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Aluminum Radiator with electric fan shroud


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Hello,

 

Yesterday my radiator cracked and spilled coolant all over a mountain road.

 

I'm now looking to replace with a 3 row aluminum unit.

 

 

The only question I have is about this particular unit on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/70-75-NISSAN-DATSUN-240Z-260Z-Z-3-ROWS-ALUMINUM-RACING-RADIATOR-RED-FAN-S-HROUD-/150951825762?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item23256e1162

 

 

post-36011-0-63611900-1361228099_thumb.jpg

 

It looks like the fan shroud is blocking the radiator except where the fans are. Is this ok?

 

 

I could also get a radiator without this fan/shroud combo and just get some universal electric fans that zip tie to the radiator. Like this:

post-36011-0-67709200-1361228190_thumb.jpg

 

 

Is that fan shroud helping by accelerating air through a smaller opening or just blocking the flow?

 

If anyone has any experience with this particular ebay radiator that would be of great help too.

 

Thanks

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OK. I googled and the shroud is very important to make the radiator cool correctly.

 

According to what I read other people say about fan shrouds, it blocks air from going around or under the radiator and helps direct air flow through the radiator.

 

 

 

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The fans that I linked to on ebay don't.

 

They need to have a thermostat in order to switch on at the right time, correct?

 

The original clutch fan has a thermostat, can that be hooked up to the newer electric fan?

 

Obviously I'm new to a lot of this stuff, so thanks for all the help everyone.

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I have the Hayden Fan Controller mentioned above. It's ok but they occasionally go bad. I put around 30,000 on my Z a year. I'm on my third controller in 3.5 years. Put an override switch in the cabin just in case.

Very good point, the override switch is a back up and in my Z I use it when my A/C is on post-36683-0-15855900-1361289338_thumb.jpg. mine is placed on the fuse box cover.  :icon12:

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I have both of my fans wired to a single switch, both with relays. I turn them on around town, and I turn them off at freeway speeds.

 

For what it's worth I am using an sr20 rad with fan shroud, total cost was abotu $350. Made some custom brackets for the top and bottom with rubber insulators. Its in a 280zx but should have no problem fitting into an s30.

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I like the adjustable units so you can quantify what temp your car runs at in 5th at 35mph on the hottest summer day...and set the kick in to be 10F above that.

 

Then you're not needlessly turning on the fan, or the secondary fan.

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I have my fan turns on low at 15'F, hi at 20'F and off at 5'F above the thermostat temp. . I'm running 180'F T-stat . Don't like the idea that you have to activate your fans with a switch , it's a good idea if you are using it as a back up or by pass . I've seen a few cars in the our shop where the customers rigged up the fans and forgot to turn them on . Don't see a reason to have your fans come below T-stat temp. . Fan motors would last long with low temp. setup . I even use A/C press. activate switch for my fans , in my 91 ZX ( converted to electric ) , so they don't even come on at hiway speed .

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I have my fan turns on low at 15'F, hi at 20'F and off at 5'F above the thermostat temp. . I'm running 180'F T-stat . Don't like the idea that you have to activate your fans with a switch , it's a good idea if you are using it as a back up or by pass . I've seen a few cars in the our shop where the customers rigged up the fans and forgot to turn them on . Don't see a reason to have your fans come below T-stat temp. . Fan motors would last long with low temp. setup . I even use A/C press. activate switch for my fans , in my 91 ZX ( converted to electric ) , so they don't even come on at hiway speed .

Yeah I'll definitely be putting in a thermostat.

Having a manual override in the cabin is what I'll be adding. Not sure when I'll use it but I got these cool led switches and the t-stat has an override so away we go.

 

That's a clever idea with the pressure switch.

Edited by Mace.un
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  • 2 weeks later...

I just ordered the MSA kit for $250 (back ordered).

Comes with relays and such.

Decent price, unknown quality.

Got my "kit" from MSA and the quality is now known... marginal.

Its not really a kit, but an assembly of stuff which shortens some of the R&D time which is valuable for me.

 

Problem is, the "shroud" they shipped is a POS.  Just a flat piece of metal which looks nothing like what is advertised on their website.

I've sent in a Return Request to see what happens, or what their feedback on this is.

 

Still probably better than what I had which was a stock fan with non-functional clutch and no shroud.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well the one I bought from Ebay wasn't much better.

 

Though I got the 3 row radiator, shroud and 2 fans for $253.

 

But upon assembling it all a problem arose:

post-36011-0-34796500-1363299420_thumb.jpg

 

Because they made the outlet pipe have a 90 degree bend, it butted up tightly against the very thin shroud and was centimeters from the fan. This made it impossible to put a hose on it.

 

So it went to the machine shop (I don't weld) and they made a new outlet pipe that actually worked.

 

Good news about the Ebay store I bought from is that I showed them this and the invoice for fixing it and they refunded me a fair amount to cover the cost. DNAMotoring was the store name.

 

So after was all said and done it was still a very economical way to get a 3 row + shroud + twin electric fans.

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