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Fan, cooling and Hi

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northstar

northstar

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My first post on this website, looks great. See my post under New Members Intros for my story and a picture of where we are now.

Had our 1961 3000 for around 25 years, Drove it, parked it, started to fully restore it a few years ago, now just about to test the running chasses.

My questions, for now.
#1 I guess I'll stay away from the transmission / overdrive oil question, My mechanic and I will have to decide on 30wt non detergent or the Redline MT 90... got to love forums.

#2 What is the best location to see lots of pictures of Healey's and what is a good ref for correct colors for the year ( 1961 )

#3 Are oil coolers worth installing, do they look OK? best one?

#4 Yes it ran hot... which fan is producing the coolest engine temps in traffic?

#5 Where / when would I see the most Healeys in one place in Eastern USA or Eastern Canada?

Look forward to learning more, have a great day.
 
Welcome Andrew,
#2 One site to check out is https://austinhealey.com It is actually two sites now. The original site can be accessed by clicking on “still available”. In there you’ll find the different interior/ exterior colors for each model. The new site (click on the Healey photo from the first page) has more than 700 photos. I haven’t spent much time at the new site, it’s a little confusing for me.
 
Northstar -

I'll pass on 1, 2 and 5 but -

#3 you live in Nova Scotia. No point whatsoever for installing an oil cooler unless you intend to race the car. Save the money and effort for something else!

#4 again, you live in Nova Scotia. Under no circumstances should your car run hot. You need to check the thermostat (for you probably 180 in the summer and 195 in the winter), make sure the block is properly flushed... if that doesn't fix it you should take the radiator out and have it rodded at the local radiator shop. After you do all of this, and it still runs hot, then get back to us and then we will recommend aftermarket fans..
 
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif With Alan here, and welcome Andrew to the Forum. I wouldn't think you need an oil cooler. With the amount of oil required in an AH the engine should be fine, unless of course you plan on racing the car, as was said before.

I just recently completed a valve job on a BJ7 with only about 44K miles. Previously, with the engine out of the car I very thouroughly flushed out the block and replaced all the "freeze/core plugs". I was surprised at the quantity of "rocks" that came out of the block. Of course I then thought I was done, however while removing the cylinder head to do the valve job I found two completely blocked holes in the passages from the block to the cylinder head. My point here is if you're not planning on an engine rebuild at least do as I did and very thouroughly flush out the block and the cylinder head. After 25 years I'll bet your engine has lot's of rocks in it also.
 
I've never done it but I've heard doing a flush with diluted white vineger run for about 15 to 30 minutes in a running engine is the best flush you can do.

Anyone ever done it?
 
Item # 4, Most big Healeys run hot in traffic. The preferred solution is : 1] install a larger radiator by having the original recored with a four core serpentine core. 2] Hang the original fan on the wall as an artifact and purchase a steel flex fan from British car specialties. They are ugly as sin but move lots of air. #5 Conclave in Vermont--Fwiw--Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
Thanks guys, I now know I have found the right site.

The Rad has been done, And during the complete top to bottom engine rebuild I recall being told by the shop we sent it to, for the block to be checked and the valves reseated they commented they opened a few blocked water passages, so I expect your are correct it should now run cooler. I think I will still change the fan.

Now

I think I will replace the fuel pump, it was working but in the name of reliability I plan to replace it. Suggestions? I hear they have solid state ones now? The car is still positive ground.

As you can tell we are going black. I am torn between all black and black with a white insert. Where can I find out how many of each were built in 1961.

and finally for now, who has the best leather interiors for the money, in North America? We are just finishing the wiring, might as well do the dash now.

Have a great day.

AJ
 
Andrew -

without question the best interiors in North America for healeys are from Heritage , which is a Canadian supplier. They will supply as kits or installed. For my money's worth I would have them build the seats rather than taking unmounted kits. I installed a kit on my BJ8 and it's quite a bit of work.

The only issue is they are very very very popular and I understand wait times for an interior from them can be quite long.

I understand a former expert trimmer from Heritage has set up his own operation in Utah or Arizona or something like that, and he is just as good as Heritage with less wait time. Unfortunately I don't have his name or number...
 
HI Andrew, yes there are solid state SU fuel pumps available now. I would not be caught dead without one. Similarly, you might also want to consider the Pertronix electronic ignition. Beats those pesky poorly made after market points. Beats the originals too!. Both Items are available for use on positive ground. However, why not put the ground the right way around now.--Fwiw---Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
AJ -

There are two very good pumps to get for your Healey. If you have a NAPA in your town they are:

FACET Posi-flo Napa #610 1051 - this one si pretty cheap and will work positive or negative ground. It's a good pump and one lasted 10 years in my BJ8.

