Fan shroud

[mojobaby]

I don't know if thats the correct word for the plastic part that is fitted to the back of the radiator as in the photo below.
I'm having difficulty getting a radiator wide enough to accommodate the fan shroud.

Its very frustrating when some websites advertise radiators that are no longer available when you want to place an order.
It's even more frustrating when radiators that are advertised as being 390mm wide are in fact 350mm wide

Today I was told that the shroud is not necessary. I think it is otherwise Renault wouldn't have put it there.
Any thought please?

 

[reidalpine]

for an 850cc motor? I have one somewhere. Don't know the postage tho' -R.

 

[mojobaby]

Yes Reid, its an 850. If you find it, I'll gladly take it off your hands. Just let me know how much you want for it, plus the postage.

What sort of condition is it in? No leaks obviously.

I would also need to know the distance between the holes to make sure my shroud fits.

I would still like someone to comment on the advice that was given to me about the shroud not being necessary for the radiator.
They actually said, "not in the UK, northern France, Holland, Belgium etc. " Perhaps necessary in the south of France"

So is there anyone who has an 850 and doesn't have a fan shroud on their radiator?

 

[Paul Narramore]

You need to ask yourself what the purpose of the shroud is, and it is to direct the incoming air into the fan (I am presuming the car has an electric fan but whatever, the hot air passes through the fan). If your car overheats, which it may not even on a hot summers day and a blast down the motorway, then the shroud is an accessory that you could do without. If the engine does overheat, and you've cancelled out all of the other possibilities, then you need the shroud.

 

[reidalpine]

mojobaby. I'll check it out.I know for a fact it is all ok as if not i would have chucked it away.
I could check what it would be to send from Sweden(=EC) as I'm over there regularly.
From Norway(Non EC) it would be ridicilous expensive.
hang in there and I'll check it out ok?
To Paul..I agree with you -To a point,but if you find youself in slow-moving traffic and/or
crawling up long steep hills it is really good
to have, as it cools down the motor much faster and keeps it cool without the fan having
to put a load on your dynamo or alternator for long periods -Reid.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Let me add until r4 had electric fans hardly ever had head gasket to change on the 845 engine
Other issues include carburettor getting to hot as no airflow on 1108 in slow moving trafic until fan kicks in
I personally hate electric fans on cars with no tempurature gauge ☺

 

[Paul Narramore]

I have only driven my car a few times with the longest trip from Lancing to Maidstone, although I was stuck in stop-start traffic the other day, and I've yet to actually hear the fan come on. Possibly drowned out by the valve clatter. I've tested it so I know it does work. Is it obvious when it comes on ?

 

[jjad]

If you're stuck in traffic for a long time, it's usually possible to tell when the electric fan comes on in our 1108cc GTL because:
1. the engine note changes
2. you may be able to hear the fan itself.

Hope that helps.

 

[mojobaby]

Thanks for your comments Paul. The radiator on the 845cc is far smaller than the GTL so I believe that the shroud is there to concentrate the air flow through the radiator. I want to keep mine on but just need to find the correct radiator at a reasonable price
From the diagram above above, you can see that the whole back of the radiator is covered by the plastic shroud.

Remember that a "hot summers day" where you stay is probably 23-24 degrees whereas ours is 33-34

in answer to you question, the fan on my GTL comes on after 10 minutes idling and occasionally in stop start traffic on a "hot summers day". And its very noticeable

 

[mr-reno-139]

They normally vibrate as well especially if the bolts have fallen out
Very common had one fall off my f6 jammed gear change ☺

 

[reidalpine]

Mojobaby-You've got a PM -R.

 

[harbourseal]

Mojobaby, If you can't find a fitting radiator you can adapt the Fan shroud to fit the radiator. I did it for my project as wellAs you can see the new radiator is much wider than the old one. I simply made a new frame om the radiator to fit the shroud. For a hotter climate you benefit from a bigger radiator to

 

[mojobaby]

thanks Harbourseal, you have found the perfect solution.

I seem to have the reverse problem --- my shroud is wider than all the radiators that are offered by the usual suppliers.
I might have to follow your example and make a bracket but it may look a bit strange.
I did buy a radiator from Oscaro but sent it back because of the size difference

At the moment I am trying to find a smaller shroud so that I can buy Reidalpine's radiator

 

[mojobaby]

Hello Reidalpine, I've sent you a PM

 

[mojobaby]

and another one, Reidalpine!

My new radiator arrived today and as I expected, it's smaller than my fan shroud. I'll probably have to adapt it the same way that Harbourseal did in the above photo.
Only in reverse, as my radiator is smaller and not wider like Harbourseal's.

 

[mojobaby]

So here's the first step.........a 35mm wide strip of aluminum pop riveted to each side

The radiator is from PieceAuto24 in Germany-107Euro plus 10Euro delivery and comes with the rad cap.

 

[mojobaby]

Plastic fan shroud has now been attached to the aluminum side strips


View from the back

mounted to the engine...at long last

 

[Azazello]

At least it seems to be the all-metal model.

 

[mojobaby]

The radiator itself seems to be quite solid and well made, but the cap that was supplied is cheap quality. I might use my old one