Countach Cooling

Spent Friday night updating the radiator fans on the Countach. As most of you know, the old SPAL units are power hungry!!!! When all (4) of fans would run, the Volt gauge would almost drop down into the "red" zone below 12 amps. It was so bad, that in stop and go traffic the battery light would start to glow! I'd have to keep the RPM's up to keep the battery charged enough that the car wouldn't die!

 

The new SPAL units only use about 14.5 amps each, compared to the old OEM SPAL units that probably sucked 25+ amps each.

 

Also, as Raymond has pointed out on his site, the newer SPAL units move MUCH more air than the old units! The old units were just a bit over 1000 cfm, whereas the new one move 1630 cfm! And they are quieter too!

 

Here is a shot of the passenger side with both the rear (Puller) fan and front (Pusher) fan installed. Also a shot of both Old and New units sitting on the ground so you can see how much smaller the profile of the newer unit is. By the way, these new units are a direct replacement! You remove (or loosen) the 4 nuts holding the fan to the radiator, rotate the fan to unlock it from the tabs and out it comes. One note for those of you (like me) with injected cars that have 4 fans. The "pusher" fan on the drivers side can't be removed without taking the radiator out of the car. The thing is pressed up tight next to the oil cooler (in fact, Lamborghini had to cut the fan housing so it would clear the oil lines!) So, I left that fan in place (and unplugged it) until such time that I have to remove my engine to do a clutch job and I'll pull the radiator to replace that side. So for now, I am running 3 fans which is PLENTY!

 

Also note how much more room you gain by the airboxes! The bolts for the air boxes are much easier to gain access to now.

 

I bought mine from a place in Indiana called "Universal Parts". They had the fans in stock and for only $105 and $115 ea. Here are the SPAL numbers:

 

30102025 (Pusher) - $115.00 ea.

http://www.upiatv.com/detail.asp?part=30102025

 

30102038 (Puller) - $105.00 ea.

http://www.upiatv.com/detail.asp?part=30102038

 

SPAL Tech Sheet:

http://www.a1electric.com/spal/specs/30102038-2025.pdf

 

All 3 new fans were running on my way home from a car show on Saturday. Never once did the battery light come on! :-) And, the water temp never got high enough to cause any concern.

SPAL_30102025_inch_.pdf

Wow... Great write-up!!!!

very cool.......literally

very cool.......literally

Crikey, and to think I was worried about the voltage drop when my (TWO) fans come on!

 

Do all the US cars run quadruplefans?

I can't recollect seeing any such setup in UK cars,

although it is a bit colder here...

Crikey, and to think I was worried about the voltage drop when my (TWO) fans come on!

 

Do all the US cars run quadruplefans?

I can't recollect seeing any such setup in UK cars,

although it is a bit colder here...

 

I'm not sure how the cooling fans are set up for other countries (although I think the Swiss cars have 3 fans and I thought Raymond said at some point the cars for the mid-east had 4 fans also), but I know as soon as I start my car, the rear fans (Pullers) come on and stay on 100% of the time. When the water temp gets up to a certain level, the thermostat kicks on the other (2) fans (Pushers) and then all 4 are running.

 

I will be interested to see how hot the car runs when our ambient temps gets up into the 80's and 90's (27C - 32C) here in Washington during the summer.

 

Mike

I thought all CTs only ran dual puller fans - one per radiator. I know my 5000S is set up that way. I'm not sure how mush benefit there would be to having push-pull on the same radiator - you can only flow so much air through it. I plan to upgrade to the higher output QV puller fans soon. Thanks for the link, by the way. I've been watching them on eBay, but they are usually about $120 ea. on there.

I thought all CTs only ran dual puller fans - one per radiator. I know my 5000S is set up that way. I'm not sure how mush benefit there would be to having push-pull on the same radiator - you can only flow so much air through it. I plan to upgrade to the higher output QV puller fans soon. Thanks for the link, by the way. I've been watching them on eBay, but they are usually about $120 ea. on there.

 

It all depends on what market or country the Countach was built for.

 

Most US 2 valve US cars, LP400, LP400S and LP5000S had one puller type fan on each radiator.

 

I believe the US 4 valve cars had two fans per radiator, a pull and a push.

 

Swiss cars had three radiators. It all depended on the market or country it was built for.

which fans come on first the pushers or pullers? (i want to make sure my fan switch is connected correctly) Also has anyone had any experience with a more effecient custom radiator builder?

which fans come on first the pushers or pullers? (i want to make sure my fan switch is connected correctly) Also has anyone had any experience with a more effecient custom radiator builder?

 

Pullers come on first, followed by the pushers.

 

Mike

another great tip/ change/ etc from Mike!

use the 25 th fan (one for each radiator) and there won't be any problem.

More important is to take out radiators and rebuilt them or at least wash them with proper acid cleaner

 

Mine car had many problems but note with cooling system as it's equipped with 25th fans: some did this upgrade during its USA stay and did a good thing. I cleaned radiators too.

use the 25 th fan (one for each radiator) and there won't be any problem.

More important is to take out radiators and rebuilt them or at least wash them with proper acid cleaner

 

Mine car had many problems but none with cooling system as it's equipped with 25th fans: somebody did this upgrade during its USA stay and did a good thing. I cleaned radiators too.

use the 25 th fan (one for each radiator) and there won't be any problem.

More important is to take out radiators and rebuilt them or at least wash them with proper acid cleaner

 

Mine car had many problems but none with cooling system as it's equipped with 25th fans: somebody did this upgrade during its USA stay and did a good thing. I cleaned radiators too.

