MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - yellow fan

Peter Burgess made me a new 1310 cc fast road engine. It goes like a rocket. Acceleration time is les than 10 seconds. I came from a standard 945 cc. I guess I need a better gearbox soon.
I am fine tuning the HS2 needles now. I like it but it is time consuming.
The problem is: The engine sits higher as the front mounting bracket changed from the 945 to the 1275 or earlier. I did not realize that the yellow plastic fan could touch the radiator now. So at first start the fan ( >20 years old) broke in pieces. The original frog eye 4 blade red fan is smaller. In summer I need the 6 blade yellow fan. Is there a source for lower rubber mountings or do I have to shorten the fan blades?

Flip
Flip Brühl

I followed you in Le Mans when you had the old engine and you didn't seem to be going slow at all back then. I'd go for the shortened blades.
G Lazarus

Odd

I have 1275 with a 6 bladed plastic fan and its not near the radiator at all. has your got the spacer between the fan and the pulley??
Bob Beaumont

Why don't you bin the fan altogether (waste's energy) and fit a slim electronic fan controlled by a thermo switch (via a relay)?
R Cohen

**fan controlled by a thermo switch (via a relay)?**

And a manual override switch, I suggest. Belt and braces...
Greybeard

^^ What Grey said. For when the thermo switch packs in and Revotec want a fortune for a replacement.
Jeremy MkIII

Come to think of it both of my frogeyes had 1275 blocks and six bladed fans with no fouling issues.
G Lazarus

I had a 6 blade plastic fan on my 1275 in my Frogeye and it cleared the radiator until it decided to self-destruct so I replaced it with a metal one off of an ( what was called in the US ) Austin America. Now I have an electric fan from some Japanese car ( don't remember which ) with custom mounting brackets and a manual switch, no thermo switch. I just watch the temperature gauge when I'm in traffic and sometimes I just turn it on early to be safe. I've never had it overheat. I also wired in a warning light to remind me that it's on.
Martin

Just fitted a 1275 in lieu of a 948 and have used the plastic fan with no problems, though I've yet to rev it hard as its a new engine.

One thing I've noticed is how much I prefer a driven fan over an electric one. Nice constant temperature instead of huge fluctuations, I'm sure it's better for the engine. Not tried it enough to see if it's OK in all situations but I'm hoping to keep it as it is.
John Payne

Martian

Wasn't the Austin America fan designed to blow rather than suck, due to the transverse engine configuration?
Dave O'Neill 2

Dave,

I don't know, it may have been but I never had an overheating issue and this was when I lived in Southern California. It would be like the Mini I'd assume but I don't know which way that one works either.
Martin

Hallo everyone,

Thank you for the input. I only had cooling problems once in a queue in Paris (the hilly periferique 2.5 h 35oC). Yes Garry after le Mans. I had to use the heater blower to overcome it. The yellow fan is much more efficient at idle than the red 4 blade. I found out that I do have rubber mountings of different hight. An electric fan is to complicated for me. The fan is not close to the radiator core but just touches the upper fence of the radiator.

Flip
Flip Brühl

Can you relieve the shroud a bit?
G Lazarus

I used the fan and shroud from a Rover 414 or Metro...fitted with very little mods required.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-ROVER-200-400-COOLING-FAN-RADIATOR-NEW-PGF10042-1989-1997-1-4-1-6/371736788088?fits=Car+Make%3ARover%7CCars+Type%3A414&hash=item568d3d3c78:g:ny4AAOSwhrFb4HOp

You can get them cheaper, the shroud fit's well into the MG. I then bought an aftermarket 85degree switch and a plastic top hose adapter from Burton Power and it's worked fine ever since.
R Cohen

Thank you, I ordered a new yellow plastic fan.I shortened the blades. Unlike the old fan It does not touch the oil timing cover canister.

Flip
Flip Brühl

This thread was discussed between 04/12/2019 and 09/12/2019

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS now