>> Upon examining the 4 blade stock fan, I noticed that it had a subtle
>> hairline crack halfway across one blade near the base. So far, I've had
>> one of these fans bury itself in my radiator, while taking a turn, and
>> another one just plain break at low speed.
>> At the last SUNI, a guy had one
>> give way and go through his hood at road speed.
It broke going thru Boise, Idaho on the way to SUNI II, at about 65 mph. Talk about an explosion! I was pretty sure from the sound and immediate violent shaking that I'd lost a rod or crank or something. Then I remembered hearing that sound once before, and also noticed that my oil pressure hadn't changed. As I coasted to the side of the freeway, I leaned over the windshield and, sure enough, there they were again: those nasty Mick Jagger-like metal lips protruding from the bonnet.
I've used an early series 6-blader since then (roughly 45,000 miles), courtesy of a nearby Alpine owner, Kevin McCarthy, of Post Falls, Idaho. I don't know that the early blade works any better, but at least its still in one piece.
Dick Sanders Seattle