[Spits] Electric Fan Power

[Jim Muller]

On 22 Feb 2009 at 1:00, John Macartney wrote:

> Jim Muller's observations are all valid and sensible.

Thank you, sir.

> I've had a number of modern Euroboxes over the last 20 odd
> years whose electric fans ran briefly after switch-off.

Back in a prior life I bought a new '74 Fiat X-1/9.  First year they 
came out, I believe, certainly the first in the US.  Marvelous little 
mid-engine throw-about but anemic in the engine department.  This was 
the height of the era of clean-exhaust regulations with only marginal 
technology to get it done.  Carbs were set so lean that hot-starting 
was always problematic.  With the engine packed into the middle of 
the car and surrounded by insulation, the problem was even worse.  
(Th radiator was up front.)  So Fiat installed a thermo-switched fan 
just to blow on the carb to prevent vapor lock.  One didn't want to 
stall the engine on a hot day; it might be 5 minutes before it would 
start again.  It was disconcerting to park the car and hear the fan 
click on as I walked away.  It never ran the battery down, but this 
was a dedicated small fan for the carb, not the general-cooling 
radiator fan.

-- 
Jim Muller
jimmuller at rcn.com
'80 Spitfire, '70 GT6+