Hi all.
This might be helpful to those agonising about how to fit an electric radiator fan - I resolved to do it because my under bonnet temps are very high, with a dubious non-standard belt driven radiator fan!!
The normal fitment of such fans is bolts through the radiator fins. I couldn't do that because of multiple cores.
Behind the grill is extremely tight, there are few options to attach anything to but after much agonising, I decided to make a frame to hold the fan.
After much fettling, I managed to get the frame through the grill hole (just), lots of mucking around, but managed to get it all in place.
The frame is 25mm angle welded to 50mm plate - it is sturdy.
Will wire tomorrow.

 

I have long arms and skinny long fingers and I can just manage to get at the grills mounting points through the cars access panel in that area.
How are you possibley going to mount the gill back in place with the electric fan in the way ?

 

Seems like a lot of work for something that in my opinion is not going to help an awful lot and as Jeff has said how are you going to refit the grill? There are plastic ties specifically made to fit a fan to a radiator. They go through the fins of the radiator and hold it in place with little springs to stop the vibration as well. Only £4 on E bay.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256301790...3ABFBMrva4lYdj

 

You had to remove the radiator & shroud with the grill already in place to fit a Kenlowe. My restoration guy had the right build for the grill via the bottom hatch. Like you long slim arms & fingers but strong as an ox. But no fan in the way.

Good video ~ even covers auxiliary pump and Cass' manifold wrapping briefly.

 

Calling it an auxiliary pump is the wrong terminology. It does away with the main pump in this case.

 

Do not use those or you'll be sorry later. The barbs on the plastic ties act as nice little saws as they sit against the radiator tubes and move with the vibration of the car as it goes down the road. Sooner or later, they will wear through the tubes and you have a massive leak and need a recore. Ask me how I know...

 

Grind the barbs off where they go through the radiator core.

 

They still pick up grit and wear over time. The radiator core was never designed to be a mounting point, I prefer to mount a fan on it's own proper bracket attached to the body.
I used the fan off a Mercedes 560 SEL.

 

Understood JB. My Mercs cooling fan & surround are rigidly mounted to the body.

 

JB, Have you kept the engine driven fan? The electric one looks to be more than adequate by itself.

 

No, just the electric. It's controlled by the Megasquirt ECU, so cycles as necessary. It keeps the engine temperature nice and consistent and can move plenty of air.

The original Mercedes that I took the fan from also had a puller fan behind the radiator, I think this one was mainly to increase the performance of the AC in standing traffic, but it moves lots of air and is certainly adequate for the 3.8.

I took it partly because it was exactly the same width of the S Type's radiator, and the Mercedes of the 80's were pretty bullet proof, so I though it would be a durable fan. It was also designed as a pusher fan, which was the configuration I needed. The space behind the radiator is just so tight it's difficult to fit a fan there.

 

Ah - the fan is directly in front of the radiator - it doesn't obstruct the arm-hole opening to reach up to the grille bolts. I dont have thin hands - I wish I did!!!

 

I couldn't even get a cable tie through my radiator - has several cores. My setup was a lot of work, but seems to function.

 

Your radiator probably has a tropical core. Many staggered pipes.

 

Is that what they are called...I learn something every day! Thx Glyn

 

here's an alternative electric fan for the S type and MK-2;

sourced from the Series 3 XJ-6 and XJ-12 Series 3 cars (1980-1987).

Fits perfextly behind the grille, bolted on rubber isolators, and allows hand-room to fit grille nuts. Only catch is the Radiator and shroud must be out of the car.

Two-wire install, can be wired to ON-OFF switch, very powerful fan, lowers the XJ-6 radiator temp in minutes, and the XJ-6 runs HOT !