and frequently driving up a 9000' mountain having both the stock (which is a tropical fan) and an electric helper made sense.

When the air temp 12" above the pavement is 125* you need to move a lot of air thru the radiator even if all aspects of your cooling system are in top shape.

It is not a cure for an engine that is overheating and there are other ways to improve cooling that can also be done.

Here's a short form version of how I attached mine:

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

Pete,

My TR6 was equipped with (dealer installed) A/C, which included a pusher fan as can be seen in this first picture. It would be turned on with the A/C switch through a relay. Living in Houston, and still having the A/C non-functional, I would occasionally have overheating concerns when stuck in traffic. I opted to use the same mounting brackets and installed a higher capacity fan, as well as a temperature controlled relay to enable it. I did not remove the original belt driven fan. The cardboard fan shroud would not fit because of the condenser, but I did add a fiberglass top plate to direct air through the radiator, instead of over it. Since then, I've never felt the car was about to overheat, and I've often heard the fan turn on and off. (I've also installed a higher capacity alternator to provide enough power for the fan, but that's another discussion.)

The original auxiliary fan is a joke.

 

[HerronScott]

Here's a short form version of how I attached mine:

Pretty neat install Geo. Which fan is that since it must be the perfect width to allow you to mount it that way on both sides?

Scott

 

[Geo Hahn]

...Which fan is that since it must be the perfect width to allow you to mount it that way on both sides?

This one, though I think there must be several 12" electrics that would fit up in a similar fashion.

I did have to slightly oval the holes in the mounts so the brackets would clear the sides of the radiator.

With the fan mounted up against the top tank it pulls air through a portion of the radiator that is missed by the stock fan which, being on the crank, is mounted low.

 

[TR3driver]

Looks to be the same Hayden that I use, although mine is mounted as a puller (in place of the stock fan). This time around, I elected to have the radiator shop add mounting tabs to the radiator frame, which seems to be working out well.

 

[hymodyne]

Great install pictures, many thanks.

I think I might try the same.

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

In case Steve was asking about the TR6, remember that the radiators between a TR6 and TR3/4 are not the same width. My TR6 radiator frame is about 17" wide while the TR3 radiator is about 13".

Another option is what was done on my TR3 before I got it. Two flat metal bars with holes drilled were bent to support the fan. Six holes were drilled on each front fender and the whole thing mounted in front of the radiator. The PO drove the car in the heat of southern Mississippi and had a toggle switch to run the optional fan. He claims it worked well and didn't interfere with the hand crank. I'll probably put it back together that way even though I need to take the radiator back to the shop to have a leak fixed.

 

[Mark Jones]

A fan used as a puller is more efficient that a pusher arrangement because the fan is drawing air through the radiator, rather than trying to push air through.

 

[simpson]

I have noticed more pep with the stock fan removed - less constant drag on the engine. Something to consider as well. I installed the e-fan as a puller. With your TR6, fan selection is important in terms of how thick it measures in order to get a decent clearance fit between the radiator and the front frame crossmember. Its been reported that the 14" fans, ones with good cfm air flow, are more than adequate to keep the system cooled, and these can be move positioned up or down along the backside of the radiator, where it gives the best crossmember clearance. A lot of guys over on 6Pack have had good luck with the Procomp fans and kits. Very good pricing compared to some of the parts house's offerings. nfi

 

[simpson]

I reread and see you already have your fan selected.