11 replies to this topic

[Gremlin]

Does anyone know of a electric (cooling) fan conversion kit to replace the original mechanical fan?

[Badboytunes]

Kenlowe do kits. What about Minispares or Mini Sport. They might do a kit.

[Badboytunes]

Here you go.......

Electric Fan Link

[Gremlin]

Thanks very much, I looked on minispares, didn't think about minisport, £130 is a bit much, I am wondering whether to get a cheap one from a scrap yard and just hard wire a switch in and turn it on when it starts to get hot, then off when it cools down

[Sam]

I made one up once from a scrap fan, and modified the cowling so the fan sat on the outside and sucked the air through.

I wouldn't rely only on a switch though as there will be a time when you will forget (or at the mot when it is left idling)

Get a radiator from an SPI as they have switches built in

Edited by Sam, 08 April 2013 - 11:40 AM.

[maccers]

Whats the advanatge of losing the fan that runs off the pulley?

[KernowCooper]

The std fan draws power all the time from the engine, the electric fan comes in only when required and keeps the engine cool in traffic better

[maccers]

Does it draw that much? I have a Kenlowe leccy fan that I installed direct onto the wing side of the rad to keep things from over heating on my 1293 draw through super charged injection. So I could do away with the mechanical one? Would not need to front mount it?

[KernowCooper]

They can rob you of 2/3bhp to drive and some more, the old saying what ever the BHP your engine your Mini produces by the time the losses in a Mini Transmissions are taken into account every 1 or 2 BHP Counts

[Dan]

This is a contentious issue. Lots of the top engine builders, and indeed all the various manufacturers throughout history, are adamant that the engine requires constant fan assistance and it makes sense. There is no incentive for air to be directed through the rad without it. Forcing air through the rad takes a lot of effort and its easier for the air coming in through the grille to simply slip to the back of the engine bay and down the bulkhead. Especially if you have an uprated rad with the denser gill pattern. The only reason BMW made all the changes to the MPi cooling system, which cost a hell of a lot, was because the side rad arrangement needs constant fan assistance. It was the fan that made the car fail the European Drive By Noise requirement. Given how important this fan is, if you are to change to an electric one then getting a used one that you know nothing about the history of, is possibly a bad idea. If you make the change remember the fan is likely to have to run a lot more than it was ever intended for, these kind of fans are not designed for continuous duty. I would say automatic switching is a must, and probably an over-ride switch on the dash too. The Kenlowe kits are designed as auxiliary fans, not as replacements. I believe the Pacet set is designed as a replacement but don't know how effective it is.

[maccers]

Yeah, I read something similar as well about the fans not designed to be on all the time. I can always turn the blower on inside the car heater to help a wee bit. I see some cars with smaller heat exchangers connected up to give just a little extra cooling.

[DannyTip]

I have both. The mechanical fan does the job most of the time, but sat in traffic the temperature starts to creep without the electric fan. Thats with a modified engine though.