TR2/3/3A TR3A Fan recommendations wanted

[TruCraft]

I want to keep my car stock looking, but improve cooling when not moving.
The stock fan has been keeping the car cool most of the time, but the temp rises to the 200 range when sitting.
No boil over yet.
Was thinking of mounting one of these 10" fans as a pusher.
https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/10-INCH-E...sQ5fAccessories
They mount with simple plastic cable ties.
Have used a fan like this on my Opel GT AC system I built.
I was just going to use a simple toggle switch hidden under the dash.
Then when I'm stuck in 98degree traffic jams, just hit the switch.
Simple and cheap extra protection!
What do you guys think?
Lyle

 

[Don Elliott]

I installed a 12" diameter Kenlowe fan in my 1958 TR3A about 18 years ago with a simple switch hooked through a relay under the dash. It works fine. 12" is the biggest that will fit. It's up quite high so I can still use the hand crank.

 

[TruCraft]

Don, I saw your post, what you have is about what I want to do.
After some measurements I will probably go with a 10" fan so it will be easier to mount with the plastic ties and clear the hand crank hole.
I want to start it with the hand crank one of these days, for fun!
I used a relay and in-line fuse on my GT and it worked great.
All I want is a little extra air flow when I'm stuck in traffic. Clearwater, Florida traffic and summer heat is a bad mix for a marginal cooling system.

But, I do want it to be stealth....
Will let you know how it goes.
Lyle

 

[TR3driver]

Good luck finding a TR3/4 tropical fan.

If I wanted one, I'd hunt down John Nichols who at least used to run a LBC shop in Gardena, CA called simply "The Shop". He used to import the things from Australia and with all the junk he had lying around, I'll bet there are a few left hidden in the rafters.

Last time I visited him, I saw a 2-car garage that was literally packed to the rafters (except for a tiny space to walk through) with NOS Lucas parts. Also used to have a 55-gallon drum nearly full of A-type OD internal parts.

But he got booted off eBay for various irregularities, so I'd only want to deal with him on a "cash & carry" basis. Caveat Emptor.

 

[angelfj1]

Randall: do you have contact info for John?

 

[TR3driver]

Randall: do you have contact info for John?

This is the last information I have, from 2001 I think; no idea if it's still current or not:

John D. Nichols
THE SHOP,
734 West Gardena Blvd.
Gardena, CA
(310) 769-4971
uzeeus@aol.com

 

[angelfj1]

thank you

 

[TruCraft]

Ordered an electric fan and Sunpro gauge today.
My plan is to pull the bumper and grille.
Then install the pre-wired fan with the plastic clips.
Hide a toggle switch under the dash.
Install the new gauge.....
Then I should be ready for the Florida summer heat.
Lyle

 

[TruCraft]

Got my Sunpro water temp gauge installed.
Has been hot here 87 degree's!
The temp gauge shows 180-190 when moving and just a couple short stops at a light.
But, when in traffic for more than 5 minutes the gauge climbs slowly to 195-198.
Once I start moving again it drops back to 185.
<span style="text-decoration: underline">My cooling system</span>:
* Stock 4 blade fan.
* flushed and cleaned radiator & block.
* Radiator has crank hole.
* New hoses.
* Water pump good.
* Sleeved thermostat from Moss.
* Antifreeze 50-50 with water wetter.

I got my electric fan and will be installing it for added protection.
I will put it in front of the radiator, high enough not to block the crank hole.
I will use the supplied mounting hardware and a simple toggle switch I had.
Lyle

 

[vivdownunder]

The Aussie electric fan Randall mentions are Davies Craig brand, and I use the Range Rover size as a pusher. It has even thinner blades than Don's, and doesn't inhibit much natural air flow through the grille at highway speed.

If you need to use the starter handle, it's just a matter of working between the blades.

The other thing that helps is a fabricated scoop under the grille tray that brings air up into the bottom third of the radiator, that is virtually blanked off by the skirt behind the bumper. Bit of scrap ally sheet does the trick.

Viv.

 

[TruCraft]

Got the fan mounted!
It was an easy install.
I removed the front bumper and unscrewed the grille and let it hang.
The smaller 10" fan had plenty of room to fit through the opening.
Had to modify the plastic shroud a little to miss the upper tank. Now it fits tight against the fins and misses the crank hole.

Not sure were to get power from under the dash for the switch yet.
Since my drivers side horn is not working,
maybe I could use the large brown/green wire?
Lyle

 

[TruCraft]

The other thing that helps is a fabricated scoop under the grille tray that brings air up into the bottom third of the radiator, that is virtually blanked off by the skirt behind the bumper. Bit of scrap ally sheet does the trick.
Viv.

