Fans & Starters!!

[Waynester]

Ok I have just had my cooling looked at, override switch fitted for peace of mind.
Just been out for couple of hours & noticed temp climbing so I flicked the switch...nothing! So popped bonnet and the fan appears to have siezed,
you can see where the end of the blades have been striking the
cowling. I managed to free it off & sprayed some WD, but still no life? I reckon it's probably popped a fuse &
that the fan itself is fooked??

Also had new battery fitted & new
alternator as it was struggling to start. When 1st started from cold after being trickle charger she fires up as
normal, but for the rest of the time when it's turned & re started it really struggles. All the symptoms of a flat
battery, except it's not, it's charging beautifully....starter motor?? Nothing else left is there?
What starter is it, simple to swap
out?

Sorry long winded....you have to love these Wedges & their superb timing, bless their little oily valves





Edit: could a mod delete my other thread minus subject title please?
Me & iPhones

Edited by Waynester on Wednesday 23 June 17:23

[Jack Valiant]

Check the main power cable to the starter as these often go bad due to heat from the proximity to the headers and down pipe. Changed mine last year after similar problems and all fine.

Chris

[Number 7]

Waynester said:

Ok I have just had my cooling looked at, override switch fitted for peace of mind.
Just been out for couple of hours & noticed temp climbing so I flicked the switch...nothing! So popped bonnet and the fan appears to have siezed,
you can see where the end of the blades have been striking the
cowling. I managed to free it off & sprayed some WD, but still no life? I reckon it's probably popped a fuse &
that the fan itself is fooked??

Also had new battery fitted & new
alternator as it was struggling to start. When 1st started from cold after being trickle charger she fires up as
normal, but for the rest of the time when it's turned & re started it really struggles. All the symptoms of a flat
battery, except it's not, it's charging beautifully....starter motor?? Nothing else left is there?
What starter is it, simple to swap
out?

Sorry long winded....you have to love these Wedges & their superb timing, bless their little oily valves





Edit: could a mod delete my other thread minus subject title please?
Me & iPhones

Edited by Waynester on Wednesday 23 June 17:23

I would guess you're right about the fan fuse, but what caused the fan to foul the cowling in the first place? Sounds like the fan/motor assembly has come loose somehow. Without lknowing exactly what fan arrangement you have it's difficult to suggest, but my Davies Craig fan/motor is secured to the cowling by 3 small allen headed bolts.

As for the starter, they do eventually get fried by being so close to the o/s manifold. My last one went the same way - ok when cold and charged, but slow to turn when hot. Eventually started smoking, so I replaced it and fabricated a couple of heat shields, one around the manifold and one under the starter.

7.

Edited by Number 7 on Wednesday 23 June 18:29

[400SE Dave]

My fan was in the process of seizing. Got a new one from these:-

http://www.mawsolutions.com/

It was the DC31. The only thing I had to 'adapt' was making a cut out at the top of the fan cowl to allow the bonnet to open/close. Cost was a bit over £100 and it arrived next day.

HTH

Edited by 400SE Dave on Wednesday 23 June 19:16

[CHJ]

You can get a high-geared starter which is smaller and has more torque than the original (had one fitted to my car when the old one gave up). I'll see if I can find out who makes them etc. - might take a day or two though.

Chris

[combine]

Heat wrap the manifolds closest to starter motor , also wrap starter in heat reflective wrap , should last much longer I hope as i've done this .

[Waynester]

Thanks all...

I think the motor has moved slightly thus hitting the inside cowling. The black blades had smeared melted plastic on the inner yellow cowl through friction before finally it gave up! Problem is you can't hear the
things struggling/dying above the noise of the engine..

Thanks Dave will look into that..

The high torque starter sounds good, just typical after spending gzillion ££ recently on her she decides to throw a wobbly so close to Wedge fest!

Edited by Waynester on Wednesday 23 June 22:15

[gsx600]

Wayne I have a spare starter that I won't be needing now

I can dig it out of shed and test it if you want ?

[Waynester]

gsx600 said:

Wayne I have a spare starter that I won't be needing now

I can dig it out of shed and test it if you want ?

That would be great Paul, was about to order one but will wait...