FACET Gold-flo Napa #610 1075. -this one is a better pump than the posi-flow and will keep a very good flow of fuel while still keeping the low PSI required for SUs. The only drawback with this unit is it only works for negative ground cars. I have this on my BJ8.

Good Luck!
 
Hi..does anyone you know what the purpose of the spacer is on the six blade fan from British Car Specialist? It appears to fit correctly without the spacer. I'm putting it on a 1967 AH 3000 BJ8 as we speak. Thanks, Joe
 
Not dead sure Joe T, but it may be a stffener to reduce flex in the fan"s main hub. OTOH, the 100 cars as I recall require it as a distance piece---Fwiw--Keoke
 
A word of caution for aftermarket fans that attach to water pumps:

My car had a heavy duty 6-bladed fan blade that was part of the original Factory Air-Conditioning system that prematurely wore out the water pump after a very short period. The water pump pulley wobbled after about six months of use but didn't leak.

I have been using the Texas "cooler" fan blade(no longer avaiable) plus an electric fan. The electric fan with thermostat control is the only way to go and it won't wear out your water pump. With a fan shroud, you might be able to completely eliminate the water pump fan altogether and decrease the noise level and increase your horsepower.
 
I decided the spacer must have been there for a reason, so I went and got longer bolts and installed the fan with the spacer. Everything appears OK. I'll go out for a ride this evening and road test it. About that electric fan...how did the hook up work out? Wired it to? Right now it seems that the new correct thermostat and the 6 blade fan have me at a good temp. I won't know for sure though until it gets to be a 90 degree day and traffic. Thanks for the input, Joe
 
You may also want to check your fan blade to radiator clearance too. A real hard application of the brakes can send the enigne forward enough for the fanblade to hit the radiator core. This is usually caused by a improperly ajusted(or worn out), rear trans mount bushing. This is the mount that has the two round rubber busings. I've seen three cars that this happened to in the last 30 years.

The electric fan is a fairly easy set-up. Be sure to use a relay in the system. My thermostat control is attached where the horn brace is for on the BJ8's. If was inside the car I'd probably always be adjusting it. The fan can be turned on by either AC operation(high condensor temp), or by the radiator temp. Both systems work very well in turning on the fan.
 
I just had my radiator cleaned and the fan shroud re-attached. I it lower the temp by 10 deg. I run 190 on a 90 deg day on the highway and have a stock fan and radiator. Ambient temperature is a factor. On a 70 deg day the engine runs much cooler. Stuck in the traffic jams at Conclave everyone ran hot. 220 is typical. It won't boil at 220 so I don't worry but I do get antsy. If you are drive in the south or are often stopped for more than 15 minutes in stop and go traffic, you will want better cooling. A high capacity radiator is the best route or an electric fan. You will want a 160 thermostat in Nova Scotia except for winter. Been there. Nice. Climate similar to Britain. The best setup I ran into at Conclave is a small electric fan that mounts on the cross bars in front of the radiator. Name is something like Helman. It is thermostatically controlled with a sensor that cleverly attaches to the hose.
 
A few years ago I had a local radiator shop here(Dallas) look at mine to see if it could be cleaned.(Mac's Radiator shop - Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX). It couldn't be done so at their suggestion I had them put in a new core. The new core has about 25% to 30% more cooling capacity than the original and is an automobile core and not the industrial forklift type of core that was original. With the AC on and in traffic, my temp seldom goes above 200 degrees. This is in traffic and on a normal Texas summer day. Down the highway it stays pretty much on 175 to 180 degrees. You really do want the engine to run warm and not at 170 degrees to prevent premature engine wear.

I also make sure that the coolant is a 50/50 mixture too.

Back to the electric fan: Mine is installed just in front of the condensor which nestles in the cavity in front of the radiator. The cross brace was removed to accomodate this fan. If you don't run an AC system you probably won't have to worry about the cross brace. You will want a decent sized fan to make an visual impact on the temp. I have not experimented with a aftermarket fan shroud such as the one British Car Specialist in California sells. I did take pictures of a few shroud systems that were installed on a couple of east coast AC system cars that made the 2004 Conclave in Texas. My engine temp is no problem so I haven't borrowed the fan shroud ideas from their cars.
 
Northstar: There is a solid state SU fuel pump on the market as well, it looks very much like the original (it has different color tape around the body, etc.) and retains the distinctive SU fuel pump ticking when the ignition is turned on. Pretty much a simple swap out of the original pump. I have one on my '62 because I too wanted to increase reliability. It's been working fine but it's a bit on the pricey side. Just fyi.
 
Thanks guys.

I just noticed my alignment between the gen and the water pump is out, I never changed a thing all the time we have owned the car, perhaps a different yr generator was put on this car. Different pulleys?
 
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