Adding an engine cooling fan

[CountryRock 198]

Has anybody ever put in an electric fan for engine cooling on their tractors?  Been tossing the idea around a little.

[ebinmaine 62,975]

Not something I've ever done and I can't really help with much info but I can see where it would make sense on hot summer days.

What model and engine and such and such?

 

[Jerry77 1,218]

Not a bad idea at all....go for it.....

[CountryRock 198]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Not something I've ever done and I can't really help with much info but I can see where it would make sense on hot summer days.

What model and engine and such and such?

 

1992 246H with a 16hp Briggs twin.  I thought about cutting a hole in the top or front of the hood and mounting a fan there.  Direct wiring to battery with a switch on the dash.

[ebinmaine 62,975]

10 minutes ago, CountryRock said:

cutting a hole

I can definitely see the value in doing this, especially on a twin.

Can it be done without tractor surgery?

[CountryRock 198]

5 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I can definitely see the value in doing this, especially on a twin.

Can it be done without tractor surgery?

I'm hoping someone on this forum has done it and will share how.

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,027]

@CountryRock Take a look at the pictures on @AMC RULES thread  The Resurrection 2018. He has a fan mounted on top of his twin Kohler.

[moe1965 717]

I added a extra cooling fan on a scag zero turn I had some time ago. I used a fan off a car one of those eletric ones that kick of as needed.  I put a on off switch on it and ran it when ever I wanted. I could flip the wires and either make it push or draw more air.  

[WHX?? 46,704]

Hate to be Debbie downer here Country but why? I have the same '92 vintage 246 and mow with it on the hottest days of summer and never have  problem with overheating. I do keep the fins and fan clean tho. 

[CountryRock 198]

3 hours ago, WHX17 said:

Hate to be Debbie downer here Country but why? I have the same '92 vintage 246 and mow with it on the hottest days of summer and never have  problem with overheating. I do keep the fins and fan clean tho. 

Just something I was thinking about.  Since I had to redo the heads due to exhaust valve guides walking out, I thought maybe some extra cooling on the heads would help prevent that from happening again.  I also keep the fins clean.  There was quite a rodent nest in there last year which I know contributed to the heads getting hotter than normal.  I did get a little more debris out when I made the repairs too.

[953 nut 51,537]

4 hours ago, CountryRock said:

There was quite a rodent nest in there last year which I know contributed to the heads getting hotter than normal.  I did get a little more debris out when I made the repairs too

That seems to be the key. Your airflow bath needs to be open, adding another fan wouldn't do any good if the path isn't open.

[RandyLittrell 3,827]

If you decide to add one, make sure the airflow is moving air the same direction as the flywheel or you could make it worse. Post up some pics if you do it. You could also pick up a temp gun and see if it really does make a difference. 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy

[wallfish 15,912]

How about blowing a small fan onto a small oil cooler? Maybe make one out of a small heater core? Just a little radiator with a fan blowing air through it. not sure if natural convection is enough to force it to move the viscosity of oil or not but it does thin out quite a bit when hot and gets pretty hot, so it may. Is there oil plugs on both sides of the engine?

 

Just

Edited May 8, 2018 by wallfish

[953 nut 51,537]

1 hour ago, wallfish said:

small oil cooler? Maybe make one out of a small heater core?

Lots of power steering units have small coolers, probably cheap at the scrap yards.

[WHX?? 46,704]

Good thinkin outside the box ther 'Fish... would need an adapter to tap off the oil filter  some how. This is an pressure fed oiler. Like most oil fed Briggs ther is just a 1/8 npt tap for a pressure switch or gauge. 

[wallfish 15,912]

10 hours ago, WHX17 said:

This is an pressure fed oiler

Pressure lube is even better. They do sell remote oil filter kits which something could be adapted to for cooling but they're kind of expensive IMO.

How about aluminum cooling fins that clamp right onto the filter? Couple of hose clamps, some thin aluminum angle pieces with little slots for the hose clamp bands. Backyard Hammer mechanic style oil cooler!

[WHX?? 46,704]

[bmsgaffer 2,043]

Cooling the oil will be your best bet. No electric fan will even come close to matching the airflow of your flywheel blower, and if you found one that could, your electrical system wouldn't support it. 

 

I would scour ebay for a remote oil filter kit or at least a screw on adapter for an oil cooler. Then you can put a smaller fan on the cooler much more effectively than trying to over-blow the flywheel fan. My ECH730 has the pressure lubed system with an oil cooler mounted on a hole in the shroud, so it uses the flywheel blower (LOTS of air) to force air through a small oil cooler. The oil doesn't hardly get hot on the hottest days of summer after an hour of cutting grass. 

 

It wont solve your problem of blowing exhaust valve seats if you leave a nest in there though... 

 

On another thought, the 200 series is vertical shaft, right? Forget the electric blower and just run a duct from the flywheel intake to a large vent (or maybe duct it to two smaller ones on each side to prevent rain related issues). Your best bet will be to allow the already powerful fan pull in fresh cool air, not the preheated air in the engine compartment. 

[CountryRock 198]

On 5/9/2018 at 8:38 AM, WHX17 said:

Now that's kinda neat.  I have the lower profile Briggs oil filter on there now, would have to get a little bit longer filter.  Looking at the Frame XG3614, which I think is what I saw on yours in one of the pictures.