Spal question

#1

Sorry if this is a retread of other posts but I searched and could not find an adequate answer all in one place. I am pulling the A/C condenser and would like to move to a Spal fan setup. What are you guys running? One push fan in front of radiator where A/C aux fan was or pull fan in place of mechanical/clutch fan in engine bay? Any sense in running two fans? I am a pretty long way from racing but want to do things within the guidelines. Also how are you wiring up the fan(s)?
Thanks in advance for all the help.

#2

I have a puller fan located behind the radiator controlled by a switch on the dash. An automatic switch controlled by coolant temp would be nice insurance. I find I only need the fan on the grid (but I haven’t run the car in August heat yet). Can’t remember the brand/size, but I got it from Carr.

I have only forgotten to turn it on once and I caught it before the temp got too high. If I recall, Patton wasn’t so lucky.

Bottom line, if you can rig it, automatic is the way to go - especially if others will be working on and/or driving your car.

Steve D.

#3

Honestly, you should just have the fan run all of the time when the ignition is on. It’s easy to forget to turn it on (and sometimes off). And I can’t imagine that it’s going to make a sh!t’s bit of difference in terms of power drain/aero drag. It probably spins itself > 60 mph…

Mine is hot wired on a switch so that it can still run after the car is shut down (when you finish a race at Road Atlanta in August, you need it!). However, I too have forgotten to turn it both on and off, on occasion. Fortunately, nothing detrimental [yet]. I have now gotten in the habit of turning it on when I start the car, and then turning it off a few minutes after it’s been parked.

#4

TheRedBaron wrote:

Agreed. It takes a bit longer to warm the fluids up on a cold day, but probably the safest.

Geegar - What on your car ISN’T hotwired? :stuck_out_tongue:

Steve D.

#5

The windows…

Listen, the ignition switch is like “The Man.” Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do. Stop trying to keep me down… All of you with your little ignition keys are just his lemmings, waiting to walk off the cliff.

#6

I just ordered a 16" fan from Summit, and I was going to mount it as a pusher just like the aux fan so that I have maximum room in the engine compartment for messing with things on the front of the engine. I am planning on using the existing aux fan wiring which has a low and high speed keyed off the temp sensor that mounts to the radiator.

#7

I made some brackets and used the AC condensor fan mounted as a pusher. It seemed to work fine last summer, and hopefully it will this year. I control it with a switch on the dash wired through a relay under the dash.

Oh, and in Patton’s case (correct me if I remember wrong, Robert) a coolant temperature sensor wouldn’t have helped in that case. There wasn’t any coolant in the car.

John

#8

TheRedBaron wrote:

once the car is moving at any speed, a fan is doing nothing to help cool the car…if anything, it’s impeding air flow

unless you have a water pump that runs when the motor is not running (cheater), then there’s no point in leaving the fan on when the motor is off :wink:

#9

dmwhite wrote:]

Right, which is my point… (first part) Leave the fan always on: when the car’s at speed, no need to worry. When you pull in the pits, and forget to cut it on, then it’s there running already for you. Sort of a party bonus.

I’ll let Ranger argue the aerodynamic affects or defects that the fan will have on the efficient shell that is an E30. I personally think that’s splitting hairs, but I’m a bigger picture kind of guy.

dmwhite wrote:

No Volkswagen VR6’s in my stables with after run pumps to cannibalize. Shut off after 5 mins automagically… sometimes.

#10

I think I am going to go the route of a pusher where the current aux fan is located and delete the mechanical fan. My only issues with temp are when sitting and idling. Spoke to Bimmerworld and they suggested a 12" medium profile pusher which rates at 1230 CFM. I’ll go down that road and see how it pans out. Thanks to everyone for the insight.

#11

I don’t think you’ll have a problem at all. It gets really hot around the SE and if we don’t have issues, I doubt you will either.

#12

I have used this group in the past for oil cooling of Porsche’s. They had quality stuff and were good to work with. One stop shopping for all your oil cooling needs. They have a temp controlled switch I used on a car and it worked well. It was a street car so not really necessary for a race car but if you don’t like having to remember to hit your switch in the pits or on the grid and don’t mind spending $80 give it a try. Its on page 11 of the PDF. http://64.202.180.37/files/kits.pdf

Their home page is. http://www.batinc.net/mocal-central.htm

Jason