All,
After an absence of 6 months, I cannot stay away from this list;
there is way too much cool information. For those "old timers" who may
remember me, my sig line is "Shane Ingate in San Diego". My old email
address was ingate@shiseis.com. For newer listers, I have a red 1974
TR6 (#CF25186UO), nicknamed "Rags". See my tiny Triumph web site at
http://www.horizon.com/ingate/triumph.html for some more irreverent info.
I thought I would write of my latest mechanical adventure with Rags,
that of replacing the mechanical cooling fan with a sucker electric fan. I
was not content with the small 12" fans marketed by the Triumph vendors, but
there is a clearance problem between the radiator and the front frame rail
(about 3.5"). So choice of a fan to mount behind the radiator is crucial.
A copy of this note, and a very comprehensive wiring diagram and
notes by Dan Masters (DANMAS@aol.com) is at
http://www.horizon.com/ingate/tr6fan.html
After much experimenting, I found that the PermaCool 16" 'standard'
fan fits perfectly. The fan is just the perfect diameter so that I could use
machine screws to mount it directly to the edge of the radiator. No need
to make complicated straps, it is a simple bolt-on installation. I would
advise NOT to use the through-the-radiator straps. These fans are heavy, and
in time, will bend the fins and the fan will sag. The fan kit is supplied with
some anti-vibrations pads, and I would suggest using them.
The only mounting problem with this fan is that the radiator has
to be removed to install or remove the fan. The 16" fan costs $81.99
from Jegs (800/345-4545), part #771-19126. This fan blows 2100 CFM and
draws 8 amps. Yeah, its a monster, guranteed to cool the hottest TR.
You can see a picture of it at http://www.jegs.com/ and then find your
way to the cooling section of the products page.
I did not want to use the cheesy thermoelectric switches often sold
with electric fan kits, as I have heard a lot of bad stories (grounding, etc)
about them. So while the radiator was out, I took it down to the local
radiator shop and had them install at the bottom of the radiator a drain
tap and a mount to which I screwed in a BMW thermoelectric switch. This
switch is designed to come on at 91C (196 F), and is pretty expensive ($25
from Napa), but what do you expect of BMW parts?
I followed a wiring diagram prepared by Dan Masters, which you can
view at http://www.horizon.com/ingate/triumphfan.html. This was quite
easy to rig up, using a small 3-position DPDT switch I found at Radio
Shack. This switch is tiny, and easy to hide - no need to drill holes in the
dashboard, I mounted it just beneath the steering wheel, on the small metal
lip behind the dash board. I am a real klutz at wiring, but this job was
easy, and afterwards, I tidied up the wiring in the engine bay with tie-wraps
and those split-hoses that you can buy just for this purpose. The whole
underhood installation looks very neat, and something you can be proud of.
After installation, I backflushed the cooling system for
30 minutes using one of those nifty kits from Pep-Boys that enable you
to hook up a household garden hose to the heater hose that runs from the block.
I dont use anti-freeze, as it never gets that cold in San Diego.
Instead, I use my own special mix of distilled water, Redline Waterwetter
and PenCool (used to be NalCool). How does it work? Rags has to sit in
traffic in at least 80F temps for 30 mins before the fan switches on. The
fan switches on at the advertized 196F (the 3/4s mark on my
temperature gauge), and in less that 60 seconds, the temperature drops to
below 180F when the thermostat closes. Thats what I call cooling!
The fan has never come on when the car is moving.
The real benefit of this mod is that under acceleration,
I dont hear the mechanical fan anymore, just that sweet sounding six
screaming up front. Ahhhh, life is good!
Thanks to Dan Masters for his help!
Shane Ingate in San Diego
1974 TR6, #CF25186UO, aka "Rags"
1972 DeTomaso Pantera, aka "Kitty"
1976 Moto Guzzi Le Mans, aka "Guzzi"
1991 Honda Civic SI, aka "Green Flash"
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