How often does your Griff cooling fan engage?
Discussion
Hi,
I had a new radiator fitted to my 98 Griffith last year at 18k miles.
Slow leak, no overheating problems.
Since the new radiator, my fans seem to be engaging more often than I can remember not just in the warmer weather but even now in the colder, sometimes when I am just driving slowly.
Wonder if this is detrimental and how often you guys find your fans are switching on?
Cheers.
Mac.
I had a new radiator fitted to my 98 Griffith last year at 18k miles.
Slow leak, no overheating problems.
Since the new radiator, my fans seem to be engaging more often than I can remember not just in the warmer weather but even now in the colder, sometimes when I am just driving slowly.
Wonder if this is detrimental and how often you guys find your fans are switching on?
Cheers.
Mac.
My Fans come on and off constantly in slow Traffic whether its hot or cold outside.
Doesnt come one hardly at all when moving at a good constant speed this time of year.
In the summer on some hot days it can come if moving say around 40 - 50mph for a while.
Thing is a lot of these cars have very different Characteristics so its hard to asy that any to would be alike.
Maybe it needs a good Flush out and Bleeding.
BB
Doesnt come one hardly at all when moving at a good constant speed this time of year.
In the summer on some hot days it can come if moving say around 40 - 50mph for a while.
Thing is a lot of these cars have very different Characteristics so its hard to asy that any to would be alike.
Maybe it needs a good Flush out and Bleeding.
BB
Ballistic Banana said:
My Fans come on and off constantly in slow Traffic whether its hot or cold outside.
Doesnt come one hardly at all when moving at a good constant speed this time of year.
In the summer on some hot days it can come if moving say around 40 - 50mph for a while.
Thing is a lot of these cars have very different Characteristics so its hard to asy that any to would be alike.
Maybe it needs a good Flush out and Bleeding.
BB
Likewise. (1992 4.3BV)
Ballistic Banana said:
My Fans come on and off constantly in slow Traffic whether its hot or cold outside.
Doesnt come one hardly at all when moving at a good constant speed this time of year.
In the summer on some hot days it can come if moving say around 40 - 50mph for a while.
Thing is a lot of these cars have very different Characteristics so its hard to asy that any to would be alike.
Maybe it needs a good Flush out and Bleeding.
BB
Again, likewise - anything around 90 Degrees should see the fan on/working.
Just a quick one - but I'm sure the experience will known - if I'm in a jam or slow moving traffic I will pull off (sounds a bit pervy) switch the engine off and then the ignition back on and the fans will cool the engine down in about 5 mins.
1992 Pre-Cat.
carefull Paul...
5 mins of two BIG fans will seriously draw on your battery! very hot starter will draw lots of current on re-start too, which MAY be too much to handle.
happened to me in Italy...embarassing bump start
was fine after that. if its getting too hot in traffic and can't bring it down you need a new radiator! Water wetter and a cooler thermostat can put this off for a couple of years, but in the end i had to change it.
5 mins of two BIG fans will seriously draw on your battery! very hot starter will draw lots of current on re-start too, which MAY be too much to handle.
happened to me in Italy...embarassing bump start
was fine after that. if its getting too hot in traffic and can't bring it down you need a new radiator! Water wetter and a cooler thermostat can put this off for a couple of years, but in the end i had to change it.
Must go for a bleed of the system first. My V8s was a paragon of virute even in full summer in France.
The Griff was a complete g*t. Bled the system and it was better. I also added a bigger ally rad and it now is a paragon of vitrue.
Mind you if the car doesn't actually boil over then the system is working and is it just paranoia creeping in?
The Griff was a complete g*t. Bled the system and it was better. I also added a bigger ally rad and it now is a paragon of vitrue.
Mind you if the car doesn't actually boil over then the system is working and is it just paranoia creeping in?
If you’ve got the standard cooling system with no leaks, the otter switch at the bottom of the swirl tank (I understand later cars have it at the radiator outlet, which is where it should be) and no splitter fitted (I believe the splitter is standard, though most are missing), then when driving at low speed, sub 50 mph, once the engine is up to temperature the fans will keep switching on quite a short cycle. This is considered normal.
In my opinion stopping and switching of the engine but then switching the fans back on (however achieved) is not recommended. The fans will provide limited cooling to the engine by forcing are into the bay, but will dramatically cool the water in the radiator and since the water pump is not running this stays predominantly in the radiator. Then when you restart, this cooler than normal water is pumped into the engine that now has hot spots since circulation has stopped, cant be good.
I didn’t like normal, so my solution to this problem was to fit a fan override switch and sometimes a splitter for the summer months.
Once in slow moving traffic I switch the override on after I’ve noticed a couple of fan cycles and then off again as the temp gauge drops to around 70 (it never goes lower than this) or when we start moving again.
Before I got all the leaks sorted and air from the system I found a splitter in the summer months helped, though last year she ran through with no problems. If going abroad though I would recommend having one fitted.
Cheers,
Simon.
