Ok, I installed my koyo radiator today. Gotta say, it doesn't fit quite like I thought it would. One side is like 1mm longer than the other, so the mounting brackets don't quite line up on one side. That took some filing to make that work. Then it is also a little wider than the stock rad, so the brackets don't quite line up with the mounting holes on the chassis. Oh well, it works nonetheless, just a little extra work.

Anyway, now I wanna mount my fan. Its a perma-cool 16". It came with these zip ties to mount it with, but I'm worried about sticking em through the radiator and maybe breaking some fins, causing a leak. They are definetly wider than the gap between the fins. Anyone think they are safe to use?

I would try fabricating some aluminum brackets to hold the fan on, but the Koyo doesn't have the holes on the top to secure the brackets too, so they would have to ceom from the sides, and I don't see that being strong enough to hold them up.

 

oh good, I thought that was me, mine is too wide too. The brackets lined up on the radiator just fine in my case though.

I have those kind of zip ties (you stab them through and use an anchor on the other side, right?) on my Trans Am for the power steering cooler, no issues. I don't run a fan on my RX-7, so I can't tell you with 100% surety, but I don't think you'll have any issues.

PaulC

 

Oki, cause on my stock radiator (the reason I got this one so soon) I stabbed it through and somehow ruptured something, so it was leaking on me. Maybe I just wasn't careful enough. But bending the fins a little shouldn't cause a leak right?

 

no. Just go slow, and if you feel it hit something that won't give, pull out and restab slightly higher or lower.

PaulC

 

Aite. If it don't work I'm comming to get you!

 

You gotta catch me first! Muahhahahaha

 

I have done that on a few radiators, if you are CAREFUL, you will be okay.

 

At 70 or 80 mph something hits your radiator and doesn't cause a leak, you think poking a plastic twist tie by hand will cause one? I think you can relax on this one.

 

I just mounted my new 16" Permacool fan on my new radiator, and I didn't use the through-radiator ties. I had a rectagular frame (22" by about 15") welded up from 1"x1/8 flat bar stock (from Home Depot), which I bolted to the fan shroud mounts on the radiator. Then I bolted the fan to the frame. Looks factory, and is solid as hell. I can post a pic up here if anyone is interedted in seeing how it looks....

 

yes!! please post pics!!

 

I'd reccommend putting the fan on the radiator, and then putting the whole assembly in the car. I bent a lot of fins on a radiator the first time I tried installing an electric fan with that kind of mounting setup.

 

Please post a pic. That is the kind of thing I want to do.

 

I did the aluminum frame also. The top brackets come over the radiator and fasten to the sheet metal at the front of the radiator.
It is real solid, and will not damage the radiator.
The method of attaching to the fins is high risk.
Every time you hit a bump you have all that weight pulling the fins in a direction they are not stessed for. Also you have fan vibration transmitted to aluminum that is not designed for it.
Yeah, I know you haven't had any problems, Yet. YET!!!!
Take a few minutes more and do it right.

 

just be careful and you should be perfectly fine. I have one on my car and didnt have any issues with it. I have to admit i was a little worried about it at first but. everything went fine.

Jerry

 

Man, i yanked a 15 dollar "Grand-AM" fan (same as the Feiro fan everyone goes nuts about) and got some zip ties and just ziped tied that mother up there... works like a champ, and doesnt look bad either. Zip ties are lighter than an aluminum frame...........

oh yeah... LOL@J-Rats Avatar again.

 

The thing is I have nothing to attach an aluminum frame to at the top of the radiator, there is just a solid end tank there.

 

LMAO!!!

 

Do you have pics of the install? Which fan are you running? The 16in Perma-cool finger chopper?

Rat