Radiator repalcement questions

73 views
Skip to first unread message

Derek Clews

unread,
Feb 7, 2020, 12:43:43 PM2/7/20
to Quantum Owners Club, Derek Clews
Dear All,

Need to replace the coupe radiator as it is split.  Items available on ebay and elsewhere. 

Looking at the job it looks like you have to remove the nose cone to replace it.  Or do you know of a way to get round that?

While the coolant system is empty I thought I would replace the thermostat and fan switch and check the wiring as they are relatively cheap and both seem to give regular trouble over the medium term.  Also thought I should run a manual fan switch for summer traffic queues peace of mind as well.  

The Haynes manual has the spec for the thermostat temperature (opening 85C to 89C) but not the fan switch temperature.  I am looking at Lucas SNB710.  The part seems to be the right fan switch and is says from 103C and to 98C which sounds fine but others I found were lower figures and of doubtful parentage!  Can anyone confirm the right temperatures?

I know the instrument is not very accurate, but what temperature is the start of the red arc on the top of the ford temp gauge?  I now have an infrared thermometer and can do some proper checking. 

Thanks

Derek. 

Jim Hearne

unread,
Feb 7, 2020, 2:10:47 PM2/7/20
to quantu...@googlegroups.com

It all depends on how your saloon was built.
Some had the radiator on the engine bay side of the nosecone and some had it fitted inside the nosecone.
The biggest issue is normally getting the bolts that hold the nosecone on undone.

You shouldn't really need a manual switch on the fan if everything is working correctly the fan should go on and off as required.

There are quite a few different temperature fan switches, they have different body colours I've seen Yellow, Green, Blue, Orange, Brown and Black.
The brown and black are higher temperature. for the petrol engines, the other colours seem to be on the Diesels, or on some of the Zetecs when the switch is mounted in the hose or the radiator and has to compensate for the heat difference between that and the head.

Here are some numbers i found with Google:
                    On    Off
Orange       103     98
Blue            110     105
Black          103      98
Green          95      88
Yellow          95     90
Yellow        100     95
White         102     97

I'm not sure how accurate these are as they were all from different sources.

I would guess the red section would be around 110C, you normally want the fan to come on before it gets there.
But, there is a lot of variation, like the fan switch, there are many different colours of temperature gauge sender, i think they start off matched to the gauges but as soon the engines get swapped around they no longer match and the gauges don't read as accurately.

JIm
--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To post to this group, send email to quantu...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to quantumowner...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/quantumowners?hl=en
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: All information presented herewith is provided on an "As Is" basis, without warranty or the implication thereof. Neither the Quantum Owners Club nor the individuals associated with the Quantum Owners Club or in the preparation of the above information shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained within this or related message(s).
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to quantumowner...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/quantumowners/55B611FD-0147-429A-A1E0-8E348544E2E7%40gmail.com.

susanandmartin

unread,
Feb 7, 2020, 2:30:11 PM2/7/20
to quantu...@googlegroups.com

From memory (which may be correct) if you want to have the fan switch on at a lower temp the diesel switch is the one to use

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

--

Dave English

unread,
Feb 8, 2020, 5:18:49 AM2/8/20
to Quantum Owners Group

Hi Derek

I had to replace my fan switch last year and ended up with the lower temperature one (88C-95C), my thermostat is the same as yours, an 88C one. If I were you I would go for the 98C to 103C you mentioned because I find the fan can come on with the engine at normal running temperature (needle in the middle), which means it's on a lot more.
The switch I took out was a 98C to 103C but, as I was doing the replacement with a full water system, I didn't fancy holding my finger over the hole until another switch came through the post!
The next time I need to drain the system, I'll fit a higher temperature switch. (Shouldn't be long, the increasing differential whine means a replacement gearbox is now required, so I'll need to drop the engine down.)

Regards
Dave English
Q2-009

bill

unread,
Feb 8, 2020, 1:17:57 PM2/8/20
to quantu...@googlegroups.com
The last radiator mounted fan switch I fitted was a dual output for two speed fan, one output was 88c the other much higher, I run on the higher temperature leg, I’m going to connect both through a common on/on switch so I can easily select either 
Bill

Sent from my iPhone
--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To post to this group, send email to quantu...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to quantumowner...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/quantumowners?hl=en
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: All information presented herewith is provided on an "As Is" basis, without warranty or the implication thereof. Neither the Quantum Owners Club nor the individuals associated with the Quantum Owners Club or in the preparation of the above information shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained within this or related message(s).
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to quantumowner...@googlegroups.com.

Derek Clews

unread,
Feb 8, 2020, 1:18:03 PM2/8/20
to Quantum Owners Forum, Derek Clews
Thanks Dave,

Good point. I will go for a 103-98C I think.   

Also thanks Susan &Martin.

Derek

On 8 Feb 2020, at 10:18, Dave English <dandh....@gmail.com> wrote:

Derek Clews

unread,
Feb 9, 2020, 8:11:33 AM2/9/20
to Quantum Owners Forum, Derek Clews
Hi Bill,

So you found an unusual replacement, then?  Just wondering what advantage that would give in real world conditions over a manual switch to back up the standard thermostatic single output switch.  Or worth fitting a two speed fan as well?  

