11 replies to this topic

[Haynes]

All info I can find is for the plastic fan, but which way round does the metal fan go?

It's a 16 blade type on an 850. One side has a smooth dished centre. The other site has strengthening ribs.

[Echan42]

Coming from another metal fan user, cupped side out, always.

Where did you find a 16 blade metal fan? I can only get my hands on 6, 4 and 2 blade metal fans.
 

[Haynes]

Thank you, nice diagram. Metal fan is original to the car, I assume, as a 1965 850.

[Echan42]

Thank you, nice diagram. Metal fan is original to the car, I assume, as a 1965 850.

Can't take credit for the fan, it's a pic I saved some time ago.

Glad to help.

[timmy850]

The ribs go to the radiator side on the 16 blade metal one.

There are plenty of them in Australia - and they don’t disintegrate like a plastic one

[Cooperman]

The old 16-blade fans are fine until you start to use very high revs. At above around 6000 rpm you get what is known as 'cascade effect' (otherwise known as 'discing') where the fan cannot shift any air and becomes in effect a solid disc.

The plastic fans are much better for high revs, but for real air-shifting performance a 6-blade export fan is best, although it is noisier. 

[Echan42]

The old 16-blade fans are fine until you start to use very high revs. At above around 6000 rpm you get what is known as 'cascade effect' (otherwise known as 'discing') where the fan cannot shift any air and becomes in effect a solid disc.

The plastic fans are much better for high revs, but for real air-shifting performance a 6-blade export fan is best, although it is noisier. 

I've had bad experiences with 6 blade fans, I can't get them to clear the shrowd and they hit it constantly.

[Cooperman]

 

The old 16-blade fans are fine until you start to use very high revs. At above around 6000 rpm you get what is known as 'cascade effect' (otherwise known as 'discing') where the fan cannot shift any air and becomes in effect a solid disc.

The plastic fans are much better for high revs, but for real air-shifting performance a 6-blade export fan is best, although it is noisier. 

I've had bad experiences with 6 blade fans, I can't get them to clear the shrowd and they hit it constantly.

 

 

I use a 6-blade on my 1964 Cooper S rally car and don't have any problems. However, I have the radiator bolted in firmly without the rubber bushes.

One thing to remember is that the fan on a Mini is a 'ducted fan'. It runs in the shroud and it is vital that the clearance between the blade tips and the shroud is quite small. If the clearance is too great the fan efficiency drops off quite quickly. I set the radiator in position with the bottom bolts a bit slack, line up the shroud to give equal clearance to the fan blade tips all round, then tighten up the lower bolts. After that I fit the top bracket using spacers to ensure no 'pull' when I tighten it all up firmly. I don't use the rubber 'washers' in the top mountings either.

I hope this makes sense.

[Echan42]

 

I use a 6-blade on my 1964 Cooper S rally car and don't have any problems. However, I have the radiator bolted in firmly without the rubber bushes.

One thing to remember is that the fan on a Mini is a 'ducted fan'. It runs in the shroud and it is vital that the clearance between the blade tips and the shroud is quite small. If the clearance is too great the fan efficiency drops off quite quickly. I set the radiator in position with the bottom bolts a bit slack, line up the shroud to give equal clearance to the fan blade tips all round, then tighten up the lower bolts. After that I fit the top bracket using spacers to ensure no 'pull' when I tighten it all up firmly. I don't use the rubber 'washers' in the top mountings either.

I hope this makes sense.

 

That makes sense Cooperman, Are you using the two piece or one piece shrowd? Sounds like the one piece, I might have to look into fitting mine without bushings and see how it goes

[Hpal]

The ribs go to the radiator side on the 16 blade metal one.

There are plenty of them in Australia - and they don’t disintegrate like a plastic one

Bugger. I'm currently fitting up the radiator to my engine before installation which is my last job to do, and with the supercharger on there if the fan goes the way you say then it'll foul on the tensioner pulley. I guess it'll still work backwards though but it sits inside the shroud a bit far. I may have to do something with the pulley to get some clearance.  

Attached Files

•  IMG_6058.jpg   89.94K   0 downloads
•  IMG_6056.jpg   105.05K   0 downloads

[timmy850]

They did fit fan spacers to some cars to push them into the radiator

http://www.minispare...lts/12A312.aspx

http://www.minispare...s/PGX10001.aspx

[Cooperman]

I use a 6-blade on my 1964 Cooper S rally car and don't have any problems. However, I have the radiator bolted in firmly without the rubber bushes.
One thing to remember is that the fan on a Mini is a 'ducted fan'. It runs in the shroud and it is vital that the clearance between the blade tips and the shroud is quite small. If the clearance is too great the fan efficiency drops off quite quickly. I set the radiator in position with the bottom bolts a bit slack, line up the shroud to give equal clearance to the fan blade tips all round, then tighten up the lower bolts. After that I fit the top bracket using spacers to ensure no 'pull' when I tighten it all up firmly. I don't use the rubber 'washers' in the top mountings either.
I hope this makes sense.

That makes sense Cooperman, Are you using the two piece or one piece shrowd? Sounds like the one piece, I might have to look into fitting mine without bushings and see how it goes

I have to use the 2-piece shroud because mine is a Mk.1 S and has the rectangular structure between rad and inner wing. It is all fairly straightforward though. Solidly bolting it all in is good because it can't move when going over big bumps on a rally.