cooling fan position

[merlody]

when i installed the R5 engine in my R4 , i replaced the radiator with R5 one, i moved it a bit forward toward the front of the vehicle but no space for a electrical fan to put, thus i put the fan in the other side of the radiator (towards the front of it) and switched the electrical wires to reverse the fan's rotation

so does that affects the cooling of the radiator or engine? could this cause the fan to b an obstacle for the cooling air?

note: i have no mechanical one attached to the engine as this engine rotates in an opposite direction
thnx

 

[malcolm]

Reversing the direction of the fan will make it slightly less efficient, but it shouldn't be too bad. I've seen R4 conversions with the fan on the other side of the radiator, though only in cooler countries.

The problem you might have is the fan blowing the air through the radiator, than the same hot air circulating to the side, coming forwards through or around the radiator, and being pushed through the radiator again. So you never get any cool air, just the same hot air going round and round. You can test where the air is going using a strip of light paper on a stick.

That's a problem with the MGB. They fitted two smaller fans on some models. Other manufacturers will duct cold air to the fan from the front of the car, or try to make sure hot air can escape (big holes in the inner wings/fender mountings or vents in the bonnet.