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Texas Healey Cooler Fan

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golf

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Hello out there,
I just got a Texas cooler and am fascinated with the placement of the blades around the hub.They are not evenly spaced by far.I am wondering about the balance and if anyone knows why they did it this way.Thanks,Ben
While I'm on,I hope someone can fill me in on how effective retarding the timing can be if I have an overheating problem especially at highway speed.Thanks again.
 
Balancing the thing is not a problem. However be sure that you pull the tranny/enging rearwards using the rear transmission / enging tierod accessable from under the car.

The items are #25 - #31 in the following moss diagram

https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=28886

The deal is on revs the fan blades flex toward the radiator and if they hit the radiator well -
you don't want to go there.

Timing is important in how well the motor will run and if way off could cause overheating. If you have not already done so you may consider having the radiator professionally cleaned (rodded?) while you have it out for the texas cooler install.

Also be sure to have the front radiator dam / airshroud installed. here is a link to some photos. (yes concors guy I painted black again)

https://www.wavewired.net/~tracy/airshroud/airshroud.htm

Others here can give more suggestions.
 
Hi Ben,
Tracy is right on about the cooling. The blades are spaced asymmetrically to reduce mechanical resonance of the blade pulses & reduce noise. The fan is still balanced.

Retarding the timing will cause more heating. The less efficient fuel burning will cause less combustion heat to be used for useful work & more heat to be lost through the exhaust ports. Since the exhaust ports are water jacketed, more heat will be put into the coolant.
D

[ 05-14-2004: Message edited by: Dave Russell ]</p>
 
The reasons presented above may have some validity to them, but actually the reason that the blades on the Texas Cooler are spaced the way they are is much more practical.

The blades are spaced such that the bolt heads on the fan hub can be reached with a normal length open/box wrench.

If the blades were equi-spaced, one would need a VERY long wrench to be able to install it.
 
I forgot to add that everyone can see the Texas Cooler on the North Texas AH Club web site at

www.ntahc.org Just put your cursor on the club logo, then click for all of the details.

Tim -
 
Texas had nothing to do with the design of the cooler fan it is a
properly designed fan by Haden and Dave's response about the blade spacing is spot on!
 
Thanks Keoke,
I was about to say that the "Texas Cooler" was designed & sold by Hayden as part #3602. I believe It was even originally available as NAPA #A8755.

When Hayden discontinued it, NTAHC picked it up & continues to make it & I might add, some members of NTAHC push sales at every opportunity. Must be a good money maker?

Another Healey list has be inundated with pros, cons, & sales pitches for this fan. Some of the cons may be why Hayden discontinued it. Merely speculation.

Ben,
Go here & do a search for Texas Cooler, set it for 500 returns:
https://www.team.net/archive/healeys

As far as asymmetric design, most every fan designed in the last 40 years has been made that way for the reason I stated. Accesibility to the bolts is a minor point.
D

[ 05-14-2004: Message edited by: Dave Russell ]</p>
 
Thats true dave although most use an odd number of blades which produces the same results.-Keep up the good work-Regards---Keoke
 
OK-OK... I defer to Dave and Keoke. Being "Senior Members", you must be right.

I spent a couple of college summers working in a radiator shop. Bolt head access is what they told me. I guess they were wrong.

Maybe you can help me. I've looked at a bunch of web sites, automotive, industrial, and home cooling, web sites on the Internet.

I cannot find ONE example of a non automotive, mechanically driven or electric, fan that has non-equispaced blades OR an odd number of blades.
(McMaster-Carr must have more fans that anybody else in the world).

Heck, even all of my garage and quiet computer fans have an even number of equispaced blades.

I've also been to JEGS, Summit Racing, AFCO Racing, JC Whitney, even Hayden Automotive, and I cannot find ONE example of an electric automotive fan and only 2 engine driven automotive fans (Hayden is one) with asymetricly spaced blades. I only found 1 flex fan (and no hard blade fans) that has an odd number of blades.

Maybe you two experts can find some examples for me.

I DO know that the reason the Hayden discontinued their fan P/N 3602 is because with almost the entire domestic and foreign automotive market having transitioned to electric fans, they couldn't make enough profit with the dwindling sales of the 3602 to continue manufacturing and distributing them.

Come to think of it, doesn't the Austin Healey have a fan with an even number of equispaced blades ?

Is that why they make so much noise ?

Oh wait... That fan was designed over 40 years ago.

Tim
 
Tim You Must have been looking in the wrong places ! Just raise the hood an a VOLVO and count the number of blades, Ill admit its a cold weather car and you probably missed seeing it.---GNB OH MY GOSH NO, we all run Hayden fans on our BIG HEALEY cars. The noise you hear is the wind when it goes past U :
grin.gif


[ 05-13-2004: Message edited by: Keoke ]</p>
 
I have a five-bladed plastic fan that I purchased from Denis Welch that does NOT require an adaptor plate--it bolts directly onto the hub. The Texas Kooler folks say that one is necessary in order to install their fan on a 100 at an additional expense.
 
Hi Tim,
Don't get mad. The discussions DO get lively once in a while.

I think that the need for quiet fan blade designs has mostly gone away in recent years. Only direct engine driven fans that can run at pretty high rpm, have a noise problem in the first place.

Electric drive fans don't turn fast enough to be a problem. The same with clutch drive fans. Definitely with computer fans.

Yes, some of the Healeys with fixed six blade fans DO make quite a bit of noise
smile.gif
smile.gif

D
 
Dave,

I wasn't mad, but I DID put a Texas Cooler on my head and spun it a while. I'm OK now <G>.

I used to be in that "Other" Healey Email group, but got out 'cause I didn't want to deal with all of the "Tweed Hat" Purists <G>.

Among other things, I am the web master of the NTAHC web site, so helping our club to sell the Coolers is one of my "bags".

Until recently I had a 19" engine driven flex fan AND a 18" high speed electric fan on my Healey (along with 2 radiators) to try to keep it cool.

I just installed a Cooler and found that it works at least as well as the flex and is much smaller. My electric moves more air, but it HOWLS. It does, however, give me about 10 more MPH when it comes on <G>.

Thanks for coming back. We'll be cool......

Tim
 
HI TIM & Dave, being economical I purchased a 17" electric fan from PICK & SAVE It came off of a late 80's or early 90 ish Mercedes Benz 450 SL so I took a good look at it since it realy cools a Healey down. Guess what it has 11 blades and is also asymetrically spaced .Keoke
 
Hey read PICK & SAVE AS PICK AH PART KEOKE
 
Michael Oritt said:
I have a five-bladed plastic fan that I purchased from Denis Welch that does NOT require an adaptor plate--it bolts directly onto the hub. The Texas Kooler folks say that one is necessary in order to install their fan on a 100 at an additional expense.
Click to expand...
Michael,
I have both a second gen. Texas Kooler and a DWM 5 bladed fan .... don't ask... anyway haven't decided what to use. What has been your experience with DWM 5-blade fan?
Thanks
 
HealeyPassion said:
Michael,
I have both a second gen. Texas Kooler and a DWM 5 bladed fan .... don't ask... anyway haven't decided what to use. What has been your experience with DWM 5-blade fan?
Thanks
Click to expand...
After a few years of use I threw the plastic fan away when I saw that it had taken a set and become concave. I replaced it with a five-blade metal (asymmetric) fan which is a bit noisy but works very well.
 
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