BUGA Community
Technical => Driveline => Topic started by: Jock on December 25, 2008, 10:42:47 PM
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Hi all,
I want to fit a thermo fan in my LWB. The other day it was very hot and in the
stop start city traffic she got hot. had to pull over and let her cool down and
re-fill the radiator.
The van has a V8 engine cover which helps with the air flow around the engine
and it runs cool as long as it gets air through the radiator.
When I get stuck in traffic it starts to heat up.
Has anyone fitted a thermo fan? If so what brand and size did you use?
Cheers
Jock
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G'day
The major issue is space.
A couple of small ones without shrouds do a very good job.
Check out the threads on the old forum:
Bedford User Group - Australia > Radiators > Overheating
Bedford User Group - Australia > CF Tips and Tricks > CF overheating- issues and solutions
There is a heap of good info about the whole overheating issue.
Regards
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Chris,
I read all of those posts before I posted here. I often trawl the old buga for info ;)
The posts on there are dated - I was looking for some current info.
Has anyone got some current info on thermo fans?
Cheers
Jock
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gday, alex on this site had two small thermos in his and in hot weather at lights they werent up to it. he then fitted a commodore crossflow radiator for 100 bucks or something and problem solved. ive got a 3 core radiator in mine and it will only start getting hot in the worst of traffic.. then i just stick it in neutral and rev it at 2000 for a while and it goes back down.... take it easy..
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Thanks Westy! That's some very helpful information, I'll be looking for a new radiator I suppose...
How much was your 3 core radiator? or did you get a third core added to your original radiator?
Thanks again for the heads up.
Jock
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Jock,
I have 2 x 10" electric fans on mine, see the gallery. Had alloy strips welded into the radiator to mount them to, as the normal black fan ties are ugly, they poke through to the front.
I have a temp sensor in the top of my manifold which will turn the fans automatically (180d I think) on & off as it heats up & cools down again. They are easy to find. Flex-a-Lite is one brand that does them.
Joel
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Run a four core radiator in mine, yes I did say a four core, no problems anymore, out of v8 Holden runs the whole front of the beddie she's a big mother.
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I've just ordered a 4 core triple flow aussie desert cooler radiator for my rb30 beddy it's never got hot in the four years i've had this motor in it but it's time for a new one i'll let you know how it goes.
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I found these on ebay - do they look right? $25 each and a bit of wiring and I'll be sorted...
~BARGAIN BRAND NEW~
10" PROFLOW Electric Thermo Fan
This is the latest and one of the most powerful thermo fans on the Market!
Configured as a puller from the factory, it mounts on the inside and pulls the air through the radiator
12v High Performance Reversible Electric Cooling Fans are idea for OEM or High Performance applications
CFM Pull: 1200-1450
CFM Push: 1350-1550
Dimension: 11" x 11-1/2" x 2-1/2"
Amps (push or pull): 4.5 +-0.5 AMP
Volts: 12
(http://www.atracingworld.com/image.php?object_type=detailed&image_id=2309)
(http://www.atracingworld.com/image.php?object_type=detailed&image_id=2306)
(http://www.atracingworld.com/image.php?object_type=detailed&image_id=2308)
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I would have thought if they suck and therefore mount on the inside of your radiator you would need a fair bit of room between your fan and the radiator, and if you already have said room maybe that is your problem in heavy traffic.
Having said that I had a 34 plymouth hotrod with twin thermos only. they were the same as you have shown and mounted on the inside of the radiator but they were wired to a switch. only ever needed to turn on in the city or in heavy traffic as when moving natural airflow was sufficient to keep it cool.
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I've got a 12 volt switch all wired in ready to go so I think I will run them like you ran yours on the plymouth.
It is only ever a problem on a really hot day when I get stuck in traffic apart from that it doesn't overheat.
I will measure up tomorrow - hopefully I will have enough room for them!
Jock
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G'day
Jo
I will measure up tomorrow - hopefully I will have enough room for them between the back of the radiator and the
blades of the engine fan
Mate you will be throwing out your engine fan.
Those electric fans are cheap. I paid nearly $100 each for mine with what looks like the same motor.
When installing you will have to cut away some of the finger guard to clear the motor.
I mounted them on a frame made up from 12mm rhs that bolted to the side rails of the radiator.
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I'll take pics of the install. Thanks for the words chums - always a pleasure!
Jock
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get your indicators fixed bro?
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get your indicators fixed bro?
Yeah mate got them sorted found the flasher relay and replaced it this morning - $6.70
I was a fair way from home last night when I called you - had to indicate manually (on off on off on off on off....)
all the way home - it was actually pretty funny! :)
Jock
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thats nothing bro.. i did that for 6 months once on my yellow van.. only thing was i hooked up a gas switch on/off/on left for left indicator right for right indicator. it was mounted in one of the holes in the bottom part of the steering wheel.. (you know how some sports steering wheels have holes in them on the support arms for the actual wheel)
only thing was it was always a juggle to keep switching it as you were turing the steering wheel to the left or right.. but a ball of fun.
lol
ben
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gday jock my 3 core was 600 so not cheap! but i had no choice really. they used the same radiator frame but put a 3 core centre in it. i think it was a 2 core v8 one originally. im interested to hear if your thermos work. there was def. no room in there on mine...
