hmm.. is my clutch fan TOO close to my radiator? photos!

okay so i got my aluminum after market radiator tabs the other day, and had a shop weld them on. well, after modifying my radiator support in my 58 ford, this was as good a fit as i was going to get! but now im slightly afraid this might be too close and it's going to be another setback for me..

i have considered the mechanical fan swap, but the ones i got in the junk yard were too thick for the available slot i got. i was hoping to get some input on whether or not this is too close or this might just be okay? that radiator is in there very well and wont budge, but still... just thought i'd ask you guys.

 

i should mention that when i turn the fan by hand, it does not touch or graze the radiator at all. it is very close but there is no contact..

 

Too close for me.

Look at the type of clutch fan body as well as the length of the shaft from it. There must be a different clutch fan/shaft that will save a half inch. I don't do much with Fords, but someone here must know of a shorter one.

 

Too close, remember under a load the motor twist that way.

 

If you've got good motor mounts I don't see this as a problem.

 

yea i was considering a few options today:

getting a new fan itself that is off of a stock 460 with the same 4-bolt pattern as my clutch fan now.


or, perhaps grinding down some of those teeth on the clutch fan.... not the best idea but i considered it.


if anyone knows of a stock fan off a 460 that is thinner than this clutch fan i got, lemme know, or post photos of it so i can replace it. im gonna make a fan shroud too pretty soon. ill run the car with this setup and if it overheats ill make the switch to mechanical

 

well the motor is bolted in fairly securley. the mounts are from crites but they have rubber in them, but they are torqued down to the specs it mentioned..

my dad said though if i took it on the road and gave it gas, the engine might can flex or move around and it'll tear my radiator apart. (he didnt help out but he was at my grandmas today and overlooked what i was doing)

 

way to close you have a torque issue there too little as it might be. go to a yard and get an old Mopar fan and a 1 inch spacer should work great.

 

too close.. first time you hit your brakes hard it will take a chunk of Aluminum....
Motors do move around a bit. and that is too close. period.

 

I get your Dad's point. Here's what I'm thinking. A lot of times the distance people worry about is the blades being too close to the radiator. I've seen quite a few modded cars like this that worked for thousands of miles. The engine is going to need to move a considerable bit to get the clutch/heat sink to hit the radiator.

Personally, I'd run it if the mounts were good/new... but that's me. Any closer and I'd feel uncomfortable but only because I've seen other vehicles run at that distance, i.e., less than .5 inch.

 

I don't agree. If you hit your brakes hard and the engine is moving forward, you've got other issues.

 

the distance the clutch teeth on the fan are right now to my radiator is about a quarter of an inch away.. and brent thats what my first thought was... my mounts are brand spankin new, and i cant really see my motor being THAT flexible in the engine compartment.... but then again im trying to do everything right and safe this time... so i can see the point of view of everyone else saying its way to close for comfort...

thursday i might go try and fire it up. run it with some coolant and rev it a few times to see what happens.. but if i can find another 460 fan that is not a clutch fan, ill gladly replace it

 

I would say, I have never hit the brakes and had an engine move! Dont slam the brakes too hard, you'll pull your driveshaft yoke out of the trans...give me a break!

 

If the car is not your daily driver, why run a clutch fan.. Why not just run the stock 4 blade fan that 58 Ford came with.....

 

From one '57/'58 Ford guy to another, that's too close. Though I don't think that the motor will move that much, but it could, so just the possibility is reason enough to move it. Also, with the fan and clutch that close to the radiator, you're seriously decreasing the efficiency of the radiator by only pulling air through the parts with a fan blade in front of it. Therefore, the 4 corners and center where the clutch is will only get part of the airflow through them. Move the fan further away, and you'll get more out of your cooling system.

