Replacing the stock vr4 radiator fan

[milkandoj]

I’m getting parts together for a 4 inch intake, so the stock radiator fan with its large shroud is going to have to go for clearance.

I’m looking at sticking two 12 or 14 inch slimline Davis Craig fans (probably the Supercheap copies actually) on the stock radiator, I will need two fans as ill be losing the shrouded stock one.

The second fan will end up sitting in front of the turbo and manifold. All the stock heat shielding is in place but this turbo is going to be swapped for something that won’t use the stock dump pipe shield. So the heat may be an issue from the turbo's rear housing.

The other option for the side near the turbo is fit a 10 inch pusher on the bumper side but it has to blow through the air con condenser first so not as effective as a (larger 12-14 inch) puller fan directly on the engine bay side of the radiator.
How have other people gone with similar setups, have the fans melted? And how effective are they compared to the stock setup?

 

[trq-str]

One 14" DavisCraig copy workes wonders on vr4ce's Galant, I dont think 2 will be required.

And on my vr4 cordia I ran one 12" copy (instead of the shrouded one) plus a 10" in front of the dump, never had an issue with melting a fan.

Good luck

 

[milkandoj]

Ok cheers.
Anyone else melted or not melted a Supercheap copy of the Davis Craig fan in front of the turbo? Ive read a lot of people on here using those fans over various threads.
Id run two anyway i can get them cheap enough.

I do want it to work better then the stock fan, Ive got larger intercooler in the way also. I want it to come down in temp quicker after being on throttle then getting caught coming to a stop.

 

[ozyvr4]

Have you still got the std air con fan. I just changed the rad fan and rewired sot hey both come on earlier.
I wired the high speed wire, thermostat ( i'll look at the colours today) to the low speed wire, bottom of rad. Now they come on together at a lower temp. The bottom switch us a 85deg on 80deg off switch.

 

[Entaran]

I just used a 12 inch spal fan.

They push more air than a stock fan anyway and are quieter. You can literally blowdry your girlfriends hair with them.

I think they're OEM equipment on ferrari/lambo/zonda/etc.

... They aren't cheap. ~200-220 for a single fan plus extra for aftermarket thermo controller.

 

[bps79]

i use just 1 12in supercheap copy and ive never had a prob with overheating(when its running).ive got a big fmic as well.

 

[JayRome]

i'm running 2X10" supercheap copies on the front of my alloy rad, running blow through for the past 3 years and no probs in 40+ deg heat, but...... they are loud as fudge!!!


remember blow through and suck through set ups have different fin directions and not just changing polarity...

 

[youda]

i had an over heating problem with a twelve inch fan on a hot day, thing is it was a really hot day and i liv in townsville.

 

[milkandoj]

The stock air-con fan was taken off when i re arranged the oil cooler and lines, and did the brackets to mount the evo 8 intercooler.

So im thinking one of these two setups...

1) A 14inch fan to replace the stock shrouded fan where the intake will go. Then another 10 inch fan mounted on the front of the air con condenser, as a pusher. So the second one wont be directly in front of the hot turbo.
I'm really trying to figure out how much heat these plastic fans can take.

2) Two 12 inch fans, so one will sit in front of the turbo and manifold, near all the heat.

Supercheap has a deal on the fans atm, so i'm happy to put two on.

As the car is now, id like it to drop the temperatures quicker after getting caught at the lights.
I also have some other things to do the get the temps down on average so i'm cooler before doing a pull.

 

[brisvr4]

Can you post up some detailed pics of the front end Gerard? I brought my temps down by filling all the gaps around the radiator and intercooler forcing all the air to travel through them rather than around / over / under them which it will do given half a chance!

 

[bazeng]

What temps do you guys get (engine times) at idle on a hot day?

Mine gets to about 100deg C....

I'm using a single 14"fan SPAL type (pusher) on the VR4
and 1 x 12" fan (SPAL also) on the AMG (pusher). This is with a civic radiator also.

Both don't overheat. They do get a bit of heatsoak on the dyno and on 30+ degree days at idle.

I am running a 78deg thermostat on the AMG though. I couldn't find a switch to suit so the fan kicks in at stock temps.

 

[to4garret]

I'm really trying to figure out how much heat these plastic fans can take.

2) Two 12 inch fans, so one will sit in front of the turbo and manifold, near all the heat.