In my opinion stopping and switching of the engine but then switching the fans back on (however achieved) is not recommended. The fans will provide limited cooling to the engine by forcing are into the bay, but will dramatically cool the water in the radiator and since the water pump is not running this stays predominantly in the radiator. Then when you restart, this cooler than normal water is pumped into the engine that now has hot spots since circulation has stopped, cant be good.
I didn’t like normal, so my solution to this problem was to fit a fan override switch and sometimes a splitter for the summer months.
Once in slow moving traffic I switch the override on after I’ve noticed a couple of fan cycles and then off again as the temp gauge drops to around 70 (it never goes lower than this) or when we start moving again.
Before I got all the leaks sorted and air from the system I found a splitter in the summer months helped, though last year she ran through with no problems. If going abroad though I would recommend having one fitted.
Cheers,
Simon.
[quote=Guillotine]carefull Paul...
5 mins of two BIG fans will seriously draw on your battery! very hot starter will draw lots of current on re-start too, which MAY be too much to handle.
quote]
I hear what you are saying - but a car with a good battery, good earths (including engine) and a good alternator should be able to handle pulling over and having a rest!!!
5 mins of two BIG fans will seriously draw on your battery! very hot starter will draw lots of current on re-start too, which MAY be too much to handle.
quote]
I hear what you are saying - but a car with a good battery, good earths (including engine) and a good alternator should be able to handle pulling over and having a rest!!!
I also agree with everything else above - but after the ability to stop and start your car at will - you should then look to fully/purge bleed the system (all those high points on the cooling system) - then the car should work as TVR intended.
If you are a total 'lazy-git' and want to be able to run a Griff/Early TVR in heavy traffic you should mod the rad, otter etc but I don't think it's totally necessary - after all TVR thought it would work originally.
Do you realise how easily it is to bump a 'warm' Griff - if it was on the level or a slight down hill I could do it myself.
Anyway guys how's things - I've been hibernating
If you are a total 'lazy-git' and want to be able to run a Griff/Early TVR in heavy traffic you should mod the rad, otter etc but I don't think it's totally necessary - after all TVR thought it would work originally.
Do you realise how easily it is to bump a 'warm' Griff - if it was on the level or a slight down hill I could do it myself.
Anyway guys how's things - I've been hibernating
Mine decided to stay on even when key removed after a nice run today.
Ian at TorqueRVT san me through the checks; disconnect both snap connectors and then remove both leads from otter switch, and reconnect snap ons ; fans started again. Reckons it's an earth problem so he'll actually be at his garage on sunday, in the morning, cos we want to go out in the afternoon to classic car (heavy on the Rovers) show in Warrington.
Service or what?
Ian at TorqueRVT san me through the checks; disconnect both snap connectors and then remove both leads from otter switch, and reconnect snap ons ; fans started again. Reckons it's an earth problem so he'll actually be at his garage on sunday, in the morning, cos we want to go out in the afternoon to classic car (heavy on the Rovers) show in Warrington.
Service or what?
ultimate120 said:Two things, i) did they replace the otter switch with a lower temperature rated one? ii) If not the otter switch could be on the way out. I always assumed they either worked or not but ealier this year mine simply started "playing-up" i.e. switching on and off randomly. Either way a replacement is about £15 and get the correct temp rating item. Rich...
Hi, I had a new radiator fitted to my 98 Griffith last year at 18k miles. etc. Mac.
i seem to have an interesting variation on the old cooling issue on my griff. It a 4.5 b.v. but has had the later twin fans fitted in the new style nose at some point. Basically the fans come on automatically or via the override switch, which is fine, but after a long journey seem to stay on so much they blow the fuse... not good.
Also after the fuse has blown and been replaced the relay fuse panel seems to need a good prod for the fans to start to work again...
I'm thinking there's either some dodgy connection somewhere or i need a more efficient rad to keep the temp down in the first place, probably a light to show when the fans are on might help to diagnose...
Also after the fuse has blown and been replaced the relay fuse panel seems to need a good prod for the fans to start to work again...
I'm thinking there's either some dodgy connection somewhere or i need a more efficient rad to keep the temp down in the first place, probably a light to show when the fans are on might help to diagnose...
Sounds to me like you have a poor contact in the fuse box causing resistive heating, rather than a problem with the fans as such.
Are both fans powered by a single fuse and relay? If so it's quite likely that both components are overloaded, and it would be a good idea to improve the power supply. A mod wise fan power supply upgrade would probably be the easiest way to do this.
Are both fans powered by a single fuse and relay? If so it's quite likely that both components are overloaded, and it would be a good idea to improve the power supply. A mod wise fan power supply upgrade would probably be the easiest way to do this.
VWP sell replacent crimp terms that fit in the receptacles that connect to the back of the fusebox. The bunches of cable that go into these connectors seem to take a lot of abuse (vibration / rubbing / stretching...). I succesfully split the fans into two circuits using one of the free relay holders & fuse holders in the fusebox, its not too difficult. Would advise checking behind the fusebox & taping up any frayed cables (yes I found some so I guess others may also) and tidying the wiring where it gets squashed in, I also put some rubber between the wheelarch and where the fusebox 'traps' the wires when clamped down. All bit of a PITA but worth it IMHO.
Dave
Dave
Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff