N12Turbo.com lanyards are now available! Click here to visit the shop

fitting slim thermo fans to a n12

All complete technical articles moved here after review
Locked
User avatar
BQ.05.TD
Posts: 390
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 7:46 am
Location: newcastle

fitting slim thermo fans to a n12

Post by BQ.05.TD »

Well here is how people with n12 ETs can get rid of there stock thermo fans and replace them with nice slim units so they can fit a cooler if the nose of the car.

When I did me cooler I had no room for the big chunky factory fans so I went out and bought some good thermo fans from supercheap for $56 each. You might have to turn the fan blade over as when I got mine they were a pull threw design not a push threw. Make shore u check this very carefully. I had to even reverse the polarity of the positive and negative so the motor would spin the other way. I can’t stress enough about this. Check it properly

First. You can pull the radiator out or u can leave it in. but pulling it out means u can give the whole system a good flush and put some new coolant in it
IMG_2010.jpg
Next u have to decide were your fans will go and how there going to fit. I got lucky with mine and they fit superbly.
IMG_2009.jpg
IMG_2011.jpg
Next u have to put the hole threw the fins. Be careful doing this as u don’t want to put a hole in the core of the radiator. Get a thin flat head screw driver and push it threw the fins. Then do it a more times to get a clear path threw the fins
You will have to do it 8 times (in my case)
IMG_2014.jpg
Next u will need to wire up the plugs. Cut the plugs of the old fans and leave your self about 3-4" or wire so u can adapt the plug to the new thermo fan wires
NOTE: solder every thing then tape it up. The last thing u want is fans that don’t work and then roast ya motor
IMG_2006.jpg
After u have wired up the plugs its time to put in ya radiator. It’s just the same as removing it. And rember to hook up the water temp switch down the bottom left. And also make shore the hoses are on and done up

Now it is time to put on the new fans. You will need
*8x3" bolts that are thin enough to go threw between the radiator cors. (I used 10mm bolts)
*8x big full faced washers (I could only buy a pack of 20 mitre10 and cost $5.20
*8x 10mm nuts to fit the bolts
IMG_2025.jpg
IMG_2020.jpg
NOTE: make shore the nuts wont pull threw the washers. And the washers have to be about the size of a 20c piece as to spread the load of the fans and don’t pull threw the radiator

Now u put the fans up to the radiator and find the holes u punched threw it before and put the bolts threw the holes.
IMG_2028.jpg
IMG_2026.jpg
After this is done make shore every thing is sitting right and not fouling on any thing. Spin the fan bye hand to make shore its not hitting on any thing now all u have to do is put the big washers and the nuts on and tighten up. Don’t go so tight that is crushes the radiator core but not lose either.
IMG_2027.jpg
Now go over every thing again and make shore all the plugs are connected, all hoses done up, all bolts are tight
And it should look some thing like this
IMG_2029.jpg
IMG_2031.jpg
fans= $56 each
washers=$4
bolts= floged from me dads work truck
nuts= as above
and a saturday of my time and a couple of throw downs= priceless

any questions just ask
justin
User avatar
tassuperkart
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 5578
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 8:39 pm
Location: Southern Tasmania
Contact:

Post by tassuperkart »

Id just like to add that those washers should ALWAYS be fitted with fibre washers against the radiator cores.
After time, the fans can move against the fins and eventually loosen off allowing the bolts to shift around and possibly come in contact with the radiator cores.
The fibre washers will deform to the shape of the fins and hold the fans securely for almost ever.

L8r
E
Forcd4 wrote:Oh fuk no dude it's you a again, the oracle.
Locked