Looks like here you have a few options. You can get a thinner fan. You can get rid of the clutch and run it direct. If you can't move the motor back, then move the radiator forward. I wound up cutting off part of my radiator support to move the radiator forward to gain the clearance I needed. Works and looks fine

 

I just got off the phone with a friend of mine that has GM assembly manuals. The specification for an OT 396 Chevy vehicle was .7-.8 inch. So, we're talking about 3/4".

If you could work that you'd be close to the spec of your vehicle, I'd bet. Perhaps find a shorter hub or have a qualified machine shop modify yours.

 

Min fan to rad clearance is 3/4". Stuff does move. There is flex in motor mounts, flex in body mounts, metal flexes, and there is flex between frames & sheet metal.

Some of you guys must not watch things very close. Ever lean over the fender and rev the engine and see it rock side to side? If it can move side to side, its sure as heck can move forwards and backwards. Or how about when you enter one of those steep driveway entrances at a slight angle, you really think the frame doesn't twist?

Ah, well, your car, do as you want. I'll smile someday when i read your thread "my fan hit my radiator today". If I was you, I'd order another aluminum rad to have sitting on the shelf, because your going to need it one day, 1/4" simply is not enough clearance. Gene

 

ill probably order myself another fan then to give me the correct distance needed. just so i dont have to worry about everytime i fire it up and start driving it.. ill have peace of mind. i spent too much money for my radiator and too much time working on my car only to have this issue come up down the road. thanks for the input guys. now if i can find a fan with the same bolt pattern as my stock 460 fan...

 

Too close,
Im not saying to put this BMW style fan on your car but its good for ideas on modifications to yours..
Find a fan that fits in the space regardles of make, clock the hole pattern 90* and redrill it..

 

I just installed a six blade GM fan on my avatar's Ford 302. Evidently they share the same bolt pattern. Took off the Ford four blade fan. I did have to replace the two inch spacer with a one inch spacer because of the pitch of the six blade GM fan made contact with the radiator. There is now a 3/4" clearance.

 

I would run to the junkyard and grab a Taurus or Cavalier electric fan, wire it as a pusher and run it in front of the radiator. No engine fan needed.

 

Its too close, you will find out later why its too close.

 

im searchin on ebay for a taurus dual electric fan setup.. i have a taurus fan already, but its the single fan setup, but it was too big for the space i have now.. i heard the dual fan is shorter so if i can find a relativley good priced one ill order it. my local junkyard didnt seem to have the dual fan taurus's i guess cuz i looked at every one that day!

and i posted a topic about that before, having it installed in front of my radiator, the jist of the thread was to just leave the fan where its at and not in front.

 

Grind that shit a 1/4 inch and be done...

 

I would do that.......... good idea.

 

Well, if you want to keep it behind the radiator, it will work better anyway. Don't think that you really need the dual. I used a single from a Fiero on my 454 chevy truck and it keeps really cool.

 

Guys....Aftermarket fans have SLOTS instead of holes....that way they fit MOST engines...The fan centers off the PILOT (center)..just like your wheels are supposed to center off of the hub !
Order the apropriate size fan and what ever size spacer (spacer has slots as well) you need to get it + or - 1" away from the radiator..spacer kits usually have the correct bolts in the box...
If you need part #s let me know..Lots of decent parts stores in bako....(start with fast undercar..)
Dave

 

I would look into having the fan hub shortened. Cut it down 1/2" and weld it back together (straight and true) Then you'll be fine.

 

A near miss, is still a miss. Is the car running? By that I want to know if it cools sufficiently? If it does, and the fan does NOT hit the radiator...what's the problem?

 

I run a inline 292 in my daily driver "55 Chevy. To position it I slid a piece of cardboard box (figure 1/4") between the firewall & motor. When it got a good drag on it I positioned the front mounts. Made a front plate & used a pair of Speedway do-nuts. Used a cast iron truck bellhosing, used the same kinda do-nuts there to a crossmember I fabbed up. Six yrs. of driving later over dirt farm roads to speed bumps, I can tell you the motor's never contacted the firewall.