Cooling Fans - or Not
Discussion
Newbie alert.:yikes:
I got my Griff about six weeks ago, the same time my company moved me to Cardiff. Not a bad place to live but not too convenient when the car is in Bedfordshire, but there you go.
Anyway after finally putting some miles on it I have a question on the engine temperature (I checked back as far as page 20 to see if it had been covered before but then gave up after seeing there were 257 more pages!).
Its a 1999 Griff and seemed to race very quickly to 90 degrees going a bit lower when cruising and higher when in traffic (but only to about 94). Once parked up and cooled down I checked (via Steve Heaths methods) that the thermostat was opening and water running through the radiator at about 55-60 then it held at 70 for a while, but at about 80 the fans cut in but only for aminute and then cut out at 82, then cut in again at 90 and cut out two minutes later at 92. This doesn't strike me as how they were designed to operate.
I thought about replacing the thermostat that controls them but the 'Bible' seems a bit confusing as to location - is it the bolt with two wires coming out of it stuck in the inlet pipe to the top left of the radiator? (viewing from the drivers seat), because I have nothing at the bottom of the swirl tank.
Sorry about the rambling question but it is my first time.:)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I got my Griff about six weeks ago, the same time my company moved me to Cardiff. Not a bad place to live but not too convenient when the car is in Bedfordshire, but there you go.
Anyway after finally putting some miles on it I have a question on the engine temperature (I checked back as far as page 20 to see if it had been covered before but then gave up after seeing there were 257 more pages!).
Its a 1999 Griff and seemed to race very quickly to 90 degrees going a bit lower when cruising and higher when in traffic (but only to about 94). Once parked up and cooled down I checked (via Steve Heaths methods) that the thermostat was opening and water running through the radiator at about 55-60 then it held at 70 for a while, but at about 80 the fans cut in but only for aminute and then cut out at 82, then cut in again at 90 and cut out two minutes later at 92. This doesn't strike me as how they were designed to operate.
I thought about replacing the thermostat that controls them but the 'Bible' seems a bit confusing as to location - is it the bolt with two wires coming out of it stuck in the inlet pipe to the top left of the radiator? (viewing from the drivers seat), because I have nothing at the bottom of the swirl tank.
Sorry about the rambling question but it is my first time.:)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
FleshlightFreddy said:
Newbie alert. 
I got my Griff about six weeks ago, the same time my company moved me to Cardiff. Not a bad place to live but not too convenient when the car is in Bedfordshire, but there you go.
Anyway after finally putting some miles on it I have a question on the engine temperature (I checked back as far as page 20 to see if it had been covered before but then gave up after seeing there were 257 more pages!).
Its a 1999 Griff and seemed to race very quickly to 90 degrees going a bit lower when cruising and higher when in traffic (but only to about 94). Once parked up and cooled down I checked (via Steve Heaths methods) that the thermostat was opening and water running through the radiator at about 55-60 then it held at 70 for a while, but at about 80 the fans cut in but only for aminute and then cut out at 82, then cut in again at 90 and cut out two minutes later at 92. This doesn't strike me as how they were designed to operate.
I thought about replacing the thermostat that controls them but the 'Bible' seems a bit confusing as to location - is it the bolt with two wires coming out of it stuck in the inlet pipe to the top left of the radiator? (viewing from the drivers seat), because I have nothing at the bottom of the swirl tank.
Sorry about the rambling question but it is my first time.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
welcome FF, theres a quicker way to look for something specific. In the nav bar at the top theres a search button drop that down to forums,click and hey presto put what you want to search in the window and then pic a forum you want to search in.
I think you have found the thermostat, It moved from the bottom of the swirl pot to the inlet pipe at some time, or previous owner may have put it there.
BB
Ours is satrting to show the same symptoms - reasing 80 one day then 90 and then 94. Not sure which is right but sometime the fabns come on at 82, then 90, then 90+. Fans aren't on for long. Maybe related to the speedo eathing though????
Where can I get an adjustable from and is it a case of cutting the hose to mount it or in the steel pipe?
FFG
Where can I get an adjustable from and is it a case of cutting the hose to mount it or in the steel pipe?
FFG
FFG,
I think the 'adjustable' that David is referring to above is the two stage fan kit that is/was available from 'Modwise'.
I am not sure if Modwise is still doing the kit, but someone will be able to confirm.
I have had this kit fitted which doesn't need the standard system modified,it just takes its temperature information from a better place as David says above.
Paul
I think the 'adjustable' that David is referring to above is the two stage fan kit that is/was available from 'Modwise'.
I am not sure if Modwise is still doing the kit, but someone will be able to confirm.
I have had this kit fitted which doesn't need the standard system modified,it just takes its temperature information from a better place as David says above.
Paul
I'm sure David at Mod Wise will correct me if necessary, I was speaking to him yesterday about this...
The adjustable otter switch is one of the solutions he provides. The other is the two speed fan kit - two different solutions to the same family of problems.
I went for the two speed fan kit which effectively takes the otter switch out of the equation and has the additional advantage of controlling the underbonnet heat somewhat.
The adjustble otter is just that, but much more reliable than the original.
I think I've got that right.
Cheers
John.
