Thread: Radiator and attachment of the fans

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My radiator has 2 electric fans on the back and a trans cooler on the front. All 3 have been attached with those plastic deals that go through the radiator. This looks cheesy and I dont like it. I want to fab brackets to hold the stuff.

My question is how close does the fans have to be to the radiator to work? I should also mention that the fans only cover about half of the radiator. Is this ok?

there is enough room for a "real fan", which is better?

I know, a lot of simple questions, but I never ask the same one twice!!!

Thanks. As allways you guys are very helpful.

-M

Im not sure, but i think it has more to do with how much air gets moved throught the radiator, so i dont think it would matter that much if you had a little gap, although you should be concerned with the area size, if airflow is only through 40% of the area, then your only cooling that much, if you made a shroud that covered the whole thing that would improve cooling, but im sure others know way more than me, they will help more

Your best bet would be to keep the fans and build a shroud to house them in.This will give you full cooling coverage to the radiator.build the fans to have a max. distance of 2" from the blade to the radiator surface.
Tim

There ya go ,i knew someone would have a better answer

PRRC, Thats what I'm talking about!!
Nice. Thanks for the photos.
Maybe you should just ship it to me. Ha

-M

Keep it simple, IMO a real fan is better, if you have the space. Why have all the extra baggage, noise, and electrical draw. Nice fab work on that other rad though.
Ron

You can kill two birds with one stone. Simply fab up a flat aluminum plate to go over the entire back surface of the fins and cut two appropriately sized holes in it for your two fans. It only needs to be about 3/8 or 1/2 inch off the fins. Your radiator will look cleaner and cool better.


Don


Woops, I was typing when PRRC was posting. That is absolutely the way to do it. And IMO electric fans are the only way to go. Safer (especially on a hoodless hot rod, and much more efficient.

Madddog,I'm sure you can build one yourself.
Itoldyouso.his example will work fine.really not that hard and fairly inexpensive to do.You already have the fans so your on your way.

PRRC: Sorry I was posting same time as you. Is that a picture of a PRC radiator? They have done two for us so far, and are shipping my new one today. Looks like their workmanship.


Don

The radiator is Ron Davis.the one in the pic is a 62 impala with a LS2 conversion.

There is something I dont understand. You take the whole radiator and cover it then put 2 smaller holes in the cover plate, how does that work to cool all the fins when only the 2 holes pull the air through?

If it is only 3/8 or 1/2" off the fins, wouldnt it restrict the fins that are actually getting air flow.

In the picture there is more room between the fins and the fans, almost a plentum of sorts.

Please explain

thanks -M

Ok, here is a picture of the radiator I just got for my T. I had them leave the shroud uncut, and I will remove it and cut an appropriately sized hole in it. The reason two fans work is that even one fan doesn't cover every square inch of the core, because the core is square and the fan is round. The air will still draw through the core regardless of the fans pattern. Kind of like a funnel effect.

In fact, the radiator I have had built for my '39 Dodge is an aluminum racing fan, and there are also two rubber flaps in the shroud to let air escape as you are going down the road with air pushing against the radiator.


Don

Thanks Don. I can do that. If it doesnt work I'm gonna say Itoldyouso toldmeso.

Can you tell me more about the rubber flaps? maybe a pic or two? I like that idea as well.

I SURE LIKE THE HELP FROM ALL OF YOU !! I cant imagine doing it without it. It use to be that it took months or years to develop a network of like minded people to bounce ideas off of and learn from.

Thanks -M

Originally Posted by maddddog

Thanks Don. I can do that. If it doesnt work I'm gonna say Itoldyouso toldmeso.

Can you tell me more about the rubber flaps? maybe a pic or two? I like that idea as well.

IThanks -M

Sure, I'd be happy to snap a couple of pictures this weekend. I think the reason they do this is to allow more air to pass through the radiator when you are going down the highway, than would normally pass through just the circular hole where the fan mounts. These flaps evidently open at speed from the air pressure, and accomplish that. I had never seen it done this way until that particular radiator arrived, and have never seen anyone else do this, but I'm sure others do.

Whether it really helps or not, who knows?


Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Sure, I'd be happy to snap a couple of pictures this weekend. I think the reason they do this is to allow more air to pass through the radiator when you are going down the highway, than would normally pass through just the circular hole where the fan mounts. These flaps evidently open at speed from the air pressure, and accomplish that. I had never seen it done this way until that particular radiator arrived, and have never seen anyone else do this, but I'm sure others do.

Whether it really helps or not, who knows?


Don

Here is the spall with dual 11" fans that uses the flappers that maybe hard to see but it is great at freeway speed when it gets more air through rather then the restriction of the housing for the rad. fan.


they are rows of them top and bottom Ed ke6bnl