The front radiator and an electric fan

[Pavel]

Hi friends,
I get into hysterics to change my old radiator (placed behind the gear box) for the nice front radiator with the electric fan and thermostat. Is it a good idea? What I need (sure except the new radiator, fan, motor and hoses) and what problems can I expect? Has anybody a picture, how is it fixed? Many thanks a regards from rainy Prague :wink:

 

[angel]

You will also need a support for the gearshift lever (similar to the one used at the GTL-it can be easily made) and if you have the old style bonnet with the diagonal cross-bars, another GTL-style bonnet.
Electrical fans are nice in almost everything except that you don't know when they really work (and if they fail...). So I suggest that you fit either a temprature gauge (check on which point the fan operates) or an indicator lamp connected in parallel to the fan motor (better still to fit an overrider switch so you can operate the fan manually if the thermo-switch fails).
Have you ever thought of upgrading the existing radiator to a 3-core? Just today I was talikng with a friend who had his radiator made like this and he said he had noticeable temperature decrease. (we are waiting for the hot Greek summer as the tough test!)

 

[Pavel]

3-core radiator

You will also need a support for the gearshift lever (similar to the one used at the GTL-it can be easily made) and if you have the old style bonnet with the diagonal cross-bars, another GTL-style bonnet.
Electrical fans are nice in almost everything except that you don't know when they really work (and if they fail...). So I suggest that you fit either a temprature gauge (check on which point the fan operates) or an indicator lamp connected in parallel to the fan motor (better still to fit an overrider switch so you can operate the fan manually if the thermo-switch fails).
Have you ever thought of upgrading the existing radiator to a 3-core? Just today I was talikng with a friend who had his radiator made like this and he said he had noticeable temperature decrease. (we are waiting for the hot Greek summer as the tough test!)

Thank you for the message. What 3-core radiator you mean? Pavel

 

[angel]

The "honeycomb" you see on a radiator from the outside is actually a series of two rows of vertical tubes, running from the top cover to the bottom. If you go to a radiator specialist you can ask him to replace this core with one with three rows of tubes (and keep the R4 covers). It's a bit pricey, around 150 euros here.

 

[Pavel]

You will also need a support for the gearshift lever (similar to the one used at the GTL-it can be easily made) and if you have the old style bonnet with the diagonal cross-bars, another GTL-style bonnet.
Electrical fans are nice in almost everything except that you don't know when they really work (and if they fail...). So I suggest that you fit either a temprature gauge (check on which point the fan operates) or an indicator lamp connected in parallel to the fan motor (better still to fit an overrider switch so you can operate the fan manually if the thermo-switch fails).
Have you ever thought of upgrading the existing radiator to a 3-core? Just today I was talikng with a friend who had his radiator made like this and he said he had noticeable temperature decrease. (we are waiting for the hot Greek summer as the tough test!)

Did you mean those cross-bars in the bonnet front part? May be, I can it cut and weld other way?

 

[angel]

Yes, these are the bars, if you cut them the bonnet becomes very flexible and soes not shut well.
You can possibly make another form of reinforcement as on the GTL bonnet (has anyone a photo of it?) but it would be very time-consuming.

 

[Pavel]

Hi Angel, I´m always thinking about the electric fan. I noted, Renault 21 Nevada has two big compressive fans befor the radiator. What about the solution, to leave the radiator on its place in the middle of the underhood area and to place this electric fan befor the radiator?

 

[angel]

I have seen an R4 with such a setup once but never knew if it worked or not. I would guess it is OK since you retain the original mechanical fan.
But in my opinion the 845 suffers from cooling capacity (too small a radiator) not poor air flow, so I would opt for a larger radiator.