[CHJ]

Waynester said:

Thanks all...

The high torque starter sounds good

Edited by Waynester on Wednesday 23 June 22:15

Just found out - the starter was made by luke motorsport ( www.lukemotorsport.co.uk ) - they also do fans, alternators etc. Not sure what the current prices are like, but could be worth a call. They are much smaller than the orginal so slightly better clearance from the exhaust.

Cheers,

Chris

[adam quantrill]

£55 - http://www.brookwell.co.uk/item/243/replacement-st...

I put one on the 350i - bargain! Turns over twice as quickly.

[Waynester]

400SE Dave said:

My fan was in the process of seizing. Got a new one from these:-

http://www.mawsolutions.com/

It was the DC31. The only thing I had to 'adapt' was making a cut out at the top of the fan cowl to allow the bonnet to open/close. Cost was a bit over £100 and it arrived next day.

HTH

Edited by 400SE Dave on Wednesday 23 June 19:16

Dave how's the fan working out for you??

SEAC is currently at Str8six & they diagnosed a kaput seized fan! They can get one for £160, so.......just want to check the one from Maw is the way to go??

[400SE Dave]

Waynester said:

400SE Dave said:

My fan was in the process of seizing. Got a new one from these:-

http://www.mawsolutions.com/

It was the DC31. The only thing I had to 'adapt' was making a cut out at the top of the fan cowl to allow the bonnet to open/close. Cost was a bit over £100 and it arrived next day.

HTH

Edited by 400SE Dave on Wednesday 23 June 19:16

Dave how's the fan working out for you??

SEAC is currently at Str8six & they diagnosed a kaput seized fan! They can get one for £160, so.......just want to check the one from Maw is the way to go??

Fan works great and as it the same make as the original it uses the same mounting bolts. I'll take a quick piccy of the cutout on the top and I see if I can load it up.

Cheers, David

[400SE Dave]

400SE Dave said:

I'll take a quick piccy of the cutout on the top and I see if I can load it up.

Cheers, David

Hope this works!! A picture of the cut out I made on top of the fan cowl to allow the bonnet to open and shut:-



and now a shot of the box just in case you need any additional code numbers.



HTH. David

Edited by 400SE Dave on Sunday 4th July 17:33

[Waynester]

Thanks muchly Dave, really helps!

Should be able to get it ordered, fitted & back into my itchy hands asap!!

[Number 7]

400SE Dave said:

Hope this works!! A picture of the cut out I made on top of the fan cowl to allow the bonnet to open and shut:-

That's odd, as I have a Davies Craig fan setup, and I have at least 10mm clearance to the bonnet. Maybe the mounting position of the radiator in your car is slightly different to mine.

7.

[400SE Dave]

Number 7 said:

400SE Dave said:

Hope this works!! A picture of the cut out I made on top of the fan cowl to allow the bonnet to open and shut:-

That's odd, as I have a Davies Craig fan setup, and I have at least 10mm clearance to the bonnet. Maybe the mounting position of the radiator in your car is slightly different to mine.

7.

The original one had a moulded shape (basically the same as I have done but with rounded edges!) in the cowl. No idea why 1 400SE would be different to another.....although the more you read about TVR's the more it becomes clear that they all 'unique' in some way

[Waynester]

Gave them a call to order one... Out of stock, & will be over a month at least until he gets more! From Australia apparently...

[400SE Dave]

Waynester said:

Gave them a call to order one... Out of stock, & will be over a month at least until he gets more! From Australia apparently...

Bugger! You can order them direct from Davis Craig on their website but when I checked they were more expensive than buying it from MAW Maybe worth checking though to see if it can be any quicker.

Here is a link to the site:-

http://www.daviescraig.com.au/

HTH. David

[Waynester]

All sorted!!

I have a brand new fan fitted, from a Tuscan or Sagaris apparently. Anyway it is bloody powerful. No sign at all of the temp climbing the red, when it does come on it cools the engine down in 1/5 of the time!


Had the starter replaced, and various earth & wires shortened for less
resistance... something like that anyway.
The speed at which it turns over is amazing compared to the old one!

Now if I can motivate myself and clean her before next weeks BBWF I will be happy.