The adjustable otter switch is one of the solutions he provides. The other is the two speed fan kit - two different solutions to the same family of problems.
I went for the two speed fan kit which effectively takes the otter switch out of the equation and has the additional advantage of controlling the underbonnet heat somewhat.
The adjustble otter is just that, but much more reliable than the original.
I think I've got that right.
Cheers
John.
FFG,
I am no expert on this, but as far as I know David does three kits: the first is just a manual overide switch to switch the fans on earlier than the standard otter would do if left alone.
The second kit can bring the fans on at half speed based on a temperature sensor put on the outside of the inlet pipe to the rad and the sensor can be adjusted to bring the fans on earlier and at half speed than the point at which the fans go to full speed which is still switched by the otter. The half speed fan operation gives more even engine temperature on a run and earlier heat disipation in the engine bay and hence reduces heat soak into the footwells etc.
The third kit more or less supercedes the existing otter (although it is left in the circuit for safety reasons). The kit can adjust the temperature at which the fans come on at half speed and the temperature at which they speed up to full speed. This kit can also have an 'extra' which will keep the fans running on full speed after the ignition is switch off until the temperature in the rad inlet pipe reduces and then they switch off and stay off until the car is used again.
As far as I am aware none of the kits replace the otter with an adjustable version (if such a thing exists)
hope this is right and that it helps.
edited to say: I have had my kit for 6 mths now - if David has since brought out an adjustable otter as CV1040 says then I stand corrected.
Paul
>> Edited by Dutchone on Wednesday 3rd August 16:51
I am no expert on this, but as far as I know David does three kits: the first is just a manual overide switch to switch the fans on earlier than the standard otter would do if left alone.
The second kit can bring the fans on at half speed based on a temperature sensor put on the outside of the inlet pipe to the rad and the sensor can be adjusted to bring the fans on earlier and at half speed than the point at which the fans go to full speed which is still switched by the otter. The half speed fan operation gives more even engine temperature on a run and earlier heat disipation in the engine bay and hence reduces heat soak into the footwells etc.
The third kit more or less supercedes the existing otter (although it is left in the circuit for safety reasons). The kit can adjust the temperature at which the fans come on at half speed and the temperature at which they speed up to full speed. This kit can also have an 'extra' which will keep the fans running on full speed after the ignition is switch off until the temperature in the rad inlet pipe reduces and then they switch off and stay off until the car is used again.
As far as I am aware none of the kits replace the otter with an adjustable version (if such a thing exists)
hope this is right and that it helps.
edited to say: I have had my kit for 6 mths now - if David has since brought out an adjustable otter as CV1040 says then I stand corrected.
Paul
>> Edited by Dutchone on Wednesday 3rd August 16:51
I think this is the adjustable otter switch...
www.clarionservice.co.uk/id29.html
AFAIK, David's been doing some updates on his web page. As Dutchone says the 2 stage cooling kit (www.clarionservice.co.uk/id27.html) comes in various flavours.
www.clarionservice.co.uk/id29.html
AFAIK, David's been doing some updates on his web page. As Dutchone says the 2 stage cooling kit (www.clarionservice.co.uk/id27.html) comes in various flavours.
As Duchone said, but the adjustable otter mod isn't a half speed thing, it is on or off. I had the 'adjustable otter' on my last griff. Basically it is an additional sensor to the existing otter switch and merely switches the fans on at the temp you want rather than when the otter wants. The otter is left in and will still switch the fans on if it gets hot enough. The adjustable part takes its temperature from the rad outlet pipe.
(using the same principle that if you hold a paper clip over the 2 otter terminals, the fans come on. Replace paper clip with adjustable temperature thingy). Make sense?
Works very well.
(using the same principle that if you hold a paper clip over the 2 otter terminals, the fans come on. Replace paper clip with adjustable temperature thingy). Make sense?
Works very well.
Paul,
I've got kit 2. Agree with all you have posted except kit 2 also has the run on option after turning the ignition off. This may not be standard but I did ask David for this.
As I haven't got round to fitting it not sure if I need the otter override. Assume I can opt for this if need be later.
FFG
I've got kit 2. Agree with all you have posted except kit 2 also has the run on option after turning the ignition off. This may not be standard but I did ask David for this.
As I haven't got round to fitting it not sure if I need the otter override. Assume I can opt for this if need be later.
FFG
I've got kit 2 without the run-on extra which FFG has.
It's a doddle to fit, once you know where all the bits have to go.
I've got the 1st slow phase fans kicking in at 85 and it will hold it there happily unless I've been on a blast and suddenly grind to a halt - in which case the otter switch comes in around 90
It's surprising how much the slow speed fans reduce the heat soak and I've had no problems at all with the kit or with cooling. I put the kit in as a precaution.
If anyone wants pics of this in situ feel free to drop me a line.
It's a doddle to fit, once you know where all the bits have to go.
I've got the 1st slow phase fans kicking in at 85 and it will hold it there happily unless I've been on a blast and suddenly grind to a halt - in which case the otter switch comes in around 90
It's surprising how much the slow speed fans reduce the heat soak and I've had no problems at all with the kit or with cooling. I put the kit in as a precaution.
If anyone wants pics of this in situ feel free to drop me a line.
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