COOLING FAN

B

Barry Cox

New Member
Hi folks - having just removed the cooling fan inorder to gain access to remove the alternator I realised just how heavy that lump of metal is - is anyone aware of a replacement nylon fan (did later models have them?) or one from another type of car that would fit? It's part of my new year's resolution to loose weight!! :D
 
Mine's to stop smoking, it wears the tires out too fast!
Hope you don't mind if I add to this Barry. I know almost everyone would agree that fitting a Kenlowe to a V8 makes sense but how about replacing the engine fan on a 2200? I'm thinking:
a) decrease engine warm-up time
b) decrease weight, drag
c) increase in fuel/cooling efficiency
etc...
 
Correct me if I’m wrong but the engine mounted fan turns with the engine so it's moving air around from the get-go. It would make sense that the engine would heat up more efficiently if the fan were not in the equation. Any thoughts on this?
 
The fitting of an electric fan has all of the same advantages whatever vehicle it is fitted to. In fact it could be argued that fitting to a 2000/2200 (particularly auto) is particularly beneficial as they have so little power to start with and driving that fan all the time can be a big drain. (Or should I say a bit of a drag? :D )
 
Yup - I appreciate the benefits of an electric fan but are the Kenlow units really any good - are there alternatives. If I was to fit one I would want it to be a "fit and forget" sort of fix - ie no switches on the dashboard just a heat sensor switch. I don't want it looking like a bodge job.
 
I've had Kenlowes for years and never had any problems, but I'm sure as with anything they do go wrong. They have a temp operated switch, the one in the car is a warning light to show when it is working and a manual switch to override the temp switch.
 
I removed the engine fan and fitted an electric on my 2.2TC, I used the fan from a citroen BX as it fitted in front of the rad out of the way. Bit more of a "bodge job" than you would probably want, but the important point was that it did speed warm up, and reduced engine noise, can't say I noticed the power increase though :D
The standard fan in directly coupled to the water pump, no viscous, so it spins whether the engine is hot or not. Certainly worth removing it.
 
I agree with the replacement of the fan with an electrical one. I did this on my Jag, and cured overheating problems in traffic.
I imagine with the thermostat not opening until the engine is warm, that the cooling effect of the original fan on the exterior of the engine would be minimal as far as engine warm up time. I guess someone would have to do an experiment .
All the other reasons for replacing it are good ones.I plan to salvage some kind of fan to add to my 2000TC.
Dick West
 
fitted the pacet fan to my V8, although I suspect the radiator needs replacing.

The thermostat I used from Demon Tweeks is neater than the kenlow unit and adjustable etc.


Thermostat control

Have a look, they also sell the Pacet fans of various sizes (air push or pull ) - will post and normally next day delivery
 
Any cheap way of making a thermostatic sensor ? ie any theremostat housing with a screw in sensor that fits the V8 or 4 cylinder engine? There's plenty of fan units in scrap yards but the expense seems to be in the sensor
 
Could do with some way of fitting a standard radiator temp switch to the radiator as per most modern cars. I don't think contact with the rad would be enough, they normally fit through a hole in the rad and are sealed, so the switch is directly in contact with the water.
I guess you could drill a hole in the rad and braze a fitting on, but thats going to be more expensive/trickier
 
Hi Dave,

The simplest thermo cut-off switch is two different strips of very thin metal (think of two sticks of Wriggley’s chewing gum sat one on top of the other). When cold, the current will pass through them keeping the connection. Each strip will expand with heat but different metals expand at different rates therefore the strip that expands faster will be bent by the other strip thus breaking the connection (if you see what I mean). Now, if you feel like indulging in a few hours of trial-and-error the could get the switch to work in reverse, that is to say as it bends it 'makes' a connection rather than breaks it, but to be honest, it all depends on how much fiddling you're prepared to do!
 
Addendum... it's just occurred to me that if you get hold of an old home heating system thermostat and pull it apart you may find a bi-metallic coil that you could use. The bi-metallic coil is an easy way to convert a flat cut-off switch into an expanding switch that will make a connection when a specific temperature is reached... just a thought...
 
That is how the normal radiator temp switches work, no need for trial and error, just get one from a breaker. Problem is actually fitting it into the coolant system at a point where it will sense the temperature properly.
 
Well, there you go then, simple as me! Doesn't the Kenlowe sensor just slip under the top hose?
 
The Kenlowe sensor costs more than I want to spend. I'm thinking of a modified thermostat housing or a piece of tube that fits the top hose with a threaded boss into which you can fit a cheap sensor
 
I'm sure I didn't pay £50 for the unit, so the price has gone up quite a bit.

Alternative product Thermo Switch Housing which is slightly cheaper, but only takes a fixed temperature switch.

Surely it must be possible to solder/braze this type of sensor holder into the radiator - its probably standard pipe thread so possible to get from a plumbers merchants ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top