Maintaining HVAC blowers and cooling fans on vehicles is crucial to their effective performance so it is important that replacement parts are sourced using quality parts such as those manufactured by SPAL Automotive. There’s a reason why SPAL high performance axial fans and blowers are the OEM’s choice and fitted to the vehicles; because they are designed to function efficiently well beyond scheduled servicing and maintenance. Not only can SPAL cooling fans be used on modern cars and motorcycles but they also can be retro fitted to vintage cars.
At replacement time, be sure to fit the same robust and reliable product rather than compromise with a lesser brand. Quality always delivers a more cost effective solution over the life of the vehicle.
As well as a world renowned heritage in the manufacture, design and R&D of cooling solutions, SPAL fans and blowers come with a market leading 3 year warranty. All fans and blowers in this guide are in stock and available for next day delivery.
What size of radiator fan should I buy? Is higher CFM always better?
A pair of smaller fans often better for some radiator shapes and may give a higher combined CFM rating.
For smaller vehicles, a 11" fan like 30102800 may be more than sufficient. For more information see how guide on How to choose an electric radiator fan?
My engine bay is really cramped already, is there a SPAL fan that I could use?
Slimline low profile models are perfect for cramped engine bays. If low noise is a priority select a slightly more powerful curved blade model for quieter operation for the same airflow.
Pulling (suction) fans are more efficient, especially if cooling is required through multiple rows of radiators, but when there just isn't enough space to fit one, pushing (blowing) versions are usually available for the same model. Blowing fans are usually mounted in front of the radiator behind the grill at the front of the car.
What types of electric radiator fans do you stock?
We stock the whole range of SPAL blowers and fans. Fans are available in sizes ranging from 4" to 16" moving air at between 124 CFM (4" pushing fan) and 2036 CFM (16" pulling fan), current draw varies from a tiny 3A to a much larger 31.2A, the slimmest fans only measure around 52mm at max depth (mostly 7.5" to 11" fans).
Check to see if it is time to replace your engine cooling fan
Step one - Make a quick visual inspection of the fan making sure everything's okay. You'll be looking at the fan blades making sure that aren't any nicks, chips or any chunks taken out of them that could make the fan out of balance and cause vibrations and in turn cause excessive heat and power useage and ultimately failure.
Step two - Manually rotate the fan a couple of times ensuring that there are no harsh or biting points when you spin it around, if there is it could put excess wear on the bearings and the motor and this could mean that you will wear out the fan a lot quicker, if any of this happens we would recommend replacing your fan.
Step three - Now it's all about making sure that your fan is working and operational. To do this start your vehicle and get the the engine up to operating temperature and make sure the cooling fan kicks in. Once the fan is working you should double check that it is pulling enough air through the engine bay and cooling the engine down. If the fan does not kick in or is not pulling enough air in to the engine bay then we would recommend that either replace the faulty fan or think about upgrading the fan to ensure that the engine is cooled sufficiently.
How to choose a replacement blower
SPAL manufacture both single and twin blower versions. To ensure that your blower is a genuine SPAL item look for the SPAL ingraved label then look for the part number and product description. Also you may find a reference number on the motor. The same type of blower motor can be fitted to various different vehicle makes and models so in order to work out which part number you require you'll need to measure the blower by measuring the length, width and height of the blower. To work out the speed of the blower you need look out for the resistors which.
Use the diagram below as a reference to measure the dimensions of your blower. This will help you determine which is suitable for you vehicle.
SPAL blower type numbers are in the format of HOUSING / MOTOR / BLADE / DIRECTION (if single wheel) as shown below. 12v blowers will have an A prefix for the motor code and a B prefix if it is 24v.
How to choose a replacement SPAL fan
You will need to check whether your existing unit is genuine, in order to do that look out for the warranty label and for the SPAL logo which is on the back of the fan. Once you've identified the label, look for the part number, it should start off with the letters VA, that's the type/size of the shroud. The next bit of code is the motor letters. AP will identify the fan as a 12-volt unit and the letters BP shows that it is a 24 volt unit. To find out the airflow direction of the fan there should be either an A (for suction) or S (for blowing).
If the label is missing you can still work out the part by looking at the blades and seeing which direction they rotate. Inwards then it is a suction fan or if the blades rotate upwards that it will be a blowing fan.
The next thing to do is to work out the size of the fan. To do this you'll need to measure the diameter from blade to blade. Then measure the height of the fan from the top of the motor to the bottom of the blade. If you need the fan for a special application please look out for any special features like different connectors, most fans come with the non waterproof connector.
SPAL Axial fans Type numbers are in the format of SHROUD / MOTOR / BLADE / AIRFLOW DIRECTION as shown below. 12v fans will have an A prefix for the motor code and 24v fans have a B motor prefix.
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