That is a good idea.
You can see from the picture, the bottom of the radiator gets very little air.
Lyle

 

[TruCraft]

Got to try out my electric fan yesterday in 90+ degree heat.
*If the car is moving the temp stays about 170-180.
*Add a couple short stops and it slowly goes to 185, then back to 175-180 when moving again.
*Long stops in traffic 190+

For my test I drove the car to normal temp 180. Then stopped in my drive parked in the sun.
The car was at idle and after a few minutes the temp slowly went up to 190, then 195....was afraid to let it go any farther!
I turned on the electric fan and the temp stopped climbing and dropped back to 190 and stayed about 190 after 2-3 minutes of running.
No water came out of the over flow tube.

Then I shut off the engine and let the car sit.
The temp gauge went to about 200 and a little coolant came out of the over flow hose.

So the 10" electric fan works!
It gives just enough extra air flow to keep the car from over heating!
It's cheap and you can install it with just removing the front grille!
Thanks for the help.
Lyle

 

[TruCraft]

Have a question about how full the radiator should be?
I have it filled so the long tank was full.
?
Lyle

 

[prb51]

Lyle,
Hot in Arizona and I use the filler neck on the 3 as an expansion tank otherwise I just lose the fluid. I fill until I can just see fluid 1/2 wat down the neck (also use the 7 lb cap).

 

[TruCraft]

Lyle,
Hot in Arizona and I use the filler neck on the 3 as an expansion tank otherwise I just lose the fluid. I fill until I can just see fluid 1/2 wat down the neck (also use the 7 lb cap).

Yep, Arizona can get hotter than us.
I was wondering what the long tank was about.
I will check my fluid level and adjust.

I have a stock 4lb cap.
Higher pressure would be better if the system can take it.
My cooling system is rebuilt so it should handle 3 extra lbs.
Will look for a 7 lb cap to try.
Thanks for the info.
Lyle

 

[TR3driver]

With the engine cold, coolant level should be about halfway down. If you add more than that, it will just get blown out the overflow when the engine gets hot.

However, I wouldn't worry too much about letting it get over 200F. With a moderate amount of antifreeze (I use roughly 30%, to provide corrosion protection) and even the 4 psi cap; it won't boil until at least 230F.

And even boiling won't necessarily harm anything, as long as you stop and let it cool before it boils dry. Just don't add a big slug of cold water to an overheated engine. If you must add water while it's overheated, make sure the engine is running (and coolant circulating), then add the water slowly so as not to provide too big a thermal shock to the cylinder head.

These are really rugged engines; I've boiled mine plenty of times (mostly when I was having cooling problems, but sometimes just because I forgot to turn the fan on) and never done any lasting damage.

 

[TR3driver]

Higher pressure would be better if the system can take it.
My cooling system is rebuilt so it should handle 3 extra lbs.
Will look for a 7 lb cap to try.

The weak spot, if any, would be the heater core. Those wide, flat tubes are inherently weak. Without it, even 15 psi shouldn't be a problem.

I've been running a 10 psi cap for a long time, but I don't think you'll find one to fit the original extra-deep filler neck. I modified a cap to fit my 3A; then had the radiator shop install a standard depth neck on the TR3 so I can use an off-the-shelf 10 psi cap. (Without the optional Smiths heater, of course.)

But I believe some TR4s had 7 psi with the extra-deep neck, so you should be able to find one of those at the usual suspects. (Eg, Moss 583-004)

 

[TruCraft]

OK, the radiator tank is now half full and the water now has a place to expand and over-flow to.
So if the stock 4lb cap doesn't un-seat and let water flow out the over-flow hose, why should I need a higher pressure cap?

My heater valve is closed, so does that mean the heater core doesn't see radiator pressure?
Lyle

 

[TruCraft]

I wouldn't worry too much about letting it get over 200F. With a moderate amount of antifreeze (I use roughly 30%, to provide corrosion protection) and even the 4 psi cap; it won't boil until at least 230F.

And even boiling won't necessarily harm anything, as long as you stop and let it cool before it boils dry. Just don't add a big slug of cold water to an overheated engine. If you must add water while it's overheated, make sure the engine is running (and coolant circulating), then add the water slowly so as not to provide too big a thermal shock to the cylinder head.

These are really rugged engines; I've boiled mine plenty of times (mostly when I was having cooling problems, but sometimes just because I forgot to turn the fan on) and never done any lasting damage.

Thanks, that is good to know, I was worried when it got close to 200.
I will keep the 4lb cap and see how it goes.
Going to be about 92 today!
Lyle