QuestionQUESTION: I recently purchased a 1979 spitfire. I also have the Robert Bentley manual. The fan will not run at all while the engine is running and is connected to the electrical system! I disconnected the fans wire plug from the fan and connected it directly to the battery, at which time the fan ran perfectly! I also checked all the fuses I could locate! I spoke with a previous owner about a toggle switch that had been installed by another previous owner, and he stated that when he switched it off the off, the car overheated. I disconnected this switch and eliminated it, to no avail! The manual shows no electric fan! Is this some kind of after market device? Any information would be very helpful.
Thanks
Steve
ANSWER: Hi Steve,
The car is suppose to have a fan blade mounted on a fan clutch which is mounted on the waterpump. If that has been removed and an electric fan installed then the electric fan must be controlled by a thermo switch or run all the time. An option is to operate it by a switch. However, when that is used it is important that the driver remember to turn it on. (bad idea)
If it has the fan blade on the waterpump and the fan clutch is good and the engine overheats unless an electric fan is also on then something is wrong with the engine or cooling system and needs to be corrected. The car does not need both.
Most cars do not need a fan of any kind above 35 MPH as the air forced into the radiator is sufficient at that speed and above. As soon as you drop down to 35 and below it does not take but a minute or so for the engine to start overheating.
Howard
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Howard, Thank you for the fast reply and great info!!! There is no fan blade on the water pump. How would I go about installing a thermo switch, and where would it be located? I am not well versed in schematics! If that is too difficult for my limited knowledge, can I wire a continuous running fan into the ignition switch somehow?
Thanks again in advance!!
Steve
You have a great web site / have learned much about this car in the short time I have had it!
AnswerThe trouble with a thermo switch is that it needs to be located on the thermostat neck or neck of the upper radiator and that is difficult unless you can find one that was designed for that. The best method is to get a four pin relay that can handle the amp load of the fan and Have it connected to any "Ignition-On" circuit in the fues panel. Any electronics store can supply the relay and they probably have some have people who can sketch you a small diagram on how to connect it up. If it were mine I would ask them how to connect up a warning light that would alert you if the fan fails to run for what ever reason.
Howard
