Learned my lesson at the expense of a radiator

[chepsk8]

Wrecked the radiator in COBRASK8 taking the easy way out in mounting the electric fan. I used thier mounting method which just puts plastic ties through the core. Well, less than a month, with all the shaking the Cobra does, killed a few tubes on a new 3-row radiator. Ouch!

Going back to mounting the electric fan solidly on the shroud, leave the radiator alone!

 

[tos]

Thats good to know. I always wondered if that was a problem for anybody.

 

[1966conv]

Interesting, What happened? That's the way I've mounted my electric fan and have had it that way going on 3 years now. I've had it on the track and put about 3500 miles on it with no problems.

 

[Cbarton]

Yeah, that IS odd, I have mounted several fans on several cars over the years and have never had any issues...........

Chris

 

[chepsk8]

One of the things I am guessing is that the radiator is an an angle, so the fan also hangs at the angle. Combined with a solid radiator mount, very stiff spring/shocks, the whole car rocks on every bump, I'm guessing I just shook it loose.

 

[grego37]

I've used those for years without any problems.
Are you sure you had the ties tight enough?
Did your fan have a rubber bead where it touches the radiator, so you can pull those zip ties tight and the rubber compresses?

 

[krash kendall]

My trans cooler was mounted the same way for the past year without a problem. When I had my rad rebuilt two weeks ago though, they threw out the ties and on their recommendation I made a seperate aluminum mount that bolts to the rad support and stands it off the rad. I never liked blocking off 1/4 of the small rad with the cooler in the first place.

 

[bnickel]

i have the same problem on my jeep, the OE electric fan bit the dust and i replace it with a cheaper aftermarket fan, but it was a quality fan just cheaper than a new OE one. the ties eventually killed the radiator core.

 

[RogerC62]

I've never liked the way those mounted through the radiator. It just never seemed right to me. When I had my 79 stang, I remounted the electric fan the PO installed by making a mount and shroud attaching it to the radiator mounting flange.

 

[chepsk8]

Final report!

Got it all back together, put the original Mustang fan shroud back on, & mounted the electric fan in it.

SUPER COOL! runs right on the thermostat, cools the radiator within 5 minutes of shut-down.

Learned my lesson!

 

[Edbert]

Are you sure you had the ties tight enough?

I guess it could have been too lose, but I was thinking it might have been too tight. You know, sorta stressing the welds before it was even driven.

Have you contacted the manufacturer about it? Not from a warranty standpoint but seeing what they think might have been the cause.

 

[krash kendall]

I guess it could have been too lose, but I was thinking it might have been too tight. You know, sorta stressing the welds before it was even driven.

Not to mention the effects of expansion and contraction if it was on too tight.

 

[grego37]

Final report!

Got it all back together, put the original Mustang fan shroud back on, & mounted the electric fan in it.

where in the shroud did you mount it?
at the round end of the shroud near the water pump?

 

[chepsk8]

Mounted a round 16" electric fan assembly from SPAL in the same location as the motor-driven fan would be.