25th fans are fine but they consume too much power, I would suggest to take the one with 2270m3/h VA10.

4 fans are absolutely not needed if you aren't in a very hot region, only arabian QV had 4 fans, swiss cars had 3.

On the 25th with the stronger fans there was no swiss or arabian extra anymore, but these consumes 18-20amps per unit!

 

http://www.countach.ch/fans.html

25th fans are fine but they consume too much power, I would suggest to take the one with 2270m3/h VA10.

4 fans are absolutely not needed if you aren't in a very hot region, only arabian QV had 4 fans, swiss cars had 3.

On the 25th with the stronger fans there was no swiss or arabian extra anymore, but these consumes 18-20amps per unit!

 

http://www.countach.ch/fans.html

 

I think you forget this, ICS: you compare two air flows data measured with no (zero) static pressure: this is worthless for Countach radiators.

 

Countach radiators are very thick so fans have to generate a very high static pressure to force air across them.

 

So it's better to compare air flow data with 20 mm H20 of static pressure.

 

at 20 mm H20 of static pressure we have these air flows:

 

VA01-AP70/LL-36A (25th fan): 1190 m3/h

 

VA10-AP50/C-61A (your choice): 600 m3/h

 

So your fans probably pump just half air through radiators than 25th fans: they are suitable for thinner radiators like bikes radiators, not those Countach radiators

 

No problems with 25th fans, never when hot, in a long queue, or climbing at high RPM and so on. Never had battery problems with one 25th fan installed on each radiator on my car.

Get rid of four fans and install a VA01-AP70/LL-36A (pull fans) each radiator

 

 

ciao

 

Alberto

Mike, i find it odd that two of yours are ON all the time. I have four spal fans but at start up they are all off. After the water warms up then all four kick on. It might be a little overkill, but i can idle forever in traffic in the middle of summer (Florida) and the temp just sits right in the middle.

I will add... my two good friends, one with an 88injected and the other an 88.5 injected also have four fans, factory installed on their cars.

Mike, i find it odd that two of yours are ON all the time. I have four spal fans but at start up they are all off. After the water warms up then all four kick on. It might be a little overkill, but i can idle forever in traffic in the middle of summer (Florida) and the temp just sits right in the middle.

 

I figured out what that problem was.. The wiring in the box was horrible! One of the relays had got so hot, it was stuck open which allowed the fans to run all the time. I've since fixed that so that the pullers only come on when they should and the pushers come on whe things really get warm. :-)

 

I just rebuilt the box in the trunk, i'll post some photos in the next day or so, with instructions and details.

 

Mike

Do the 25th fans have the same bolt pattern? Are they fully shrouded or just one circular shroud around the blade like the QV? Which ones pull the most air, Mikes or the 25th? If the 25th's are better does anyone have a SPAL #. Anyone have any suggestions on a company that recores or builds radiators that will be more effecient than the originals?

just dug up some engine compartment pics of an 89 I had looked at last year. It appears to have the same single circle shroud around the blade like the QV. You would think they had the brains to at least do a full shroud like every other car in the world

just dug up some engine compartment pics of an 89 I had looked at last year. It appears to have the same single circle shroud around the blade like the QV. You would think they had the brains to at least do a full shroud like every other car in the world

 

use SPAL mod. VA01-AP70/LL-36A (25th fan), one each radiator. Should perfectly fit

 

 

ciao

 

 

use SPAL mod. VA01-AP70/LL-36A (25th fan), one each radiator. Should perfectly fit

 

 

ciao

 

 

Thanks Albert, Do these flow more air than the ones Mike used?

Thanks Albert, Do these flow more air than the ones Mike used?

 

 

Well that was simple. Seems that the fans Mike used (pullers) are the same as the part number Albert gave me for the 25th. These sites are priceless !!!

Well that was simple. Seems that the fans Mike used (pullers) are the same as the part number Albert gave me for the 25th. These sites are priceless !!!

 

Correct! If you need it, here is the place I got my fans from. Very cheap:

 

Pullers:

http://www.upiatv.com/detail.asp?part=30102038

 

Pushers:

http://www.upiatv.com/detail.asp?part=30102025

 

Mike

 

Correct! If you need it, here is the place I got my fans from. Very cheap:

 

Pullers:

http://www.upiatv.com/detail.asp?part=30102038

 

Pushers:

http://www.upiatv.com/detail.asp?part=30102025

 

Mike

 

Thanks Mike, I just checked out the site. They seem to be the cheapest. With the new fans do your pushers even come on? I was wondering if I should just get the pullers and leave my old pushers in place.

Thanks Mike, I just checked out the site. They seem to be the cheapest. With the new fans do your pushers even come on? I was wondering if I should just get the pullers and leave my old pushers in place.

 

It's amazing how hot my Countach runs. But then again, it is mid-year 1986 so, it only has the (2) vents in the engine hatch, unlike later in the year, when they went to not only the 2 vents in the buldges, but the one that runs down the center between the buldges. So, I am sure mine retains more heat....

 

Anyhow, during the Spring, Fall and Winter, it is very rare that the pushers kick on, unless I am in stop and go traffic for any length of time. But, in the summer... that's a whole different story. The pushers come on and off quite frequently. The pullers stay on almost 100% of the time, unless I'm moving down the freeway and keeping air blowing across the radiators.

 

Attached is a photo showing my engine hatch in case it wasn't clear what the heck I was talking about... ;-)

 

Mike