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Projects Fan blade that’s offset to move closer to the engine???

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 31Vicky with a hemi, May 16, 2020.

  1. Is there one? I haven’t seen one.
    There’s a lot of engine fans out there and not all are automotive related.

    I’ve got a 34 ford here with a SBC and if I could get the fan blade an inch closer to the engine it would save a lot of grief. There’s plenty of room on that side of the fan lol !


    He’s got a BS flex fan on it now.
     
  2. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 56,043

    squirrel
    Member

    Most "flex fans" are offset completely towards the engine, but many also have thick blades, so you need to space them out to clear the lower pulley.

    Without knowing more details of the situation, it's hard to make a good suggestion. Maybe you could post a sketch showing a dimensioned side view of the setup, including water pump hub, lower pulley, and radiator.
     
  3. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,666

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    What Jim said. Stock OEM fan's blades are about 1" closer to rad than a flex. I know, I needed that extra inch so I had to bow down and go flex over stock.
    upload_2020-5-16_8-15-18.jpeg But then there are flex's that go forward as well.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2020
  4. 0574F216-1723-4FBB-9EC3-1E886C032AFC.jpeg 5462C4CE-033B-4F2C-A8F1-8F21D6EAC719.jpeg Might want to check industrial equipment fans.

    some come as an assembly
    Center and blades individual and you can set the pitch of the blade in the center section or buy a certain pitch blade

    jaguar v12’s or inline 6’s from the 80’s had a very narrow clutch fan..... maybe?


    The pics are gehl skidteer and hengcha forklift fans so you get an idea of what I’m talking about
     

  5. Are you using a spacer between the waterpump and the fan ? They come in various lengths.
    What pump are you using ? Long or short ?
     
    jimmy six likes this.
  6. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 56,043

    squirrel
    Member

    I think that's not a flex fan, it's just a 6 blade OEM type fan. These were used on AC equipped cars in the 60s-70s, although clutch fans were more common.
     
  7. Ummmm huh,,,
    It’s hard to see in there and it’s a process to get the hood open and the side panels off but here we go.

    fan buried in the shroud.
    52ACB2B5-D86B-404A-98D9-56F26786AED4.jpeg

    something looks a little funny


    The fan is backwards
    41191A66-DB88-4ED6-9651-EF6208284B0B.jpeg
     
    JUSTIN PERSINGER and olscrounger like this.
  8. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 56,043

    squirrel
    Member

    yay, we can see what you're working on now!

    but still can't tell for sure what will fit. It looks like if you put the fan on the right way, it might work, or it might hit the lower pulley, so you might need either a fan spacer, or a single groove lower pulley (but the car might or might not be getting AC, so we don't know if that's a reasonable solution).

    If you get to the point that you can actually draw, with dimensions, what you have to have, then we can look at some fans and see what's available.
     
  9. Looks to me like the fan is on backwards. That in itself sounds silly but is it?
     
    weps and Johnny Gee like this.
  10. A single grove bottom pully may help a bit.
     
  11. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,666

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    Right!
     
  12. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,904

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    The fan needs to be centered in the shroud opening. It might be better to not have a shroud and have the fan approximately 1/2-3/4” from the radiator core. Many cars never had shrouds and never had a cooling problem because the fan was correct to the radiator. I have run the 5 and 6 blade steel non flex fan and did not have cooling problems because of its location. They need to move air by pulling the air thru.
    If you get the fan close to the core, many times just a ring of metal which centers in the fan blade will help a lot. Good luck..
     
  13. proartguy
    Joined: Apr 13, 2009
    Posts: 668

    proartguy
    Member
    from Sparks, NV

    Fan spacer? I cannot imagine that fan does any good backwards.
     
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  14. Now the fan is on correctly.
    I’ll be refitting the shroud and see how it lands.
    Take it from there and see.

    CDF26991-C154-4AF0-A7E9-CB1308F368A1.jpeg 214F8346-9B96-4B89-8E77-165992803FCC.jpeg
     
    olscrounger likes this.
  15. olscrounger
    Joined: Feb 23, 2008
    Posts: 4,774

    olscrounger
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I have this fan on wife's 55--17" it has a 3 groove pulley on crank and two on water pump-clears all by about 3/8' behind fan--it is 3/4" back from water pump face and 1 1/4" out-this is a spare that is on the wall
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: May 16, 2020
  16. Who needs instructions when working on a Hot Rod?
    [​IMG]
     
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  17. continentaljohn
    Joined: Jul 24, 2002
    Posts: 5,536

    continentaljohn
    Member

    When I was putting my 283 into the 33 pheaton I shimmed the radiator forward a bit. It only moved it about a 1/2 inch but thats a bunch when trying to fit the motor with out cutting the firewall. I look forward to seeing a fan with a back space. I may have to look into making one
     
  18. I’ve not tried to push the pump flange that far, but cutting the back groove off of a 2 groove pulley might give room
    0AE774AD-C23F-42F5-889D-1BE1B2054A3B.jpeg
     
  19. You can tell by the witness ring that the fan was on the right way before and maybe a test fit that way. Might be kinda stupid but I've seen people bend the stock blades back towards the engine to get some more room or push the water pump shaft in more IF you can.


    ****never mind I type to slow.

    Another stupid question is does it need the shroud?.
     
    31Vicky with a hemi likes this.
  20. @31Vicky with a hemi , how thick is the billet aluminum pulley where it bolts to the water pump?
    I bet it's ~3/8" thick.
    A stamped steel pulley is less than 1/8" thick at the flange; which would move the fan back ~1/4" toward your 1" goal.:)
     
    olscrounger likes this.
  21. I think I’ll be fine with that fan mounted correctly
     
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  22. olscrounger
    Joined: Feb 23, 2008
    Posts: 4,774

    olscrounger
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Great--I'm sure it will work a bit better installed the right way.
     
    Just Gary likes this.
  23. continentaljohn
    Joined: Jul 24, 2002
    Posts: 5,536

    continentaljohn
    Member

    They make them where they are towards the rear and have them on the roadster and cabriolet. I usually find them at the swaps and buy them . Even with the flat fan not much space and cutting down the waterpump flange will give you more room but will have to make a new tradition image.jpg image.jpg aluminum pulley:D
     
  24. blue 49
    Joined: Dec 24, 2006
    Posts: 1,833

    blue 49
    Member
    from Iowa

    Some one on here said he had used a Ford upper pulley and then pressed the water flange on further till the pulley grooves lined up to gain room in front of the fan. I don't know any other details.

    Gary
     
    31Vicky with a hemi likes this.

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