Latest wisdom on electric fan conversion for SII

Hello all,

looking for latest recommendations to fit electric fans to the 4.2l Coupé.
Any kit better than other? Personal experiences?
I fitted a Kenlowe to my MGB, loved it.
Would rather buy in the US than import to avoid shipping, trade tariffs wars etc… :wink:

Thank you,
E

Check out Jegs: they have a number of efans.

1 Like

Great tip, thanks.

I am thinking 2 x 10" like this to put up with California heat.
https://www.jegs.com/i/Champion-Cooling-Systems/166/CCFK10K1/10002/-1

Or 1 x 16" would be enough?
https://www.jegs.com/i/Champion-Cooling-Systems/166/CCFK16K2/10002/-1

Shroud? https://www.jegs.com/i/Flex-A-Lite/400/53626/10002/-1

Interesting pre-purchase guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=168&v=-r2JqYx6PkY

I am thinking 2 x with shroud. Need to take measurements.

Also SPAL - not cheap though. Paul

Keep us posted on your progress, I’ve been interested in putting an electric fan in my cars for a couple of reasons.

  1. See if there is any real world performance gain. there was a youtube video by engine masters that tested different fan configurations and the net result is fans do rob as much as 30% HP. IDK.
  2. The other reason is a delayed shut off to keep the engine cool after it’s shut down. this isn’t so much of an issue with the XK6 but is more so with the V12.

Something to add to the list.

We generally try to replace mechanical fans with electrical ones. On the one hand it does take power to turn a mechanical fan, on the other… they’re a great way to modify a finger.

We usually fit an in hose sensor:
http://www.revotec.com/acatalog/Electronic-Fan-Controller-Hose-Fitting.html

These are adjustable, with about 5-8 DegC Hysteresis.

If possible we fit the fan on the front side of the rad.

2 Likes

Interesting. I thought there was some logic (involving shrouds?) that generally favoured “puller” fans.

It’s mostly the electrician in me wanting to have the motor out where the air is cooler.

We don’t fit shrouds, we just use a larger fan.

2 Likes

Gentlemen,

I am at the opposite camp…
Had fitted electric fans and reverted back to the mechanical set-up, with a new Viscus Clutch and a new updated Black Fan.
It was a 16" pull e-fan taken from a French car
Some of you might remember my album on the old site:
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap_view.php3?id=1352804735
Mind you, it’s a SIII V12.

Observations:
_ I missed the gentle hum of the mechanical fan… yes I am weird I know, but the cluttery of the engine with out the fan was not very classy… and no, my engine does not make any unusual noises.
_ Cooling was fine, no problem what so ever, except that the Temp gauge was fluctuating more, up before and down after the fan kicks in. Note that I used the existing Temp Switch at the Water Pump.
_ I had to build new shroud
_The fan was drawing only 8 - 10A but at Idle with e-Fan, AC and Lights ON the 70A Alternator was really struggling, well, actually not coping…
_ No noticeable change in performance what so ever… I’m not a race driver but I like to push the car sometimes. The 30% HP loss mentioned above would be with a fixed fan and at 6.000 Rpm… i.e. if your Viscus Clutch is very kaput, otherwise it does a very good job of disengaging the fan when it’s not needed, anything above 60km/h.
_ Post Shut-down Cooling is not a real advantage as it can be achieved very easily with the existing set-up by adding the control delay scheme needed and using the Auxiliary Fan.

Regards,
Aristides

2 Likes

I am more than pleased with the E fans on my lump. Pullers, a pair, with a nice shroud. After market, a Mustang application. Son gave them to me a decade or so ago. Controlled by the GM PCM. usually off. Kick in at slow speeds and in traffic. A bit noisy, so I “hear”. but, my ears ain’t the best, so no issue to me.

Were I to do another car, I’d visit the wrecker.
some great units there,

Had I thought a bit, I might have used the ones from the donor car. Too big, so I thought, but, staggered just might have worked.

As I also run an electric water pump, I can toss a belt and limp home…

Carl

30%? wow, that seems really high. Learn something everyday I guess.
Phillip

I suspect @MLee made a typo.

I’ve heard between 7 and 30, depending on the motor, and who’s doing the talking.

I didn’t make a typo; Motor trend on demand, Engine Masters - Here’s the youtube video
Cooling Fan shootout

I would think the next step would be an electric water pump. One would have to put in a bank of capacitors in order to keep up with the power demands. :wink:

1 Like

They did, but up to can mean a lot. 30 horses would equal 22kW, that is a lot already. I think the percentage figure is a bit useless! But it is for a fan running at way too high speeds without doing that much. Didn’t they test a visco clutch and mapped these results?
Electric fan would be cool, and I’d mount it where enough space is. I believe the reason for the puller arrangement is that you can build a shroud using the whole surface of the radiator instead of just cooling a smaller area (less efficiency) without a shroud, or decreasing the natural airflow that cools the engine at speed, without the need for a fan. So puller with shroud and flaps is ideal, which is how the jags come. The benefits of electric fans are huge in any case and when mine shows the slightest crack I’m investing in an electric fan…

I kept mine in our XJ6 - similar thinking. New viscous coupling. Gets hot down here - with the big fan I don’t need an auxiliary to help the AC condenser. Paul

**
Unlearn it, Phillip…:slight_smile:

The main point of electric fans is noise abatement - they only work when needed, which is seldom. The ram air at speed basically gives the necessary cooling…

Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
**

30% of what horsepower? (link dont work)

maybe for a small engine ?

did they have a fan bank pushing 100kmph wind thru it…I bet not !

so what applies to a fixed steel fan, even more so to a VC fan

which leads to the question, why do large diesel trucks use VC fans?
(they would use electrics if even a samll amount of fuel was saved)

from accounts of those who have done it to Jags and similar size motors, (including myself), the change cannot be detected.

Electrics are less reliable (MUCH less reliable unless you buy the best)

for a racer where every tiny HP gain adds up, lap after lap, even 2HP counts

same reason I did not bother with cool air induction…~2HP gain

there is a 3200CFM monster fan that is used for conversions by USA guys…on various vehicles
Ford Taurus?..older model?..maybe

A lot of them—all our buses are— are activated by compressed air!

I fitted an E-Fan after replacing the viscous clutch for the 3rd time the horrendous screech as the clutches seized was more than enough for my nerves. Although I’m in the UK I’m sure the fan(16") that I got from Merlin Motorsports is of American manufacture it is a Tripac make & can be fitted in front or behind the Radiator by reversing the blades & polarity. I originally fitted a Revotec electronic controller but it failed after a few years & as they are relatively expensive I replaced it with a fixed thermal switch in a hose mounted housing. This works fine. Engine is a 4.2 litre.

1 Like

Sorry about the link. It looks like Motor Trend on demand pulled the video. Ugh!
Anyway, I was very suspect of their claims, but they tested a bunch of deferent style & configuration of fans with and without shrouds. it was amazing. the worst fan was the flex fan, followed by a stock steel fan, then the VC fans. I did a post on this a while back. Can’t remember why. Anyway, 30HP is significant but I’m not sure if I’d feel it in the seat of my pants. The test was done on a dyno using a 350cid 5.7l Small Block Chevrolet V8. The numbers didn’t lie.

My main reason was to be able to keep the engine cool right after shutdown.

Cheers!
Mark