Computer fans on oil cooler?

[DGR Designs]

i was thinking, could i take 2 little computer fans and mount them on the backside of my oil cooler with a pipe clamp to pull some of the heat away when running slow on trail runs in the dead summer heat? how could i wire these? i have an extra switch beside my neutral indicator light that i could hook it to so i could turn it on and off (it was left over from when i had my thumb warmer). where could i run this from so my battery wont discharge? im not too good with electrical so thats why i am asking. lata guys!
~Dave

[GNCC#829]

I think you would need a DC fan. A computer fan runs on AC.

[DGR Designs]

the ones im looking at are 12volt DC electronics cooling fans. would they work?

[GNCC#829]

If they are DC they should work. I know alot of people who put cooling fans on the old 300 4X4's, and they seemed to work really good.

[JOEX]

Yeah..but how long will they last with the abuse of offroad riding? Water, dirt, dust etc...I think it will be a waste of time, money and resorces. JMO.

Joe

[tjd400]

Have had these on for about 8 months. They have been pressure washed, mud washed and they still work. I got them at radio shack for around 14.00 they are 12volt :D

[gojk]

All computer components are DC. The AC plugs into a Power supply which changes the power to 5v or 12v depending on the plug yuo use. Most if not all case fans are 12v, ad should work, except that they don't seem to last too long even in computers. The dust gets on the brushes and they just quit working.

[tjd400]

I've had no probs with mine at all. On the back of the fan where the wires come out I sealed it with some silcone. They have even taken the full force of my pressure washer on them when washing out the oil cooler and they still work fine.

[Martin Blair]

All computer componets are DC because DC is more reliable power, AC is alternating current and doesnt stay the same voltage, but enoguht of that. I think they would just corrode and stop working, just use a fan off a rancher or soemthing buy a new one from service honda and hook it up.

[oregonrider89]

I have had a computer fan behind my stock cooler for a couple months now and had no trouble. If and when I do I'll just buy a nother one, $14:rolleyes: I just ordered a FST oil cooler, I think I'm going to get a larger fan for it. Maybe a fan like what the new z400s have. For power I used the auxiliary wires that are hooked up with your lights. Honda put these on the 4x4 quads to hook up a spray tank or sonething like that. It worked good for my fan. In the bundle of wires in the plastic tube over your battery you'll find these plugs. They should be taped together. The only problem with this set-up is the fan only works when your lights are on. Not a big deal for me, and I never have to worry about the fan being left on and graining my battery.

oregonrider89

[hotrodhonda400]

which direction is the airflow when you guys put on these fans, is it pulling or pushing air through the cooler?

[dawzie]

depends which way you hook up the wires

[tjd400]

mine are on the back of the cooler and pull the air through. It did not matter which way you hooked up the wire on the fans I got they still went the same way

[hotrodhonda400]

so has everybody had pretty good luck with durabilty and how much cooler did everything run?

[hotrodhonda400]

BuMp.

[bmw500hp]

Originally posted by hotrodhonda400
which direction is the airflow when you guys put on these fans, is it pulling or pushing air through the cooler?

Theory, or my interpretation of it, would suggest the fans be placed [behind] the exhange. Air is [pulled] through the cooling device. This would allow for the normal, unobstructed passage of air or (traditional cooling) to occur when traveling at speed.

On my Dozer however the fan is reversable. The blade pitch may be seleced to push or pull air. This is done for balanced regulation through a variety of outside tempretures. These situations are not normally relevent to the operation of a race quad.

My question is this....is the EX system better enhanced by a "larger" colling system or "increasing" air flow to the stock system? or "Both"!

There are currently 5 basic modalities to increase the cooling of the ex...what is the optimum combination?

[DGR Designs]

ok cool hey oregonrider, where did you get that funky awesome bracket? is it a custom jobbie? how much?

[oregonrider89]

My dad had a couple of them in our shop. You can probly find one at the hardware store. Maybe even at your Honda shop. I can't wait to get my FST cooler and hook up a big fan to it. Sorry i couldn't be more help.

oregonrider9

[Nausty]

if dirt is a issue I would thing you could buy fan from cannondale because they run them on their machines and I would think if it was a problem they wouldn't run it.

[Honda4ooEX]

2 things, wouldn't the extented use of a fan such as these put extra wear on your stator in the motor causing to to wear out or burn up faster? EVEN if you hooked the fan up to battery, because the stator would have to charge faster because of the extra volts being drained from the battery due to the fan? This is just a thought because I have heard of people putting huge lights on the front and they were too many watts or something and it burned the stator up. Also does your guys oil coolers get hot? Does it melt the fan if the fan is mounted close to the cooler? Now a question, is it safe to assume that if any electrical device is hooked up to the battery either a fan or lights it is safe? What about just running some wires from the batter terminals and zip tying them to the fame rails. all the way to the oil cooler? Just some thoughts.