Still that is why it is worth asking a question on here.  Folks come up with all sorts of ideas and experiences.  Great!

Derek


bill

unread,
Feb 9, 2020, 9:28:31 AM2/9/20
to quantu...@googlegroups.com
Hi Derek, on my car I have a two speed fan and used to have the lower speed connected to a manual switch for some time, over time and probably due to another failure of a radiator fan switch the lower speed wasn’t connected anymore. The fan was now fed through a relay as when the switch was used to directly feed the fan the switch was prone to failure. I found the dual temperature switch on eBay although I only searched for radiator fan switch, when the dual one turned up I thought why not. After that I bought a simple on/on switch so I can select which ever I want, a lot of this stemmed from when I changed the zetec thermostat and found the fan would be running at the engines normal running temperature, hence the original reason for the search. I like to be able to power up the fan whenever I may want but also have the fan stop when the temperature drops, without anymore input from me
Bill

Sent from my iPhone

Ken Needham

unread,
Feb 9, 2020, 1:26:02 PM2/9/20
to quantu...@googlegroups.com

Gents, are you aware of the Kenlow fan thermostat. This has a variable switch point and may be fitted to any rad. They are not cheap but do perform very well.

Ken

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

From: quantu...@googlegroups.com <quantu...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of bill <bill_gr...@hotmail.co.uk>
Sent: Sunday, February 9, 2020 2:27:19 PM
To: quantu...@googlegroups.com <quantu...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Quantum Owners] Radiator repalcement questions
 

Derek Clews

unread,
Feb 9, 2020, 2:17:05 PM2/9/20
to Quantum Owners Forum, Derek Clews
I was, forgot, now you mention it. Just googled and got:

Kenlowe only supply fans to vehicle manufacturers/engineering companies and field replacements for existing specialist applications. We no longer make or supply thermo electric fan packages for retrofit on individual cars for the automotive aftermarket.

Who’d a know’d it?

Derek

susanandmartin

unread,
Feb 9, 2020, 3:09:33 PM2/9/20
to quantu...@googlegroups.com

Are you the MD of KEN Lowe? Only joking 😊

Martin

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

From: Ken Needham
Sent: 09 February 2020 18:25
To: quantu...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: [Quantum Owners] Radiator repalcement questions

 

Gents, are you aware of the Kenlow fan thermostat. This has a variable switch point and may be fitted to any rad. They are not cheap but do perform very well.

Ken

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

Pete M

unread,
Feb 11, 2020, 1:37:17 PM2/11/20
to Quantum Owners Group
Derek

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email toquantu...@googlegroups.com.

-- 
-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To post to this group, send email to quantu...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to quantumowner...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/quantumowners?hl=en
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: All information presented herewith is provided on an "As Is" basis, without warranty or the implication thereof. Neither the Quantum Owners Club nor the individuals associated with the Quantum Owners Club or in the preparation of the above information shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained within this or related message(s).
--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email toquantu...@googlegroups.com.

-- 
-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To post to this group, send email to quantu...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to quantumowner...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/quantumowners?hl=en
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: All information presented herewith is provided on an "As Is" basis, without warranty or the implication thereof. Neither the Quantum Owners Club nor the individuals associated with the Quantum Owners Club or in the preparation of the above information shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained within this or related message(s).
--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email toquantu...@googlegroups.com.

-- 
-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To post to this group, send email to quantu...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to quantumowner...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/quantumowners?hl=en
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: All information presented herewith is provided on an "As Is" basis, without warranty or the implication thereof. Neither the Quantum Owners Club nor the individuals associated with the Quantum Owners Club or in the preparation of the above information shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained within this or related message(s).
--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email toquantu...@googlegroups.com.

-- 
-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To post to this group, send email to quantu...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to quantumowner...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/quantumowners?hl=en
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: All information presented herewith is provided on an "As Is" basis, without warranty or the implication thereof. Neither the Quantum Owners Club nor the individuals associated with the Quantum Owners Club or in the preparation of the above information shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained within this or related message(s).
--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to quantu...@googlegroups.com.

Derek Clews

unread,
Feb 11, 2020, 4:39:38 PM2/11/20
to Quantum Owners Forum, Derek Clews
Hi Pete,

That is an interesting solution.  it looks like you need to buy their fans to go with it?  

Derek


To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to quantumowner...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/quantumowners/7987275e-4644-49e9-b916-73579be30fc5%40googlegroups.com.

Ken Needham

unread,
Feb 18, 2020, 4:36:58 AM2/18/20
to quantu...@googlegroups.com, Derek Clews

 

Ken

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

From: quantu...@googlegroups.com <quantu...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Derek Clews <derek...@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 9, 2020 6:33:15 PM
To: Quantum Owners Forum <quantu...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: Derek Clews <derek...@gmail.com>
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages