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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Fitting electric radiator fan

Hi, I'm preparing to fit an electric cooling fan to my 1275 midget...Is it possible to remove the standard fan blade without removing the radiator ?

If I have to remove the radiator, there are 2 bolts fixed to the top of the shroud, are there 2 further bolts under the radiator to remove ?

Thanks, Alan.
Alan Cotterill (1972 standard 1275 )

possibly, not sure

depends I'd guess on whether you need and have the slim tools to get the 4 hex screws out they are one and 3/8" long

plus you probably want something in front of your rad to protect it

the rad comes out with the shroud, there are two small bolts that hold the front of the shroud under the bonnet slam panel and two screws you just loosen off under the car (IIRC)

plus four bolts two each side of the rad, two may have blanking grommets in front of them, you get to them by removing the rad grille

looking in your engine bay and you'll see the four brackets that hold the rad

if you need to take the rad out take the oppitunity to throughly flush, shake, back flush the rad as many times as possible, carefully brush fins both sides to remove debris

and if you can and flush, back flush the engine block too that helps cooling

same with heater matrix, flush, shake, back flush the matrix as many times as possible, carefully brush fins both sides to remove debris and if you wrap the matrix with the foam seal you'll discover the matrix can heat the car


Nigel Atkins

I wouldn't think it would be possible to remove the mechanical fan with the radiator in place. Certainly there's not enough room in my car! As Nigel said, the radiator comes out complete with the shroud. On my car (crossflow radiator) there is 4 bolts either side (go through the radiator uprights - top 2 are accessible through the front as Nigel describes, or all 4 can be accessed from the wheel well), and 2 screws top and bottom (into the cowl, top 2 are just in front of the lip, behind and to either side of the bonnet catch, bottom 2 are in the cowl area behind the grill, down underneath and behind the oil cooler if you have one fitted).
Andrew F

I have not had a problem removing the fan from a 1275 with rad in place although it is tight!

As a last resort remove the water pump complete that is far easier than removing the rad.
Bob Turbo Midget England

With a fairly frequent need to remove the rad on my car I got fed up with the number of things that had to be undone in awkward to reach places, having to remove the grill etc first. I modified the fixing points so that there are now two short studs that locate the bottom of the rad in position. At the top, I only use the two uppermost fixings points for shroud to support uprights. For these I have welded captive bolts so that I just need access for a small nut spinner from the engine side only. Undo these two nuts and the whole rad and shroud assembly lifts out complete, once the water pipes are released of course!
Guy

Hi, Thanks for the replies, I think the best option for me is to remove the radiator. I have decided that this would also be a good time to replace the radiator hoses, so the job will have to wait until I have got the rest of the parts together.

Thanks, Alan.
Alan Cotterill (1972 standard 1275 )

Alan do yourself a big, big favour get silicone hoses (and round-edged jubilee clips)

I've spent two afternoon's messing about because of bad quality modern rubber when I should have been driving in this ovely weather

I replaced a top hose when I first got this Midget and it didn't last 9 months before it was crazed

I also 3 different lots of rubber fuel line that leaked (Halfords do 6mm Goodyear stuff it fits better and doesn't leak)

windscreen rubber that are usless from new, and my latest steering rack gaiters that cracke within 6 months of light use and the TREs boots split very bad in the same time both MoT failures now I believe

Moss I think do a silicone hose set but I got mine from here - http://www.classicsiliconehoses.com/

before you take the rad out I'd strongly suggest you clean the whole cooling system with sometghing like Barrs cleaning flush - then flush the rad and engine block at least as detailed before

if you're relucant to flush the engine block just imagine the previous owners of your car that did bother too, taking the engine block plug out and srapping out the debris even after cleaning and flushing will show you it was worth while doing

after all this if you don't notice the engine keeping temperature better I bet you will notice the heater is hotter especially if you follow as detailed before for cleaning it
Nigel Atkins

Guy,

like your idea of studs for locating the bottom of the rad as these always seem to be the more difficult to line up and fix.

Will be something I'll be doing as the latest clutch carbon thrust bearing (third one) is making ominous and all too familair noises - this time it will be replaced with Peter May's roller bearing.

Jeremy
Jeremy 3

Alan you might like to use shorter screws when you reassemble the pulley less the fan

It's been known for the standard screws to catch on the water pump body

Not a "good thing"!

Make the screws shorter by the thickness of the fan and you will be OK
Bill1

Once again, thanks for the replies, I think I may have to pass on the silicon hoses, £100 + is a lot more than standard hoses.

I will definetley use some shorter screws to re fix the pulley.

Thanks, Alan.
Alan Cotterill (1972 standard 1275 )

ask about the quality of an ordinary set of rubber hoses before buying

£100 would be a one-off and peace of mind and possibly cheaper than loosing a hose and head gasket (not trying to be a doom mongier)

Kevlar sets might be better (I don't know) but check all the hoses (except overflow) are Kevlar some sets are a mix of Kevlar and ordinary rubber

you may be luckier than me but as well as the ones I listed recently I had the rubber bushes in some replacement drop links go in short order and they used to be the type of part that you never thought would ever need changing
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 21/03/2012 and 23/03/2012

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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