Race Prep Miata race-only chat.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Mounting slimline fans, FAIL and WIN methods

Old 05-26-2010, 04:15 PM
  #1  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
 
Laur3ns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Enschede, NL
Posts: 2,053
Total Cats: 12
Thumbs up Mounting slimline fans, FAIL and WIN methods

So, I am on to my second radiator as I have a leak due the way I mounted the fans.

This is what I have, just some 12" eBay fans:


During the rebuild in fall 2008, the fans were mounted using these PACET zip ties:


Over time, these zip ties loosen up a little giving the fans a little 'wiggle room'. Many track days later they have eaten through one of the water channels of the radiator...

So on to the new mounting method:


Single Alu strip on the bottom, 4 smaller strips on the top and weather sealer between radiator and rad to protect all sharp edges.

This better work.
Laur3ns is offline  
Old 05-26-2010, 04:56 PM
  #2  
Junior Member
iTrader: (7)
 
longuyen88's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Socal
Posts: 332
Total Cats: 0
Default

no shrouds?
longuyen88 is offline  
Old 05-26-2010, 04:57 PM
  #3  
Elite Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Full_Tilt_Boogie's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 5,155
Total Cats: 406
Default

cool story bro?
Full_Tilt_Boogie is offline  
Old 05-26-2010, 04:58 PM
  #4  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
 
Laur3ns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Enschede, NL
Posts: 2,053
Total Cats: 12
Default

All the shrouding I need is in the nose, in front of the radiator. These fans are just for idling in the pit lane. They may do something at speed, I don't know - but they don't need shrouding in my car.
Laur3ns is offline  
Old 05-26-2010, 05:05 PM
  #5  
Cpt. Slow
iTrader: (25)
 
curly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 14,172
Total Cats: 1,128
Default

I'm sure it will, however on a very hot track day I had seemingly no cooling aid coming from the fans zip tied to the radiator. I needed the shroud, bad. It was an interesting mix. My car was over heating because I was racing, however I couldn't stop racing or it would over heat.

I ended up putting my stock fans back in, one of which was replaced with the ebay fan/motor to keep some of the slimness.
curly is offline  
Old 05-26-2010, 05:20 PM
  #6  
Elite Member
iTrader: (30)
 
levnubhin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Va Beach
Posts: 7,329
Total Cats: 12
Default

I don't get why your car would over heat without the fan shrouding. I have the same fans mounted the same way and my car can idle all day in this south Florida heat and never over heat.
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote
levnubhin is offline  
Old 05-26-2010, 05:22 PM
  #7  
I'm a terrible person
iTrader: (19)
 
FRT_Fun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 7,174
Total Cats: 180
Default



WIN.
FRT_Fun is offline  
Old 05-26-2010, 05:26 PM
  #8  
Cpt. Slow
iTrader: (25)
 
curly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 14,172
Total Cats: 1,128
Default

Originally Posted by levnubhin
I don't get why your car would over heat without the fan shrouding. I have the same fans mounted the same way and my car can idle all day in this south Florida heat and never over heat.
Don't give a flying **** about your South Florida heat. it was 105* and I was racing. No way could the fans compete. I just highly believe that with a cool down lap and the fans on the entire time, it should cool off enough for the fans to keep the car from over heating when I come into the pit lane and idle while they drag some sorry *** 323 off the course. Only lasted a couple seconds before the needle started rising.

