Cooling Fan

grady006 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 01:08 PM

I had trouble with my CR running hot and at the unanimous recommendations from doing a search ordered the SPAL 16" fan. My previous fan was mounted using the tie strap through the radiator set up. In the Spal instructions it recommends against this and also recommends mounting the fan spaced away from the radiator. Just wondering how everybody else has handled the mounting. I am leaning towards going the tie strap route and then upgrading to a bigger radiator and dual fans, if/when it fails.

Just looking for recommendations/experience.

undy · #2 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 01:25 PM

OEM Taurus fan, without question. It delivers almost twice the air flow than comparable aftermarket fans. Do a search for "Taurus fan". You'll get all the info you'll need.

FWB · #3 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 03:13 PM

the mounting away from the radiator would only be if you would have a shroud, otherwise the fan would pull air from the sides instead of through the core.

Wbulk · #4 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 04:03 PM

Actually Spal states in their mounting recommendations, "when mounting fans larger than 11" diameter, Spal requires a distance of 1/4" (min.) to 1/2" (max.) between the base and the shroud and the radiator surface (This protests against blade flex due to vehicle acceleration." I just bought the $10 1/4" shrod gasket that spaces it away and cushions it.

FUNFER2 · #5 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FWB

the mounting away from the radiator would only be if you would have a shroud, otherwise the fan would pull air from the sides instead of through the core.

It's ironic that you posted the photo, as I had searched for radiators/shrouds a few days ago. Yours is one of the best looking I've seen. Nice work !

Wbulk-I bought the Spal with the rubber gasket to not only bring the fan out away from the radiator, but it also seals. It has worked wonders.

CobraEd · #6 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 04:36 PM

One of the problems is that Classic Roadsters have a poor wiring harness with too small a gauge of wire. Check the voltage at your exiting fan. I bet you are only getting about 9 volts to it. Put in a fused relay directly off the battery, but switched by your current fan wires, and the fan will spin a lot faster, and there is a very good chance you will no longer have cooling problems.

.

Wbulk · #7 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 04:44 PM

I saw the gasket as an option on the back of the box my Spal fan came in. I went down to Kirkhams and looked at their cars. They use them so it made more sense then. Ya, I was swayed after seeing theirs. Who wouldn't be!

Wayne

bobcowan · #8 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 04:44 PM

A lot of this is simple math. A mustang radiater has a surface area of about 351 square inches. A 16" fan covers a surface area of about 201 square inches.

If you simply attach the fan directly to the core with nothing but a gasket, it will only pull air through about 67% of the core.

If you mount the fan to a good shroud, it will pull air through 100% of the core. It will also be slightly more efficient because of the ventouri effect.

Wbulk · #9 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 04:56 PM

Yes that is absolutely correct, but a lot of us don't have room for a shroud because our steering rack is in the way.

bobcowan · #10 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 09:02 PM

Even if you square off the bottom of a stock shroud for clearance, you'll still make a significant improvement in air flow. My car just uses a stock Mustang fiberglass shroud, trimmed to fit the space available. Seems to work pretty good. Could be better, but pretty good.

Double Venom · #11 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 09:09 PM

Do NOT use the plastic mounting straps. It is NOT IF they will vibrate through a cooling tube but WHEN.

A lot of radiators went by the way side with those including a couple of mine!
Dv

Rick Parker · #12 (**permalink**) 08-10-2010, 10:39 PM

An Aluminum radiator such as the one previously posted or the Fluidyne here will more than cool any Fire Breathing 289/302. This is how the fans were being mounted by Shelby in Las Vegas when I was redoing my car. This is a 16" Spal Fan. I agree with those advising against using the nylon tie straps but more so with an Aluminum core VS Brass as the fins are not as well attached and will ultimatey separate from the tubes due to the hanging weight of the fan, road and operational vibration, thermal expansion and heat cycling.

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xlr8or · #13 (**permalink**) 08-11-2010, 07:57 AM

I did the Taurus/Lincoln upgrade that Undy mentioned.

I was having problems with the supplied cooling fan blowing fuses in my wiring harness. Decided rather than keep putting that stress on the main harness i would go ahead and upgrade the fan and the wiring.

This setup has 3 different input options for triggering the low and high speed settings. Temp sensor in the intake will trigger the low speed, turning on the A/C will trigger the high speed and I have a manual switch on the dash to trigger the high speed.

This sucker moves some serious air. I went on run through the local mountains last weekend and after about a 7 mile, uphill, set of twisties and driving hard it sat at 195 the whole time.

The wiring harness is available for with and without A/C.. I got the basic with A/C option. it was $79
It's available from The Hollister Road Company and is designed specifically for this swap. http://www.hollisterroad.com/proddet...?prod=MarkVIII

For the fan upgrade I got some info from the Hollister site and a few others and settled on one that is from the mid 90's Cougar and Lincoln. Dorman part# 620118 It's a Dorman OE replacement part for $89 at www.rockauto.com The motorcraft version of the same part is over $300.

Install was pretty straight forward but the fan was taller than the radiator by about 1 1/2 inches. Width was perfect I trimmed the stock mounting tabs off the fan shroud and added some 1 1/2" aluminum angle to the flanges on the radiator so the shroud slides right over the top of them. Then drilled through the shroud and angle and added captive nuts and bolted the shroud down.

There was some clearance issues around the fan motor but nothing major. Just needed a bit of trimming.

Here's pic of it installed.