24 replies to this topic

[adam_93rio]

Read on here somewhere at some point people were running their minis without a belt driven fan, I have an electric on fitted and just changing my water pump.

As I need the car tomorrow I like to be done as soon as possible so wanted to leave the radiator and cowl together. This means leaving the fan off though.

Can it be done? Of only tried for a week or so until a new pump comes as I'm fitting another used one

[MGBailey007]

if you are fitting the electric one you have no need for the belt driven one, Belts and braces

[Cooperman]

Personally I would NEVER drive a Mini without the mechanical fan. The electric fans are just there for auxiliary cooling if the engine gets too hot and the mechanical fan can't shift enough air.
Still, if someone feels the risk of a 'cooked' engine is worth it then fine.

[MGBailey007]

on my brothers i only left the belt driven one on for a back up, i didn't think it was needed, i only have the belt driven one on mine but soon to fit the electric fan and i will have them both on

[Craig Tett]

I ran with just an electric fan for about a year on a tuned 1275, never had any troubles, was fine on motorways and lanes etc. Do now run both belt and electric though as like people say belt and braces and all that jazz but if its only a temp thing and its a new electric fan or one you have faith in then I wouldn't foresee a problem personally.

[MGBailey007]

and you only really need a fan in slow moving traffic or stood still, the wind at 70mhp is better than any fan

[MGBailey007]

and you only really need a fan in slow moving traffic or stood still, the wind at 70mhp is better than any fan

[Midas Mk1]

Dont know why you'd want to lose the mechanical fan.
I have a 2 core rad, and 74 degree thermostat, and only just stay on the normal, under average driving conditions, as soon I hit traffic the aux electric fan comes on to stop the temperature rising, I'd be in serious trouble without both fans!

[Midas Mk1]

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Edited by Midas Mk1, 22 May 2012 - 09:08 PM.

[Cooperman]

That's correct if you have an MPi with front-mounted radiater. With the original side mounted radiater not enough air goes through the radiator and a fan must be running all the time.
An electric fan is not intended to have a 100% duty cycle and if it fails you will either be sitting beside the road awaiting a tow and possibly have a 'cooked' engine.
Why on earth would anyone want to take that risk? The car was designed to have a belt-driven fan for good reason.

[MGBailey007]

i personally wouldn't take the belt driven one off but i can't see a problem running it for a bit with the electric one while he is waiting for the parts

[Cooperman]

Not if the outside air temp is like it was today!

[MGBailey007]

30 degrees in germany today

[Bungle]

electric fan's don't have the duty cycle to run all the time

on a front mounted rad the fan only works when the car isn't moving, with a minis side mounted rad the fan will need to be on all the time

[adam_93rio]

I've put it all together now and managed to get the radiator past the fan so it's all back together.

I have heard of people removing the fan and just running an electric on for when the temperature starts to rise. So that there is less drain on the engines power and it apparently 'only works until speeds of abou 20mph, after that just gets in the way"