Radiator Fan Question

[Henry]

Hello, I'm going to attempt to run my race car without a fan blade... the clearance is too tight between the water pump pulley and aluminum radiator I'm running. Was wondering if I'm making a mistake? I read somewhere that the fan does nothing over 30 mph, but was wondering if anyone had a real world experience on running a race car without a fan (side mounted radiator)? Thanks

[graham in aus]

If it was a road car, I'd say just mount an electric fan inside the wing, sucking through.

But a race car....... I'd be suprised if you could get away with it, they run on the edge at the best of times! Have you increased the volume of water much? The aluminium rad might help a bit, does it also hold more water?

Might pay to duct cold air from the front...

Good luck.

[Broadspeed]

Hello, I'm going to attempt to run my race car without a fan blade... the clearance is too tight between the water pump pulley and aluminum radiator I'm running. Was wondering if I'm making a mistake? I read somewhere that the fan does nothing over 30 mph, but was wondering if anyone had a real world experience on running a race car without a fan (side mounted radiator)? Thanks

Yes Henry, you are making a mistake. You will need a engine driven fan on a racer with a side mounted rad.
The best fan according to my friends in the cooling dept at Jag/landrover is the 11 blade plastic as the blades are very good at shifting the air and dont take so much horsepower to drive.
Some guys use an extra heater matrix as well.
I tried an electric unit but could not get it to work on my racer.

[steady eddie]

Hello, I'm going to attempt to run my race car without a fan blade... the clearance is too tight between the water pump pulley and aluminum radiator I'm running. Was wondering if I'm making a mistake? I read somewhere that the fan does nothing over 30 mph, but was wondering if anyone had a real world experience on running a race car without a fan (side .

Forget these notions, we have tried all the tricks and have yet to see it run at less than 90 degrees in a race in cool weather. we have Swiftune radiator, oversize heater matrix, water wetter, heater feed into top of rad, you name, still runs hot.

Where are you racing?

Regards Eddy

[Henry]

Thanks the advice guys, I have now installed a "2 blade" fan (part of an original old mini "4 blade" fan). Clearance is really tight less than 3/16" to the side of the radiator (more clearance to the fins themselves), and less than 3/16" to the lower pulley. If anything, the fan looks like it would flex in towards the pulley at RPM. A racer here in the USA that has been doing this for many years has told me the two blade should not flex. I'm in Massachusetts, and intend to run the car at Limerock park primarily.