Bransby

Hi lads, I've fitted a front mount cooler with twin fans, 82 degree fan switch and stat. Fans kik in nice and early but dont cool it down, gets up to basically the red if I don't turn off. could it be a air lock? Or just the fact I have front mount with standard rad? Heater is red hot tho so thought it can't be air locked??

tlr_rst

whats the coolant ratio like?? if its too strong antifreeze does not circulate heat well.

ford says 50/50 mix but i use a 60/40 ratio, the 60 being more water than coolant as water is a better heat transferer that coolant.

all in a watering can, top up really slowly through a funnel to avoid air leak, start engine cold (after flushing it again using my ratio if you wish) keep expansion tank cap off to let air out, feel top radiator hose open and get warm, bubbles should work way out squeezing all hose until fan kicks in thats it

also i had a dodgey fan switch when i tired to use a cozzie one, cozzie setup was not for me so i just use the standard ford fan switch again and a lower 82deg thermostat

mercury grey minter

Make sure fans are spinning the right way.
I wired mine up backwards and it kept over heating.

Bransby

Hi mate cheers, sounds like maybe ive a air lock then, after the work I just filled her up with just water for now, no coolant and I just filled it up cold till got to the line on header tank and run to temp wi cap off, she started to buble but never really just went down like they usually do when stat opens, I will def try your way tho cheers

Bransby

I was thinking that, I googled which way round they should spin and found no info so wired them so they blow the air from the front of the car though the intercooler then rad, is that correct or should they suck the hot air out of the front?? Cheers

studabear

Which intercooler are you using? A lot of people have the fans inbetween the cooler and rad.

Bransby

I think it was a GRS, picked it up brand new with a set of slim lines cheap, don't think it's the best tho as top boost hose ends up basically touching top rad hose, do you know if the fan direction is correct?? Cheers

studabear

The fan should blow onto the rad, so when running you should feel the fan sucking from the front.

Bransby

Cheers pal, There going the rite way then, heard a few people talk about removing the thermo stat but I don't know if that's a good idea or not, going to buy a alloy rad, give the system a flush and refill and see how I get on from there, if that don't fix it I gues I've got problems

studabear

I would look at mounting the fans on the rad. You should leave the thermostat in as its there for a reason.

zvh

My twin spall fans are in front of my radtec intercooler and never has an issue keeping it below 85 degrees at all .!althoe in this weather we've been having it's peaked at 94 degrees but I also have a gap between the rad and intercooler so the rad still gets air to it. Also I never run my coolant at the maximum mark I keep it under so it has ro to expand

luke19790_3

Same as above

Bransby

Hmmm seems weird how a lot of lads run the twin fans on front and have no cooling issues. I must have a air lock or the standard old rad just ain't up to it no more. I will try pick up a alloy rad this week. Also people have mentioned this evens waterless coolant so mite look at that too?? Cheers

mercury grey minter

Add 50/50 mix of antifreeze.It raises the boiling point of the coolant.

makaveli96

I'm running a pace rad and a radtec intercooler with one large fan in front of it and most of the time the fan always wants to cut in early and stays on most if the time my temp needle never goes over half way well, slightly over half way on the gauge but when I put my hand in front of the fan it blows cold air outwards is it suppose to do that ?

Bransby

Before I fitted my front mount my temp gauge never went above half either with standard rad and fan, the fan prity much runs all the time too, my fans suck cold air from front of car and blow it through the cooler then rad, what you mite be feeling is just abit of blow back off the fans, if it was turning the wrong way you would feel warm air blowing out the front of car? Either way yours seems to be doing it job unlike mine haha.

makaveli96

Thanks for your response mate, it is cold air that I can feel from the front of the fan, do you think I could add like a 8 or a 9" slimline fan behind the back of the rad to make the cooling temp more improved?

Bransby

Far as I know mate, fans only really do anything well the car is bellow say 20mph so if you have no over heating problems well she is on tick over I wouldn't bother, also if you mean a slimline at the back of the rad between turbo and rad I would think it would be really tight and with one pushing from front and one pulling from inside I sapose they would have to have the same flow rate, I'm not really sure, one of the lads on here will know I would of thought tho, maybe two slimlines on the front would be better than one big one?? Cosmetically they look smarter just peaking through the standard bumper but that's just me, some lads like to keep it as standard looking as poss

makaveli96

It doesn't over heat on tick over, that's where I was thinking between the turbo and the rad I think I'm gonna look into what size I could fit as it is tight for space and should make a difference as it does get hot under there, thanks for your info.

muz

Are your fans the right ones for the application? I.E if you have the fans set up to blow air are they actually blower fans. Not sucker fans wired backwards to blow. Otherwise they won't be running at full efficiency.

Also, what's the state of your fan wiring? When I had cooling issues it was a factor of two things. The rad wasn't right, tight, up against the intercooler and the fan wiring was poor. As soon as I replaced the fan wiring the fans ran noticeably quicker.

Bransby

I bought the intercooler with the fans already attached, they really do seem to shift some air, a lot better than the standard one that was on but I couldn't tell you if they are the wrong fans or not as I wouldn't know how to tell. I'm not sure on how tight the standard rad is to the cooler tho, that's a good idea mate so ill check that, I'm going to buy a alloy rad tho for sure tho, just don't think the old standard rad is up to it. Cheers pal

muz

My car ran fine on a standard rad to be fair. Car was actually running lean, so hotter than normal, and sat in traffic at Ford Fair with a 2.1 ZVH. Might be worth flushing it all through.
Make sure the rad and cooler are right together, I mean sandwiched, touching. Even just a small gap and a good chunk of air will force out taking the easiest route.
What state is the water pump in?

Bransby

I'm really not sure what state the pump is mate, it looks quite new but not checked it by taking it off, the problem is I've got another engine that I've been building in the garage that will be going in as soon as the weather changes, I've basically just put her back on the road so I could take get down to ford fair but I stick no chance with the temp prob, after work I will make sure they are touching, did you flush your system with just a hose pipe via header pipe or just flush rar then, take stat out and flush block etc?? Cheers pal

nigel b

check the model of fans you are using can actually suck a decent amount of air
i had twin 8" fans years ago that hardly cooled

Pete frst

Out of interest are you guys relying on the standard Ford temp gauge or are you using after market gauges...My ZVH is running hot and i'm wondering if the Ford gauge is accurate at all and the reading is wrong....

lacey

Seal the Intercooler to the rad
So when the fans are on the air they are pushing has to go through the rad
As air will take the easiest route
You can ales seal the Intercooler to the slam panel this also helps

Bransby

Yea just using the standard ford temp gauge, never really thought of that been out but sapose it could be, I will check the fan model tonight, I dont think they are a decent make, just what came with cooler, also that sounds a decent idea sealing the rad to cooler, what did you use?? Just silver lagging tape or duct tape ??

lacey

Anything at first just to prove it then you can
Cut some templates and and some alloy ones made .
Silver foil tape or duct tape should work fine to prove it

Bransby

Just checked and there is about 5-10mil gap Inbetween them. Also the cooler is A new RMD and the fans just say 12v 80w. All brand new like just picked them up really cheap. Is that a poor make?? The over heating is stopping me getting it set up too so it's a pain now, been building another engine tho so can see her going back in the garage soon to get then new lump in, fit alloy rad at same time and get rad fitted tight to cooler and maybe some better fans. Gues won't be seeing ford fair haha, pain in arse. Another month in garage. Cheers for all help lads