Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

The wifey bought me an aluminum 2 blade fan for Xmas. I finally got around to installing it and it hits the upper radiator hose. What's going on here?

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

Do you have the correct water outlet casting for the year of your A ?

I have the same type fan on 2 of my A's, 1 on 1930 and 1 on a 1929, I had no clearance problem.

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

Your engine may be sitting too high if you have the replacement front mount springs that look like a bee hive, or you may have a replacement radiator that has the neck in the wrong place, or you may have a early type water outlet on the head if the car is a later car. It is not the fault of the fan, they are the same dimentions as the original 2 blade fan.

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

Post a photo of your setup. Otherwise it's just speculation and wild guesses :)

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

I don't believe it's the engine height as the crank hole lines up with the crank. How can I tell if I have the correct water outlet?
I was replacing a 4 blade fan so can't compare to original....but definitely bigger than the 4 blade.
I'll post pics tonight.

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

Ron probably has the answer. Did you do anything else when you changed the fan? Is the neck on the radiator at the right angle and location?

Charlie Stephens

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

Here is a picture of the two outlets. I am sure someone will come up with dimensions.
http://www.vintageford.com/word_sear...ater&Category=

Charlie Stephens

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

I had the same problem, and just used a bench grinder to take a little (about an eighth of an inch) off both ends, being sure to keep it balanced.

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

I just took 3 picture of my top and bottom radiator outlets, and the water pump to radiator clearance. The picture for the water pump shaft doesn't show the cleance well, but it's between 3/4" to 1". This is all original parts.

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

my 29 with a who knows what maker of radiator clears easily

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

As Ron and Bill said the fan is not the issue.... Make sure if it's a 30/31 that you have a taller neck on it... the 28/9 style is shorter to compensate for the lower profile radiator. If you have a short neck and a 30/31 radiator it may cause an issue. I will try and post later after I measure one so you know what you have ( actually they don't line up from the side view if you look at it without a hose on) . Also, some necks on some radiators just aren't always installed correctly... it's a problem at times. Couple that with how the radiator may not have any shims underneath the mounting ears some 28/29's are close... Take inventory of your situation...

1.shims under radiator - you don't want to change your hood alignment unless it needs changing..

2. you already mention your crank pulley lines up so it is probably OK... it should be straight in.. no angling upward to get it to align. Many repro front engine mount springs and aftermarket units are incorrect and cause these issues.

3. I don't like to do it but on occasion I have shaved the fan length slightly. As said you must retain the balance and shape.... I would leave this as the last resort.

Hopefully you have resolved/identified the problem.. the guys have some good posts above on this for you.

All the best! Keep us posted.
Larry Shepard

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

I will check things out first but if it comes down to shaving down the fan, how much clearance is necessary?

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

I wouldn't do that. Something else is wrong. Cutting the fan will make it out of balance and unless you're really good you won't be able to balance it
Every Model A except the early ones had the same fan so something else is wrong. Fix that and you'll be a happy camper

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

If you are driving an October 1929 to model changeover (December 1929?) frame in a 1929 body style you may have the "design anticipating" changeover frame - and yours may have lost the design shims between the radiator feet and their landing place on the front cross member.

Frames in this time period were made with the radiator landing points on the front cross member "lower" than previous anticipating the "taller" 1930 radiators. Just to allow use of the shorter 1929 radiators for a short period of the changeover, Ford installed "shims" to raise the landing point.

You can tell if you have the earlier frame as the radiator landing point show "above" the frame side rails if a straightedge is placed across both landing points. If both landing points seem "below" the frame rails by a matter of a quarter of an inch or more, then you have a "transitional" or later frame.

The original shims were square, are described in the Service Bulletins, and even Ford advised that the shim height could be adjusted "to bring body panels into proper alignment." One could use stacked round washers to achieve a similar adjustment.

Something else to check...

Joe K
Who has three frames - two early and one transitional.

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

Mine is pretty close.

1929 ccpu but with a 30 front crossmember so the radiator needed a couple of those rubber pads on each side. The vendors sell the pads they are about 1/8" thick..

I also have one of those float-a-motor type front engine mounts....but I did use the fan with the old metal yoke style...

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

Hey Tom, you got many years more experience than me on model A's but it looks to me like your top hose ain't fur enough up on the radiator pipe. I'm still learning and try to analyze all photos for my own benefit.

John

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

Hey Tom, you got many years more experience than me on model A's but it looks to me like your top hose ain't fur enough up on the radiator pipe (2 nd. photo). I'm still learning and try to analyze all photos for my own benefit.

John

Can't even figure how edit previous post.

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

Tom is also working with "original" parts - including the early "funnel top" radiator (w/shroud I might add)

The funnel tops are one of the reason these early radiators tend to throw less water. Ford changed radiator suppliers/design sometime between 1928 and 1929 and the new radiators (non-funnel top) had more tendency to throw water.

Hence about that time instructions in the Service Bulletins on how exactly to "bend" the overflow tube to put it out of the water stream coming up from the motor.

Most replacement radiators built since have followed in concept these latter design radiators. Some closer than others to the original design? It may be possible that your particular radiator is "aftermarket replacement" and may have the angle of the upper tube or its placement wrong causing the close clearance at the fan?

Quality control is ALWAYS a problem for mechanical assembly parts replacement.

Another thing to check,

Joe K

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

The hose clamp is beyond the ridge on the radiator inlet, so it's good. The funnel starts about 1/8" inch past the top end of the hose, so it can't go more than another 1/8" even if the hose was longer. :)

Re: Aluminum 2 Blade Fan
 

I see now that I am looking at the start of the funnel not the ridge on the pipe. Thanks

John