23 replies to this topic

[Patriot77]

 DSCF2615.JPG   58.89K   43 downloads  DSCF2615.JPG   58.89K   43 downloadsHi,

I've had the mini clubman now for 6 weeks and I can't work out why the temp slowly rises up to the red and it remains there.

After a little investigation it looks as if the fan is blowing air away from the radiator and into the engine bay, can anyone confirm:

1. should air flow be through the radiator and into the front wing (or does it suck air from the front wing - through the radiator and into the engine bay).

2. Is the fan on the wrong way?

Hopefully Picture will help.

Many Thanks

Edited by Patriot77, 23 August 2012 - 08:30 PM.

[jonny d]

Im not getting a picture but the fan should be pushing the air feed out into the inner wing

[james962]

This side of the fan should be facing the radiator:

[rally1380]

To make it idiot proof, there is 'engine side' written on the fan.......i say idiot proof.....but i did manage (when i was young) to put one on backwards!!!!

[Patriot77]

Just managed to attach photo...it seems that it is the wrong way round....looks like the chap who had the mini before me..has failed the idiots guide!!!!

[MINI WILL]

Should look something like this bud.

[Patriot77]

Many Thanks...Looks Like It's getting swapped over at the weekend....

[Cooperman]

That fan is on the wrong way round. It is still blowing air through the radiator from the engine bay, but at a reduced flow because the fan blade angles are incorrect.
Fitting a fan the wrong way round does not cause it to 'suck' air in the opposite direction, just means it pushes less cooling air through the rad.

[JMini]

I wouldn't have known this either but the Mini Spares pic shows it's on the right way.

If ur overheating then check.

Thermostat is opening correctly (do the hot water trick)
Airlocks in the water (rad cap off, heater switch on, run engine to temp, check for bubbles, top up if necessary)
Check water pump is workin correctly
Check it's not stupidly advanced on the timing

Running ur Mini with the heater on will help keep temps down a bit in the engine bay.

Anybody correct me if I'm wrong, am newish to this....

Hope this helps

[Cooperman]

I wouldn't have known this either but the Mini Spares pic shows it's on the right way.

If ur overheating then check.

Thermostat is opening correctly (do the hot water trick)
Airlocks in the water (rad cap off, heater switch on, run engine to temp, check for bubbles, top up if necessary)
Check water pump is workin correctly
Check it's not stupidly advanced on the timing

Running ur Mini with the heater on will help keep temps down a bit in the engine bay.

Anybody correct me if I'm wrong, am newish to this....

Hope this helps

Check the timing is not retarded as that will cause overheating. Over advance will cause pre-ignition (pinking).

[JMini]

Sorry, listen to cooperman, what's pinking?? that fan is on the right way though isn't it. Would a steel fan work better for cooling?

[Cooperman]

It looks to me as if the fan in the original photo is on the wrong way round as the fan rotates clockwise looking at the engine from the radiator, and the blades increase in pitch to push as much air as possible through the rad. Fitted as it is it will only push about 80% of the volume it should push through. Look at a fan blae and it should become obvious.
I once saw a 'works' rally mechanic fit a 4-blade on a rally car the wrong way round, so it's easy to do.

Pinking is when the timing is so far advanced that the engine fires too soon and causes detonation which will damage pistons and rings - terminally if allowed to continue. You can hear a sort-of harsh 'pinging' noise when this occurs and it must never be allowed to continue.

[JMini]

Thats useful to know, so would a metal fan work more efficiently? My needle creeps towards the red occasionally as Patriots does, but only when being driven hard and was thinking a metal fan might help. Sorry for the slight hijack, trying to keep kinda on topic....

[Cooperman]

Best fan for cooling is the 6-blade export fan (fitted correctly, of course).

[Laska]

To Cooperman ...

Sorry for this ... my fan is fitted as shown in the above picture posted by MIN WILL - Is this the correct way round? Here is the picture.