8 replies to this topic

[littlejimmy]

Hi ,
I am new to Minis , can do basic bits and bobs easily on cars but specific mini spec and how certain things work I know nothing about. Always think it is worth knowing how the standard componants work before thinking about modifying or replacing.
I have not long bought a 94 Mayfair pretty much standard other than the lack of plastic engine driven cooling fan for the side mount radiator. Not been a problem as it has a manually operated electric fan fitted against the inner wing wheel side and was working ok until last week. With a powerprobe I have confirmed the fan is duff.
The fan does not look like a standard spi fan I have seen in the parts pics so could be off another car.


I assume the standard plastic fan sucks air from the inner wing threw the radiatior rather than blows through from engine side and just to be sure, if I fit another electric radiator fan against the inner wing wheel side do I need a suck through fan or blow through.
I see minispares do there own kit but spal and kenlowe are also available any preference.
Anybody used motorcycle cooling fans ?

Jim

[nicklouse]

It blows out of the inner wing.

[littlejimmy]

So the standard water pump mounted plastic fan blows through the radiator to the wing , so a new electric fan mounted wheel side of inner wing would therefore need to be a suck through item.
Correct ?

[Mini Manannán]

So the standard water pump mounted plastic fan blows through the radiator to the wing , so a new electric fan mounted wheel side of inner wing would therefore need to be a suck through item.
Correct ?

 

Correct.

[littlejimmy]

Thank you.
love the flea circus by the way

[tiger99]

If you are American, your existing fan SUCKS. So does a broken Dyson or Hoover...

 

Just couldn't resist it!

 

And yes, you have been given correct advice, the air flow is in through the grille at the front, through the radiator, and out via the wheel arch. Apparently, in the beginning a different arrangement was tried and did not work.

 

I used to have an electric fan made from the yellow/orange plastic fan from an early Fort Escort, mounted to a heater motor from some recently deceased car, possibly a Rover P4. I turned up a simple adaptor from ali. The Escort had probably 4 bolt holes, somewhat like the Mini. I got the idea from a magazine in about 1970. That fan lived on after the Mini was gone, through several more cars. Cost under £1 initially, if I remember correctly. Spark plugs were 25p then, and a Mini bonnet £8.50. Those were the days, or perhaps not, as we now know how to fix Minis properly, but in those days many were badly bodged. If you get a good electric fan, it may last you a long time too. You can fit a standard Mini plastic fan when you sell the car, and keep the electric fan for the next one, maybe with some new brackets. They are slightly expensive, but worth it.

[Tamworthbay]

There are loads of kits in ebay, genuine Kenlow, or various copies. Most have a reversible fan so can be used as either. But I would just take a nose around your local scrappy as there be fans by the bucket load and they should only cost you a couple of quid.

[Joe555]

mine has a Metro fan and I have just got a spare one from ebay £12.95 free delivery. 

[Cooperman]

You would be wise to fit a belt driven fan attached to the water pump. Electric fans are not supposed to have a 100% duty cycle and a Mini needs the fan to be constantly working.

There is no advantage to just having an electric fan. An electric fan is really as an aid to prevent overheating on very powerful, and therefore hotter, engines in high ambient temperatures.

With the later MPI the front mounted radiator enabled an electric fan to be fitted, but it had to be because there was no way of driving a belt driven one. However, a front mounted rad does not require a fan on 100% of the time.