Make sure there is a shroud around the electric fan and that it is
mounted flush onto the radiator. Otherwise the air (at least a fair
proportion of it) will blow around the fan, not through the radiator.
A good electric fan has *no* negative effects as far as I am concerned!
As for replacement radiators - do you have the crossflow or downflow?
If you have the downflow, try the crossflow - it will probably be sufficient
in combination with the electric fan.
If you already have the crossflow, you can get it rebuilt with an extra
core. It will fit happily.
Next step is to use a Suzuki Swift radiator. It is *much* more efficient
than the old BMC ones. It also has an integral electric fan and is small
enough to fit in the right place. It is actually a little skinnier than the
sprite radiator so you need little tabs (make them yourself out of 25mm
x umm alloy flat bar). to mount it. It is efficient enough for full race
motors
and is a *lot* cheaper than the allow race radiators! A$50 from a wrecker's
yard.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: Evangelos G. Makris <emakris@hol.gr>
To: spridgets@autox.team.net <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Saturday, December 05, 1998 1:05 PM
Subject: electric fan
>In my endeavour to improve the cooling in my Sprite
>(downflow rad, 1275cc) I'd like to know this:
>
>If there is an electric fan right in front of the rad wouldn't that
>impede the flow of air to the rad (when fan is stopped), therefore
>making matters worse?
>
>After having flushed the rad, replaced the thermostat with a 74C,
>put in new elbow, water pump and gaskets, new hoses, etc. I still
>get 90-100 C while in sluggish traffic.
>
>I think the solution may be to find or custom make a larger core
>radiator. However I don't know if it will fit there between
>the two fans (engine and electric). Maybe the electric one will have
>to go. Has anyone tried any of this?
>
>In the book "How to power tune.." there is a mention to an all
>aluminium rad, made in the USA. Is this a better cooling aid or
>just lighter?
>
>Thank you
>Regards
>Evangelos
>
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