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MG MGB Technical - Twin fans

Is it possible to fit twin fans to a 1.8 B the same as the V8s?

I have the standard fan on the car and another standard fan spare so if there's enough room I'd like to have both fitted with a switch as well as the thermostats for when I'm sat in traffic in the summer
K Goldup

I can't see why not. But the standard fans are terribly inefficient. You'd be better off fitting a single ducted fan.
Mike Howlett

K.Goldup, does the car overheat in traffic? in the UK? Mine still runs a little cool here in Queensland, mind you I do keep moving. I thought of a Kenlowe arragement, then thought I might over-cool? Mike
J.M. Doust

Stock US 1977 MGB onwards have twin fans pushing. Shroud and a big "puller" 13 to 14 inch on face of rad is better if you can manage it.
A J Ogilvie

It got close to overheating yesterday (I think the thermostat is dodgey anyway).

I was looking at Kenlowes etc but they're about £120 and seeing as I already have a spare fan this should only cost me the price of a couple of bolts and some wire.

As I'm putting in an upgraded lump it's also for the peace of mind as well.

Looks like I've got myself a job for the weekend!
K Goldup

There is no way a car should overheat in the UK at the moment unless there is something wrong, which is what should be fixed, there are a number of potential defects where all the fans in the world wouldn't help, like faulty thermostat, blocked rad etc. In any case the two fans would simply be connected in parallel, not have individual thermostatic and manual switches as you seem to be saying. Also there is only one occasion where you would need a manual switch - and that is if the thermostatic switch had failed. I do have one on my V8, but it is illuminated so I can check the thermostatic switch has operated, since sorting out my cooling system I have never used the switch itself.
PaulH Solihull

Hi Guys

I live in Cyprus and have the standard metal fan with a kenlow coming in at 85c, we do not use a thermostat in any of our cars as our lowest temp is around 8c in the winter but unless in july / august it gets to 40c the kenlow rarely comes on, i have wired it to stay on when the ignition is of to cool the rad if need be, in uk i think if overheating is experienced there must be a problem, blocked rad etc;.

regards
sr mackey

Remember also that any electric fan draws current so theoretically, it is a downer on performance. Then the fan system itself is a hinderance to correct flow of air through the radiator core, especially, those fans placed in front of the radiator. A well designed duct and a well sorted cooling system should see the standard system work ok. But, a performance engine may indeed generate more heat, ( ideally, it should not, because that indicates some wasted horsepower which has gone on generating heat! )it all gets very tecnical, Check Peter Burgess's book.And Double check your cooling system. MIke
J.M. Doust

"There is no way a car should overheat in the UK at the moment unless there is something wrong, which is what should be fixed"

Couldn't agree more. My bog standard, (but well maintained),'65 MGB never comes close to overheating. Standard engine driven fan only, no shroud. And I'm sure it gets a hell of a lot hotter our way than you folk in the UK ever have to experience.


T Aczel

Very rarely anywhere near as hot as Cyprus either. Even on the record-breaking weekend a few years ago (38 point something?) I had no problem travelling down and round London in my V8, when the motorway hard-shoulders were littered with lesser, more modern and probably poorly maintained vehicles.

What owners should always remember when they have a problem is that half a million MGBs were manufactured over 20 years, the majority for export, and a significant number of those to hot countries, that didn't have a problem with heat. 40 years later many still don't even in desert states. The obvious (to me) conclusion is that MGBs today don't need all sorts of after-market gizmos to keep them running - as long as you maintain them in working condition.
PaulH Solihull

This thread was discussed between 14/06/2011 and 17/06/2011

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