>From: Bill & Skip Pugh <anabil@caltel.com>
>Reply-To: Bill & Skip Pugh <anabil@caltel.com>
>To: triumphs@autox.team.net
>Subject: Fan or not to Fan
>Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2000 16:40:31 -0700
>
>I have ordered an electric fan for my 57 TR3A, it is my intention to
>remove the old belt driven fan. Is there a downside to this? Can I
>just simply remove it or are there parts that need to go back to hold
>things together?
>
>Any help/advice gratefully accepted.
>
>Bill Pugh
>57 TR3A
Your timing is rather convenient as I just did this to my TR4.
After years of thinking about it (and after a nasty vibration
developed in the fan assembly) I finally bought a harmonic
balancer for my TR4. This forced me to deal with replacing the
late TR4 fan with an electric model. The "stock" fan did
admirably keeping my car cool... In a way I was sad to see it go.
I bought a 13" high performance fan from my local NAPA-like parts
store. Hook-up was uneventful however while the fan would hold at
185f while running when stopped in trafffic the temp would rise
rather significantly. Considering the car would normally run
between 175-185f this was not good. I believe the plastic faring
on the fan was restricting air flow through the core of the
radiator.
I replaced the entire fan and wiring kit with a 14" Perma Cool fan
that I purchased from Summit Racing supply I had to fabricate a
frame from aluminum to hold the fan to the radiator, in a "puller"
set-up and slot the botttom mounts on the radiator to allow it to
slide forward about 1/2". Of course I had to adjust the upper
radiator support brackets as well. Wiring was simple. I used the
relay/thermostat set up from Perma-Cool. The fan draws 30 Amps,
which is handled very well by the Ford Alternator that I installed
in my `4 a number of years ago.
Now that I've written all the above let me make a recommendation
for you to try first. This will save you money in the long haul.
I presume your `3 has had it's cooling system checked out
carefully... If not flush it thoroughly. You should have the air
shroud in place and in good shape. Have the radiator cleaned and
possibly rodded out to make sure you have the most cooling
capacity. Then get a late TR4 fan installed on the stock location,
with all new bushings etc (the TR3 fan is notorious for not being
able to pull fuzz off a dandelion... I know... I had one. The
early `4's came with the same fan).
Good luck,
Greg Petrolati
Greg Petrolati Champaign, Illinois
1962 TR4 (CT4852L)
That's not a leak... My car's just marking its territory...
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