Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Does it make sense to add an electric fan to the Onetwenty's engine? The temperature always rises quickly during stop and go. Otherwise I have no temperature problems on long trips. I would also have enough space in the trunk for a second battery.

Not really. Better to locate and fix the actual problem rather than trying to patch it with kludges like electric fans.

Good afternoon...Just our own experience with our 1949 Deluxe 288, when we purchased her twelve years ago...After all the flushing of the radiator, engine, head, and water distribution tube, then consider that you might well have a leaking head gasker or prehaps a timing chain that is a bit stretched...We ended up with a new radiator and head gasket, and a rebuilt Delco distributor. The Delco does all the vacuum advance internally and the other manufacturer requires the entire distributor to turn, which makes the plug wires move, and that can be a problem. Ernie in Arizona.

As Don said, if there is a persistent overheating problem then a repair is needed but if your car is good most of the time and just needs help in heavy traffic then several have installed fans in front of the radiator that can be turned on or off for use when driving in parades or stop and go traffic. One poster I know of on this forum has a thermostat on his 1940 160 6v fan that can turn the fan on as needed in addition to having a manual on/off switch.

I don't know if you have a specific fan in mind to need a separate battery or if you just want to run it on an extra battery but unlike a few years ago, there are several places that now sell low power consumption 6v electric fans. Here is one that is sold by a company closer to you. I didn't see many specs on that fan but there are also several American companies with different sizes and selections. Here is Speedway's site, one of the American companies. In trying to avoid the overseas freight and duty charges possibly some German hot rod type companies would also have comparable products.