MatosMiata

My stock fan was not running. A quick jump of TFD to GND on the diagnostic port revealed that my stock fan was gone. So I got on Summitracing and ordered a 12" fan to retrofit into the stock shroud. The unit I ordered is Proform Parts 67012. It costs $53.88 and flows 1200 cfm. It arrived yesterday and I installed it when I got home at night. I retrofitted it into the shroud so that it mounts like stock, pulls air through better, and doesn't damage my radiator like those push through things it comes with.

First step is to remove your stock fan.

Then, using a dremel, I cut out the supports for the stock fan motor, two were already broken for me by the neglectful previous owner.


I then lay the new fan on the shroud and marked where to cut it so that the fan sits in nice and low. I cut slots 0.85" into the shroud to sit the fan down into it. I recommend you do more for better clearance with the AC hose if you do this yourself. The completed assembly fit but was a little more difficult to install in the car due to the AC hose.


I cut the connector off and attached it onto the wires of my new fan, I heat-shrink wrapped the entire length.


I then contemplated attaching the fan using a strong plastic epoxy I have. That's when I wondered if one of the optional mounting pieces that come with the fan would work. They were to long to fit between the fan and shroud, but upon cutting one I found that the metal center is a threaded stand off and not a nut at the end of some plastic. So I placed them all on the fan while it was on the shroud and marked where to cut them. I used a cut off disk to trim them to size and I also cut down some bolts I found in the garage which matched the thread.




I then marked where to drill holes in the stock shroud and drilled them a couple sizes larger than the bolt diameter so I had room to adjust the fitment as needed.


With that done, I put in all the bolts and re-installed the fan, plugging it in like the stock unit. A quick test with the AC on reveals that it flows quite well and does not make much noise. Now to switch out the thermoswitch which doesn't work, not a surprise since the previous owner ghetto-rigged the wires onto it using glue after the fool apparently cut off the connector on the harness. . .

curly

iTrader: (25)

Not too bad, a little more work than my method of just replacing the stock motor with the slim motor. The stock shroud is some hearty plastic and holds a screw well.

RyanRaduechel

iTrader: (10)

Cool write up, although it looks pretty ghetto to me.

frankist

How long did it take you to do this?

MatosMiata

My Miata in general looks pretty ghetto rofl, bought it off a lady who bought it off her mechanic. Her mechanic, the po I refer to, is a horrible mechanic. The shroud is dirty and pictures exaggerate the look. If you saw it in person and hadn't seen my write up you wouldn't even notice it wasn't the stock fan, all you see when looking in the engine bay is the shroud.

MatosMiata

Thanks. I thought to swap the new motor in as well. Unfortunately, two of the supports were broken by the previous owner so I just cut it all out.

Came from from work around 8 pm and was done around 10:30 I believe. That included thinking through the process and figuring it all out. Two hours in daylight should be plenty.