[oregonrider89]

I don't think a little fan would be cause for concern. It doesn't use very much power, I don't think it will burn up your stator, Huge lights use a lot more power than thats why they cause problems. The cooler does get hot and it will melt the fan a little, but not bad. You could just run wires from the terminals but be sure to incorperate a switch in there or the fan will be on all the time. I used that auxiliary plugs so when the key is off so is the fan.

oregonrider89

[quadman21]

I have had a 3" computer cooling fan from radioshack on my quad for over a year now with no trouble at all. I am running a carbon fiber hood so I just simply hooked the fan wires into my lights. So instead of running lights, I just turn my fan on by the light switch. It might stop someday but 15$ for over a years worth of abuse is pretty reasonable.

[fourtrax400ex]

i have check for a setup like this last summer and i think that's a good idea, computer fan use a small amount of power, i really dont think that the stator will be a problem, i have two oil cooler on my 426ex, it keep it cold but when i ride in wood a low speed the oil became very hot and i have the stop if i dont want to burn my motor, for the on/off switch of fan, i start a wire directly from the battery and connect it on a relay, for those who dont know, with a relay, the power come directly from the battery, but they need anoter wire with small power that i take on my key switch(i think i take the wire of the neutral light) and i put a switch (with a red light in it) near my handlebar, so i can turn it on when i ride at low speed, and when my key is off the relay is off so the fan is off too, ok it hard to explain like this but if you want pics i can take it for you! hope its help!

[y2k400ex]

I would like to see the two oil cooler set up you have on your 400 could you ppost some pics ? are you runing a larger oil tank too?

[Rastus]

Fans run on 12V DC current.

They also make brushless fans, so you wouldn't have to worry about brushes


Fan life depends on type of fan....you can get fairly nice ones for a couple bucks.

You could get one with LED's in it...:D :devil

[fourtrax400ex]

there is some picture of my two oil cooler, there is two 400ex oil cooler, i buy one used but even a new one is cheap, something like 90$us i think, i have the stock oil tank, i run this system since 1year and have no problem except in winter i have to cover the cooler the oil stay to cold. i check in winter with my friend stock 2001 400ex, my oil is always near or less hot than the stock 400ex, in hot summer day, the stock 400ex have a oil temp of 215F and my 426 with 2cooler about 190F. i use 10w50 motul oil. the motor overheat when i ride slow in wood for example so this spring i will put fan on my stock oil cooler, my wire and switch are ready, i start a wire directly from the battery (i put a block fuse of 15a on the wire for avoid burning battery) and connect it to a relay, start another wire from the key switch (there power only when the key is on) and connect a switch to it. check the picture and ask if you have question.

[fourtrax400ex]

another

[fourtrax400ex]

..

[fourtrax400ex]

the switch

[fourtrax400ex]

last one

[y2k400ex]

How did you make the oil lines to connect the two coolers ? Thanks for the info

[DGR Designs]

so i take the power wire from the battery, put in a fuse, and then i take my negative wire from the key switch, and hook them to my switch, wich... oh my im screwed. explain how to wire 2 fans in, with a fuse and a switch that will only work with the key on

[fourtrax400ex]

i will try to make you a diagram of the wire connection with the battery the relay the switch and the fan tonight and send it tomorrow propably, its too hard to explain it in word! check for this tomorrow afternoon!


y2k400ex, for the oil line, this is in stainless steel like the brake line that some of you have, i go to a shop that have all the tool and fitting for oil line, the oil enter the stock oil cooler like normal, but the output goes into the second oil cooler and the second oil cooler return to the oil tank. i have weld a layer of metal on the frame to support the second cooler, check for a shop who made hydraulic, they surely have what you need! if you do that, dont use an too heavy oil (like 20w40) i use 10w50 synthetic, if the oil is more fluid they circulate more easyli throught the system and dont stress your oil pump, just my mind! also. with this setup, i put approximately 175-200 ml more than before so it's also help to keep the motor cooler.

[fourtrax400ex]

here is the diagram connection, hope it will look good, forthe relay, just go to a car shop, (i take mine at Canadian Tire but dont know if you have this shop in usa!!) ask for a relay for fog lamp for car, its very cheap and works good, mine is 12v 30a, but a put a fuse on the wire from the battery for be sure to not burn it.

[fourtrax400ex]

this is what my relay look, the number on the diagram are number on the relay, there the same for all i think

[DGR Designs]

ok thanks! :devious:

does it ever actually get that hot to where you need an extra cooling fan? I have run mine for like 3 hours straight hard in like 95 degree wather & it was still running perfect. I just change the oil & oil filter every 500 miles.

[Rastus]

If you have mods, and stuff I could see where more cooling can help. my Oil cooler gets very hot when I've ran it for like 20 mins.

I could see where more air running through the cooler could help.

[on z throttle]

Originally posted by DGR Designs
i was thinking, could i take 2 little computer fans and mount them on the backside of my oil cooler with a pipe clamp to pull some of the heat away when running slow on trail runs in the dead summer heat? how could i wire these? i have an extra switch beside my neutral indicator light that i could hook it to so i could turn it on and off (it was left over from when i had my thumb warmer). where could i run this from so my battery wont discharge? im not too good with electrical so thats why i am asking. lata guys!
~Dave
How about using a fan from a Honda Rancher? That would cool down yor oil cooler and your motor :ermm: maybe. But that would be a expensive experiment though , you know Honda going to charge top dollor.