1800E Electric fan
 

Hi all, am considering installing an electric fan on my 1970 1800E. Am going to call a company called Revotec, which advertises in Classic and Sportscar, but before being baffled by the experts, I'd really appreciate any wisdom members can pass on. Thanks very much!

Hi.
I fitted a Revotec fan to my 1800E.
Went with their high power 11" - 240mm blowing fan, mounted in front of the radiator using the universal fan brackets.
Didn't use their recommended fan controller utilising the bottom hose, instead bought the threaded fitting controller EPC M22 x 1.5mm external threat + EFC M22 brass boss, braised the boss onto the top of the radiator and fitted the controller there.
It appears to be working perfectly although the car's just been workshop run so far.
I could take some pictures if you like, going over there tomorrow.
David.

Total cost
Fan £77
Brackets £15
Threaded controller £65
Brass boss £9

sl; See my notes on ECF here: http://www.sw-em.com/Cooling_System....ic_cooling_fan

LJD; Top of Radiator is input side, and will be hot any time TStat is open and calling for cooling, so I expect your Fan to be running just about all the time...I prefer to only energize the ECF when Rad does not supply adequate cooling (hot outside air or slow roadspeed), therefore recommend placing temp sensor for ECF in bottom tank of Rad or Hose.

Cheers

exactly , so the fan will only come on when the radiator can no longer cope ..

exactly , so the fan will only come on when the radiator can no longer cope ..
however the Standard working mechanical Thermo viscous fan is best , it regulates it's self .

Thank you both for such really useful replies. Much appreciated.

Guys not so I'm afraid.
In the early 80's the vehicle had a Kenlowe fan fitted with the thermostat mounted radiator top and the fan performed perfectly, just like the one in my Dad's Chrysler Avenger in fact.
Lemur, sorry for this confusion, hopefully this'll help, these are my experiments with the Revotec templates.
Pic 001 is the 10" fan template vertically mounted, 002 is the 11" horizontal.
David.

Thanks again and no worries re conflicting ideas. All good stuff!

LJD;

The system can certainly be characterized with sensor on the hot side, and I have seen where others installers do implement it this way...I have give my considered reasoning for putting it on the output side...it seems to me that so implemented, the fan will run only when system needs additional airflow, so I expect fan will run less than with sensor on the hot side...in the end, it is up to sl's decision...

Cheers

My opinion, for what it’s worth: David (post #7) is right.

It doesn’t matter where the temperature sensing element is placed on the radiator: top, bottom, or anywhere in between. The function is the same.

That is, assuming the set point (temperature at which the fan switches on) can be adjusted. It is then simply a question of adjusting the set point according to where in the cooling circuit the sensing element is placed.

I’ve done experiments to satisfy myself that this is indeed so.

Also, plumbing or other efforts to try and get the sensing element to be inside the coolant space is a complete waste of time! The sensing element can simply sit on the outside of, for example, the top tank, so as to be in reasonably good thermal contact with the outside surface of the tank. Very simple and cheap, and easy to get at.

Thanks Simon, and very interesting re the siting of the sensor. It makes sense (pun intended) that, so long as it's getting a reading from something that gets hot as engine coolant temperature rises, then the electric fan can be set to respond appropriately. Ha! I hadn't considered that!

Revotec prefer sucking fan to blowing, however fitting in front of the rad seems easier, noting the proximity of the OE fan housing to the rad. Revotec provide a free template and the clearance for the larger fans looks pretty tight.

They supply a sensor to be spliced in the bottom hose.

Ron, thank you for the exceptionally useful link.

LJD, couple of ?? If I may. 1. Any particular reason you've gone for a blowing fan, rather than a sucker? Revotec seem to prefer the latter. 2. Using the template, I managed to get a 12incher behind the rad, but the clearance to the fan mount looks very tight. Am I deluding myself that it will fit?

Thanks !

LJD, REVOTEC seem to favour a sucking fan. Also the 12inch template seems to fit behind the rad., however the clearance to the water pump boss looks very right.

Could I solicit your comments? 😁

Hi.
When I bought the car it had the Kenlowe fan in the blowing configuration and that worked fine so I just continued with that set up.
I do recall it got hot once but that turned out to be the D Jet fuel pressure running too lean.
David.

I'm wondering about radios too, found this place.
I'll put it in your other thread.

https://www.chromelondon.com

Many thanks JDL. That's definitely the proof of the pudding. I might as well but 11 inch and avoid the hassle of having to return one that doesn't fit. They do make kits for the more "common" (😉) sports classics and seem genuinely interested in producing a P1800 kit in the future.

Just before I leave you all in peace, has anyone had any experience with Brookhouse's 5 blade viscous fan conversion?

“Just before I leave you all in peace, has anyone had any experience with Brookhouse's 5 blade viscous fan conversion?“


Apparently the ‘70-‘71 came with the 5 bladed fan and the ‘72-‘73 came with the viscous fan. ‘69 and earlier doesn’t have room for the viscous fan setup.

Do you have the 5 blade plastic fan?

Do you have overheating problems that you’re trying to mitigate, or just in accessorizing mode?

Hmm... My car's problem is that the temp rises at tickover. Cured by just increasing revs a couple of hundred. I was suspecting an ineffective new water pump installed by the shop that did the restoration.

HOWEVER, I have the 4 bladed fan, whereas you are telling me that it should be the five blader. This could be

Yes, now I recall our previous discussion. Check the parts book for exact fan for your car. Parts book will likely specify which fan by Serial number.

http://volvo1800pictures.com/documen...ed%20views.pdf

Water pump with cast impeller may solve your problem, as we previously discussed.

To me the choice between “sucking” and “blowing” is a no-brainer.

I don’t know what Revotec’s reasons are for their preference.

I suppose there will be some “spillage” of air with a “blower”. But then it can equally well be argued that, with a “sucker”, the fan will draw in some air that has come from the engine compartment without having passed through the radiator.

A major plus of a blower: ease of access. It just doesn’t make sense to me to waste all that space you have in front of the radiator.

If the “sucker” is indeed better at moving air through the radiator I cannot think that the difference it makes can be anything more than marginal.

Simon;

...my thoughts also, about that open area in front...and I don't think the Rad much cares if air is blown or sucked through...important is that bypass is minimized and Rad effectiveness is maximized, and this is quite simply accomplished with a shroud...
https://www.sw-em.com/Cooling_System...ith_Shroud.jpg
Source: https://www.sw-em.com/Cooling_System...ic_cooling_fan

Cheers

Is it possible to obtain replacement cooling tube any where?

More info needed. What tube are you seeking?

sorry, should have been more explicit. cylinder head cooling tube, B20.