Yea, if you do that you will probably wind up with the fan that sits in front of the turbo as a melted mess.

Make sure you put your inner wheel arches back on too, they help immensely with air flow through the engine bay.

 

[milkandoj]

Can you post up some detailed pics of the front end Gerard? I brought my temps down by filling all the gaps around the radiator and intercooler forcing all the air to travel through them rather than around / over / under them which it will do given half a chance!

That's what else ill be doing. Im doing the fans anyway with the intake.
Where do you get foam from that's suitable for the heat with preferably with one sticky side! Ive seen it on stock cars before!

I could easily close the areas above and below the radiator, the sides will require a stuff around after putting in the new intercooler piping.

The thin plate i removed down the passenger side of the radiator to the body work, where the stock j-spec piping passes, i removed as id have to cut it up almost completely, it could be cut up an re installed for what its worth, then foam around that. Its there to guide airflow.

Craig has advised me the inner wheel arch guards control the flow path of the air out the engine bay when moving so putting them back in will be a great idea.

So that my next thing also.

 

[milkandoj]

I do think the airflow will help because, even on and off the throttle though the tunnel in 2nd and 3rd, heats it up over 100*C on a hot day over 35*C. And that's moving at 80-100kmh, its just the dumping of the heat into the system. It never gets over 102* when stopped on on and off the throttle lots, but it could run a lot cooler.
Around town, stop and start it runs aroudn 92-97 on warm days. On the freeway it sits on 88-90*, stock thermostat is mean to be 88*. Just notice the heat into the system after being on boost for a while, to be expected.


I run two radiator flushes thorough the system for a whole day recently and it cleaned the system well, also running just Redline water wetter now. No need for anti freeze and im keeping a close eye on the temps for boiling but not getting near it.

Other details of the front end; evo 8 intercooler.
Relocated stock oil cooler, higher so it sits behind the front grill for more airflow.
Power steering cooling loop' had to be moved, but i kept half of the loop so there's some cooling at least.

 

[milkandoj]

What temps do you guys get (engine times) at idle on a hot day?

I was doing a fair bit of reading on the ecmlink forums to see what people were averaging, people in the hotter climates were getting temperatures like mine.

Reading some advise given out by an established member on there, who runs good times and offers a lot of help on tuning to people, he run a 71* thermostat, and says if you can start pulls around the 77* range, so you end up around 85* after the pull, you can add a lot more timing into the map. Makes a lot of sense.
Considering in Perth even in winter it rarely hits below 5-10*, a lower 77* (TT301-170) thermostat shouldn't be too low. Its the lowest Tridon make for my car anyway. And we've had a decent amount of 37-40* days recently, hotter than a lot of the American guys complaining of coolant temps, but i don't go over 102. Im just higher on average than i could be.

The book "Engine management, Advanced Tuning" by Greg Banish, says most cars run around 93*C (200*F) form factory for emissions and economy, but dropping to about 82*C (180*F) can allow a few degrees more ignition advance. That sounds very good to me. Apart from the extra torque, I love hearing the exhaust note with more timing on boost. Hearing it scream makes me

I know for economy the car needs to be hot enough to atomize the fuel and burn clean, but im thinking because i don't often get weather below 5-10*C i don't need to compensate with higher coolant temps like someone would with lower air intake temps.

 

[to4garret]

Where do you get foam from that's suitable for the heat with preferably with one sticky side! Ive seen it on stock cars before!I could easily close the areas above and below the radiator, the sides will require a stuff around after putting in the new intercooler piping.

Clark rubber sell it, pretty much all the foam they sell is okay for 100deg+

 

[milkandoj]

Clark rubber sell it, pretty much all the foam they sell is okay for 100deg+

..........
Loving the signature atm to mate! I bloody hat HID's in cars not made for them, blinding me, wankers!

 

[ozyvr4]

With the way I wired my fans the temp does not go over 96deg at idle. At 96deg the 2 fans kick in it drop back to 87deg in no time.

I have the std air con fan & a 12" supercheap fan to replace the std rad fan. I also have a switch on the high speed relay that when engaged I can get the car to run at the thermostat temp of 71deg all day.

 

[brisvr4]

Mine rarely sees over 93 at anytime.
Mind you I do have a 3 inch thick radiator as well which probably helps.

 

[ozyvr4]

And you missing an air con condensor.

And doesn't e85 help with cooling. More fuel into the chamber.