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Electric Fan ????

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George Zeck

George Zeck

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Got to thinking the other night after seeing some reference to the addition of an electric fan to my 1275.

Has anyone out there done this and what are the advantages on why I would consider it ??

They didn't seem too terribly expensive and simply was wondering if this is a highly recommended item or I'm thinking too hard (did I smell smoke ?)

I also assume I would remove the metal fan (run off the crank pulley) and fit a new belt from the crank pulley directly to the alt.

Tx-

G
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif
 
I ran an electric fan in addition to the mechanical one on my 1275. Zipping along at highway speed in the hot Georgia summer I needed the extra airflow through the rad. Fan was set on a thermotat, came on a 170. The setup worked very well, and I highly reccomenrd it.
 
The PO of my 76 Midget with a 1500 put the fan on the front of the radiator. So I have the electric that comes on at 160 as well as the original clutch fan pulling air through the radiator. Don't know if this is the most efficient design but it is the way I've seen done most often.
JC
 
I put on an electric fan, but there was no room between the radiator and pulley so I had to put it in front.

However the Hayden 10" fan doesn't fit on the front of the radiator, it is about a half inch too big to fit inside radiator support. So my fan is sitting in there tilted off the radiator a little. It makes a LOT of wind noise but it works :/
 
Some Minis also runs a 1275s like a lot of Spridgets. The electric fans help some with cooling on the transverse engined cars but aren't enough typically to do the job alone. Most people I know who have added an electric fan leave the mechanical one in place.

In the Mini world, however, what is often more successful at providing additional cooling is adding a heater core from a donor vehicle inside the engine compartment. These get plumbed into the heater takeoff on the head and routed back to the heater return line. This increases the system capacity and increases the cooling area. The downside is that the plumbing looks ugly.
 
Doug,

Do you then provide a better air intake so that the air for the carbs isn't that much more hot and thin. I've often thought about this with my B, would I get better performance if I provided a better path to "cooler" outside air?
 
I recently converted to an electric fan on my 73 Midget. I wanted to install the fan as a puller. So, to gain additional space between the radiator and water pump pulley (about an extra 2”) I swapped out my radiator shroud for one from a 1500. Worked Great!! Since the install I have only driven up and down the block. As you can see in my avatar pic the car is not quite ready for the highway (legally anyway). The new set up seems to keep the engine cool. Had it idling in the driveway for quite some time. Will know for sure in a few weeks when the car is officially “on the road”.
 
Greg,

Lots of luch with your 1973. I had one a few years back (bought it in the parking lotof a pub here in Atlanta) and after I sorted it out it was one of the sweetest little cares I have ever owned. They are a thrill to drive, and easy to park /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif. Let us know how things come along. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Radford, the setups I've seen typically place the auxiliary radiator (a.k.a. heater core) just behind the grille. In the transverse cars, our radiator is on the left, front inner wing and the fan blows out onto the left front tire. The air coming into the engine compartment is ambient temperature. The heater core may add more heat to the incoming air but it won't be anything like you deal with on an inline engine. If I were to try this on an inline car I'd probably mount the aux. radiator in a location that doesn't direct the air toward the carbs.
 
I took my mechanical fan off when I installed the electric. I would have left it on if it had a clutch but is the solid plastic thing. I think it did improve the acceleration of the car with it not having to use up all that power to move the air, but it might be in my head. Does anyone have some real data on mechanical fans power loss.
 
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