Fan Question (1 Viewer)

[patherfinderjake]

Good Evening All,

Here is the noobie’s 1st question for the brain trust. The attached pics are the current setup on “Wilbur”, my newly acquired ‘73 piggy. Wilbur came from MA and ran consistently between 180 and 190 deg during test drive (it was 68 deg outside at that time). Here in South TX it’s 100 deg and he wants to run 195 to 203 if I stay below 50 mph and 206-209 if I run over 55 mph. This is according to the Holley Sniper EFI control panel which I believe to be accurate. Anyway, my thought is to take out the aluminum plate that the electric fan is mounted to, drill more holes in it and cut the “louvers” out to create more airflow. I work with metal, so I know how and where to drill the holes to maintain the structural integrity of the plate. I will also replace the “way too long bolts” that were used to mount the fan. Thoughts? Any opinions are welcome.

Thanks!!
Dave

 

[bobm]

Take the plate off that the fan is mounted too. You'll get a load of airflow . Take the whole thing out and dont put it back. My runs at 175° all year long

 

[J Mack]

Take the whole thing out and

Put a mechanical fan back in!

 

[scrapdaddy]

Put a mechanical fan back in

I don't know much about the difference in air flow, but I've always liked a mechanical fan. Is there a reason for the electrical fan?

 

[patherfinderjake]

Put a mechanical fan back

 

[patherfinderjake]

Wilbur has a 2F engine. The water pump shaft that the mechanical fan is typically attached to is too long with the aftermarket aluminum radiator, hence the electric fan. I think I might replace the radiator with a thinner one and get rid of the Double pulley as one is not needed. Might give me room to put the mechanical fan back on.

 

[patherfinderjake]

I don't know much about the difference in air flow, but I've always liked a mechanical fan. Is there a reason for the electrical fan?

Bought it that way.

 

[J Mack]

Might give me room to put the mechanical fan back on.

I spent a few years trying to make a variety of electric fans work on my pig and they all almost worked perfectly until they didn't, I put a mechanical fan on and it solved all my issues.

 

[Megadoomer]

Yes, I had electric fans for a bit and I am not a FAN. Ha! Anyway, in the mean time I would not cut the aluminum without putting a rubber sheet over the holes. The rubber will fold back when you are on the freeway and let more air thru. But when you are stopped it will seal the back plate and force the fun to pull thru the radiator. Otherwise, you just regurgitate the hot air in the engine bay.

This might be as easy as taking a few small squares of the rubber and attaching it with 2 rivets on the top corners. Too long of rubber will probably get into your moving bits.

 

[BloodyMGT]

Wilbur has a 2F engine. The water pump shaft that the mechanical fan is typically attached to is too long with the aftermarket aluminum radiator, hence the electric fan. I think I might replace the radiator with a thinner one and get rid of the Double pulley as one is not needed. Might give me room to put the mechanical fan back on.

On mine the harmonic balancer is the limiting factor. Without the longer water pump and spacer the fan strikes the harmonic balancer.
My stock brass radiator was so brittle it's toast. I got a four core aluminum one from Champion. I put a pusher on the front of it. No heating problems in the high country.

 

[bobm]

Got Griffon on mine with mechanical fan

 

[samc2447]

A mechanical fan will fit with that radiator. Get a shroud for it too. I forget the part number but you can get it from @cruiseroutfit he and @wngrog did some parts detective stuff a few years back in one of his 55 threads and found an offset Toyota fan that will clear.

 

[wngrog]

Your temp numbers are fine though. That’s not too hot

 

[Pighead]

I work with metal

One word. Louvers.

 

[scrapdaddy]

I'm thinking like you, not sure how different in temps, but has to be plenty of air flow....

 

[55guy]

For low speed wheeling , with a mechanical fan ,

 

[PabloCruise]

Dave, welcome.
We gotta back up here before we can tackle your technical questions - what is the story here?
Few people end up w/ a Pig by accident - how did you get yours?
And pics, we read slow, so we need lots and lots of pictures...

 

[bobm]

Ya and no more than a paragraph or two at a time . We get lost with too much talk, just start hearing BLA,BLA,BLA after 3rd paragraph .

 

[patherfinderjake]

Dave, welcome.
We gotta back up here before we can tackle your technical questions - what is the story here?
Few people end up w/ a Pig by accident - how did you get yours?
And pics, we read slow, so we need lots and lots of pictures...

Thank You. Sorry for the delayed response, been traveling. I have wanted an "Iron Pig" since the early '80's. My buddy had one that I always envied. I had a '75 FJ40 for about 5 years and it was a BEAST on the beach here in South TX, but I always longed for something larger. I've been looking seriously for a piggy for the last 5 years or so to use as a surf fishing truck. Found this one in MA, made an honest, reasonable deal, flew to MA with the cash and had it transported to TX. We have a 63 mile stretch of beach down here, the Padre Island National Seashore. One of the few beaches left you can still drive on. "Wilbur" runs great, the guy I bought it from rebuilt the 2F motor, differentials, transfer case, hubs, etc. and installed all new suspension, aluminum radiator and fuel tank, Holley Sniper EFI, the list goes on and on. "Wilbur" is a "pig in lipstick". Some bondo, body is OK, but far from my main concern. I bought him to use, not restore. I don't have a lot of pics but will upload what I can. "Wilbur" is not fond of our 100 degree South TX heat. Need to correct the cooling before traveling down the wilderness beach where there is no cell service or services of any kind, just the way I like it. Not many beaches you can camp on for 3-4 days and never see another person. I appreciate your interest and any advice. I also have all of the original parts that were replaced. Fuel tank, radiator, carb, back seat frame and who knows what else but that's for another thread.

 

[bobm]

Where in Mass?? There are 2 types of electric fans! Push and Pull! One mounts behind radiator 1 mounts in front! Check and see what you have. Get rid of that aluminum plate around fan to get more airflow! Flush the entire cooling system ( drain on drivers side of block.) Change t- stat and see how that goes! If it dont work back to mechanical! I had a 78 FJ40 with cooling issues I couldnt resolve, so I just removed t-stat in Summer to keep it from over heating