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just make soms space somehow and put a v8 one in out from a wreckers.. even try getting a 4 core! heck of a lot cheaper than 600!!
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My 3 core cost me $250
took in my old radiator .......picked up a fresh 3 core
was a NATRAD store in NNSW
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Will a V8 radiator taken out of a 253 be a 2 core radiator?
If so - what would the gain be in using one of them?
Jock
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could be 2 ,or 3 core, i think ull find that the radiator hose fittings will be on the wrong sides for ur red 6cyl
u can maybe get some longer flex hoses but it might be a bit bodgey
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First in best dressed. ;D
Almost new 3 core sitting next to the V8 ex ice cream bedford van in centre road wreckers springvale (victoria). Mounting brackets need a little work
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gday jock i think mine was a 2 core from a 253 from something, maybe torana? i thought it would do the job but on a really hot day coming into adelaide it was boiling! def. suss out the commodore radiators alex got one for 100 i think... might have to make a mount. take it easy. luke
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I've seen a Bedford that had a snub nosed water pump. it just had the pulley wheel bolted on for the belt with no fan "cupping" (that big cup to extend the fan to radiator).
this gave considerable room for him to easily mount 2x10 inch thermo fans.
Which is what I'll definitely be doing! No more damn over heating!
You can get the shorter water pump/pulley wheel from Bursons.
Hope this helps!
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yeah i actually paid 35 bucks on ebay for the commodore 3 core cross flow, twas pretty much brand new, chucked on 2x 8'' thermo fans, solved all my cooling issues.
alex
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I learnt something really interesting the other day (I love learning new stuff).
This guy who races off road in a V8 cruiser had an over heating problem, ended up with 3 thermo fans and it still heated up. The solution was 1 three armed fan. (the arms are the arms that hold the motor in the middle of the fan)
He told me a formula that was a bit to complex for my little brain to remember, to work out how much resistance all the plastic arms produce, he doesn't suggest cutting some out like drag racers do as the center becomes very unstable.
He just got one large fan (was steel one) and no more over heating
A fan surround also does wonders
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Another friend with a Bedford had tried lots of thing to cure the overheating problem.
He finally used a Toyota Landcruiser radiator which is the same width, but much longer. He has no thermo fans, but replaced the stupid steel four blade fan for an plastic 8 blade fan. He used a high temp thermometer in the radiator cap and changed the resistors until he got a perfect reading on the temp gauge.
He has not had an overheating problem since, even driving and towing a fully laden box trailer to Mildura in 45 degree heat!
We both agree that the real problem is how much steel sits in front of the radiator blocking over 40% of the air getting to it. The standard bedford radiator just isn't big enough to get enough air to it.
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Ok, has anyone else done anything like this?
Once you've taken out the radiator, you'll see a steel plate with 2 oblong holes that is in front of the radiator and directly in line of the fan. This plate is 120mm high. The standard radiator is 340mm high. This means that plate is obscuring just over 1/3 of the air intake. :o This is ridiculous! At high speeds, you are only trying to cool down 2/3 of the water.
I reckon this plate is absolutely the MAIN cause of overheating problems.
I cut out a section of that plate 80mmx570mm, leaving 20mm top and bottom. This does not alter any structural points.
I've put in a commodore 3 core cross flow radiator which just fits in at 670mm width, with an 8 blade plastic fan.
No more overheating! :)
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that sounds like the go!!
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Hi Guys, Been a while!! My Bedhome has a commodare horizontal core radiator & a Mercedes Benz viscous fan cooloing the 350 Chev! Drove the old girl hard from Tassie to Mackay and didn't over heat once!! I did found that a common problem is air locks in the cooling system eg pour in x amount of water, think it's full but its not! pump the hoses like a outboard motor fuel primer bulb and the water dissapears into the system!! keep adding water and pumping the hoses until no more will go in then the system is full!! you can also get a radiator pressure fill system from Repco or Bursons which will bleed the system as you fill it!! no more air locks causing over heating!!!
Well it worked in my case!!
Cheers
Clance
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I've just ordered a 4 core triple flow aussie desert cooler radiator for my rb30 beddy it's never got hot in the four years i've had this motor in it but it's time for a new one i'll let you know how it goes.
Garry,
Do you have a part number for that radiator?
Thanks
Jock
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Just ring Norm at Aussie Desert Cooler 0394704449 or www.aussiedesertcooler.com.au (http://www.aussiedesertcooler.com.au) tell him allan from kempsey (with the Aussie desert cooler stickers all over it) sent you.Allan