Edit: Ignore me, I just looked at pictures and was reminded I only had one mounted at the time.
curly is offline  
Old 05-27-2010, 02:46 AM
  #9  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
 
Laur3ns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Enschede, NL
Posts: 2,053
Total Cats: 12
Default

Originally Posted by FRT_Fun

WIN.
On the street, YES. On the track, NO.
Laur3ns is offline  
Old 05-27-2010, 02:48 AM
  #10  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
 
Laur3ns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Enschede, NL
Posts: 2,053
Total Cats: 12
Default

Originally Posted by curly
Edit: Ignore me, I just looked at pictures and was reminded I only had one mounted at the time.
Laur3ns is offline  
Old 05-27-2010, 08:29 AM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
02semiata's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 575
Total Cats: 1
Default

Originally Posted by Spookyfish
On the street, YES. On the track, NO.
Was is that bad for the track ?
02semiata is offline  
Old 05-27-2010, 08:51 AM
  #12  
Tour de Franzia
iTrader: (6)
 
hustler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Republic of Dallas
Posts: 29,085
Total Cats: 375
Default

Originally Posted by FRT_Fun


WIN.
not as much air flows through at speed.
hustler is offline  
Old 05-27-2010, 09:01 AM
  #13  
Senior Member
 
02semiata's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 575
Total Cats: 1
Default

Ahhh Okay
02semiata is offline  
Old 05-27-2010, 10:52 AM
  #14  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
 
Laur3ns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Enschede, NL
Posts: 2,053
Total Cats: 12
Default

Water inlet neck is in the way of the cold side piping, so another money bleed into this project is about to happen.
Laur3ns is offline  
Old 05-27-2010, 12:07 PM
  #15  
Elite Member
iTrader: (15)
 
ZX-Tex's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 4,847
Total Cats: 27
Default

Originally Posted by Spookyfish
On the street, YES. On the track, NO.
That can be fixed somewhat with one-way flaps.
ZX-Tex is offline  
Old 05-27-2010, 12:36 PM
  #16  
Elite Member
iTrader: (12)
 
chpmnsws6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Springfield IL
Posts: 2,712
Total Cats: 25
Default

Originally Posted by Spookyfish
All the shrouding I need is in the nose, in front of the radiator. These fans are just for idling in the pit lane. They may do something at speed, I don't know - but they don't need shrouding in my car.

Nothing after around 25mph, unless you have some 5000cfm fans. C5's shut the fans off after around 35mph IIRC (its been awhile since I've tuned a stock one)
chpmnsws6 is offline  
Old 05-27-2010, 01:43 PM
  #17  
Elite Member
iTrader: (30)
 
levnubhin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Va Beach
Posts: 7,329
Total Cats: 12
Default

Originally Posted by curly
Don't give a flying **** about your South Florida heat. it was 105* and I was racing. No way could the fans compete. I just highly believe that with a cool down lap and the fans on the entire time, it should cool off enough for the fans to keep the car from over heating when I come into the pit lane and idle while they drag some sorry *** 323 off the course. Only lasted a couple seconds before the needle started rising.

Edit: Ignore me, I just looked at pictures and was reminded I only had one mounted at the time.


Panties to tight?
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote
levnubhin is offline  
Old 05-31-2010, 04:31 AM
  #18  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
 
Laur3ns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Enschede, NL
Posts: 2,053
Total Cats: 12
Default

All done. Fan mount is very sturdy.

I had the radiator inlet moved and still it was a total bitch to get the inlet plumbed. With the inlet in the default location there was no way it would ever work.

Looks pretty neat in the picture, but it took me 2hrs to find the right bends etc.
Attached Thumbnails Mounting slimline fans, FAIL and WIN methods-miata_rad_inlet.jpg  
Laur3ns is offline  
Old 05-31-2010, 02:49 PM
  #19  
Cpt. Slow
iTrader: (25)
 
curly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 14,172
Total Cats: 1,128
Default

Originally Posted by levnubhin
Panties too tight?
GF thought it'd be manly to try it. I didn't think so, but will also try anything once. Oh well, lesson learned, panties are meant for girls.

Spookyfish: That BEGI inlet pipe makes anything but the stock radiator hose near impossible once you've upgraded to a thicker radiator. I've seen it done though.
curly is offline  
Old 05-31-2010, 03:38 PM
  #20  
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
stranges12712's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Niagara Falls, ON
Posts: 431
Total Cats: 2
Default

Link for the fans?
stranges12712 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: Mounting slimline fans, FAIL and WIN methods



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:08 AM.