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Re: [oletrucks] Cooling fan clearance.

To: B&A Kettunen <bekett@uslink.net>
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Cooling fan clearance.
From: Rawlin Blake <blake@nevada.edu>
Date: Sat, 27 Nov 1999 16:00:36 -0800 (PST)
On Fri, 19 Nov 1999, B&A Kettunen wrote:

> >Antonio R. Tijerino wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> No I am not having a Fan clearance sale, but I am having a problem with
> >> the stock fan not clearing the harmonic balancer. Here is the complete
> >> story. I got the short shaft water pump to install in my '57 235 engine
> >> that I am getting ready to drop in my '53 truck. I installed the pump
> >> and the pulley, the pump came with a spacer that goes (finally figure
> >> that one out!) in between the pulley and the fan, but even with the
> >> spacer the fan does not clear the harmonic balancer. I could put the fan
> >> in backwards, but then the airflow would be in the opposite direction.
> >> The little piece of paper that came with the pump says to "un-tweak" the
> >> back edge of the late model fan to clear the balancer. I wonder if
> >> un-tweaking means changing the shape of the fan with a hammer to make it
> >> clear.
> >> Any other ideas or input about this one??
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Antonio,
> >> '53 3100
> >>
> Near as I can figure, you can flip the fan and it will still move air the
> same direction.  If it clears otherwise, this should work just fine.
> 
> Otherwise, instead of beating with a hammer, I would carefully bend the
> part of the blades back that hit the damper.  Try and do each blade the
> same.
> 
> Bruce Kettunen
> bekett@uslink.net
> '57 3100
> 

I wouldn't tweak, or bend or hammer or anything a fan. Ever see one go
_through_ a hood? I haven't, but I've seen the hood it went through 
:-) . It went through the thick hood brace AND the outer skin, leaving
a nice crescent rip!!

If it was me, I would not take the chance of weakening, cracking or
putting a stress raiser in a perfectly good fan. After all, you might
just be standing off to the side adjusting the carb or whatever when
it decides to let loose.

Go to your favorite junkyard or auto parts store and buy a Fan Spacer.
The fan spacer is a round piece of zinc or aluminum casting that goes
between the fan and the drive flange on the water pump. These fan
spacers come in several thicknesses from about 1/2" to about 3" or so.
Be sure to purchase four good grade 5 or grade 8 bolts of the proper
length to bolt it all together (your current bolts will be too short,
and cheap bolts are too dangerous).

Check to make sure that your fan doesn't end up too close to the
radiator ;-)

Total cost should be well under US$20.

Good luck, Rawlin


-- 
blake@nevada.edu                        http://www.scsv.nevada.edu/~blake

How far would Moses have gone if he had taken a poll in Egypt? What would
Jesus Christ have preached if he had taken a poll in the land of Israel?
What would have happened to the Reformation if Martin Luther had taken a
poll? It isn't polls or public opinion of the moment that counts. It is
right and wrong and leadership.
        -- USA President Harry S Truman

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