17 replies to this topic

[Cooperman]

With a side -mounted radiator the big risk with an electric fan is fan motor failure. A side mounted engine requires the fan to run 100% of the time and electric fan motors are not intended to have a 100% duty-cycle.

 

Remember, electric power is not 'free'. If a fan pushes the same amount of air through the radiator it will need similar power. That power needs to come from the engine, either from the alternator or from the water pump shaft. An electric motor might be slightly more efficient, but is it worth the risk on a road car? On a short race or hill-climb the very small power increase might save a few 1/10ths of a second, everything else being equal.

[inim_repooc]

Some really good thoughts and opinions on this topic! Personally, on a road car I think the belt driven set up is the better way to go (for side mount rads) 

 

though as above ^^ for racing it seems like it may make a measurable time difference.. - it'd be interesting to see a before and after type test from going from belt to electric... 

[tiger99]

You could of course convert to the latest setup with front mounted radiator. I assume that you would ditch the distributor to get clearance and So need at least mapped ignition, which gains efficiency too.

A front mounted radiator will not need the fan at speed and you can arrange for the alternator to charge mostly on the overrun or when idling, so the electrical load of a front mounted fan can be partly mitigated.

You can make useful gains.