>After the three row core and a new water pump have been
> added, it still overheats while stopped in traffic.
An electric fan is a good mod regardless of how your cooling system is performing. You can only see the fan if you bend down and look into the grille. The auto store special after-market fans are all black, and even less visible. The fan is easily adapted without drilling extra holes, using longer radiator mounting bolts which go through the bulkhead. It is a simple matter to bolt fan brackets on to the protruding bolts so the fan is mounted in front of the radiator. Do they work? So far i have been running a couple of days with only and electric fan installed, and I notice very little difference in cooling.
There is one other thing to check if your car seems to be overheating in traffic after all those modifications. Are you using the guage to determine your temperature, or is the radiator actually blowing steam? Check this carefully. If your guage shows much over 200 degrees, your radiator should be boiling. If not, suspect the guage. If you want to get technical, try measuring the temp of the coolant with a good thermometer.
There is a reason, and a fix for this. In order to insure a steady current to the guages and avoid voltage spikes, Rootes installed a voltage regulator before the temperture and fuel guages the S III-V cars (early cars don't have them). This regulator works through use of a vibrating contact that is alternately "on" and "off". Since it is on more than off, the effect is to produce an average or net voltage of about 10 V. The guage needles are too slow to react to the on-off effect. If this voltage regulator has been bypassed or removed, your guages are probably hooked up to a direct 12 V hot wire. The effect on the temperature guage is to increase the readings about 20-30 degrees. In other words, at normal driving temps your guage says you're boiling, and you're really not. I learned about this while setting up my S III, and finally had it straightened out at SUNI I in 1989. That was before we had a mailing list, and I was really in the dark.
The regulator is small, about 1/4 the size of a small match box, and is usually located on the metal bracket that supports the dash. Get a wiring diagram and make sure the voltage regulator is hooked up properly with the output going to the temp and fuel guage. If you have access to a voltmeter, check to make sure the output is around 10 V. Let me know if this solves the problem. It wouldn't be the first time.
BTW Patrick, If your Dad is Keith Wheeler, I had a nice chat with him when he dropped by to pick up some parts last Sunday. Tell him hi.
Rex Funk
----------
> From: K. Patrick Wheeler <pwheeler(at)ix.netcom.com>
> To: Rex Funk <rexfunk(at)magick.net>
> Cc: alpines(at)autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: 2 Fan or not 2 Fan
> Date: Thursday, July 09, 1998 7:31 PM
>
> I have been considering adding an electric fan to my relatively stock
SV, or
> adding a better fan. After the three row core and a new water pump have
been
> added, it still overheats while stopped in traffic. My concerns are with
> originality, ease of modification, and not causing any permanent changes
> (gettin it back to original if needed). The fan is obviously the easiest
> (stock is still on it), but is it enough, any particulr recommendations
on a
> type of fan, and do you think the extra fan is the only way to go?
>
> Rex Funk wrote:
>
> > The alternator bracket on My S II worked loose at the water pump bolt,
and
> > I noticed a residue of coolant in the engine compartment. I removed
the
> > pump, inspected the bearing and seal and, using some Permatex Ultra
Copper
> > to seal the new gaskets, I reinstalled it.
> >
> > Upon examining the 4 blade stock fan, I noticed that it had a subtle
> > hairline crack halfway across one blade near the base. So far, I've
had
> > one of these fans bury itself in my radiator, while taking a turn, and
> > another one just plain break at low speed. At the last SUNI, a guy had
one
> > give way and go through his hood at road speed. If Rootes were still
in
> > business, this fan would be a recall item for sure. I recommend
strongly
> > against using the 4 blade stock fan. If you do, take it completely off
and
> > inspect it frequently (magnifluxing can't hurt).
> >
> > I went to the parts bin and discovered an older 6-blade fan. This item
was
> > used on some of the S-1s and maybe other early Alpines as well as some
of
> > the sedans. It is stouter, and less likely to crack, but about twice
as
> > heavy as the stock fan (plate steel and rivets vs. thinner pressed and
> > welded steel). I decided to give my Honda Civic electric fan a chance
to
> > earn it's keep. It is mounted ahead of the radiator. I put everything
> > back together, but left out the mechanical fan. In moderate evening
> > temperatures, the engine temps were comparable to running both
mechanical
> > and electric fans. I will check it out in the heat later. The coolant
> > leak was fixed. It looks a little weird with no stock fan, but I can
> > definitely tell the difference in engine response. I wouldn't take
this
> > setup to SUNI, but it looks like it has promise for a daily driver. It
> > also made me think about lightening the flywheel.
> >
> > Rex Funk
>
>