2 blade fan or 4 blade fan? That is the question!

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by Chris Haynes

I am installing an electric fan on my AA.

If the electric fan is on a switch, you can cut it off after you get moving and gain a little horsepower. It takes horsepower to pull the fan, may help on hills.

In my post above, I meant that the fan on the water pump, takes horsepower to pull. Replaceing the fan with just a pulley should give a small boost. If you don't mind the electric fan it should handle the job and you could turn it off when it wasn't needed and it would draw no power at all.

[columbiA]

An electric fan on an A is an oxymoron.It would look terrible & is simply not needed.Most modern cars are front wheel drive with cross-mounted engines.Driving a fan at right angle to the engine with a belt would be a challenge.In an effort to get as much gas mileage as possible in todays cars,it was found that less HP was used to drive an electric fan & a slight increase in milage resulted.Also ,the thermostatically controlled electric fan would shut off when not needed & come back on when the temp came up.

[Patrick L.]

Originally Posted by Louis

If your driving your "A" model above 20 thousand feet elev. most of the time, go with the four or six blade fan.
If you drive most of the time under 20 thousand feet elev. stick with the two bladed fan.

I'd like to see an 'A' make to 20,000ft.

[Mike V. Florida]

WOW almost 2 years to the day this thread was started.

[springerpete]

The stock fan on a model A was a two blade fan. They are presently available from most vendors in aluminum, powder coated black. Only issue is the fit over the water pump housing. Often you need to grind the housing so the fan hub does not rub. It has been in the low 90's here the past 4 days. I have run my A daily, 35-40 mph for up-hill, down-hill and level operation without the red showing in the motometer.

[glenn in camino]

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Aluminum 2 blade works for me, and when painted black, looks pretty close to factory.

[spdway1]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

WOW almost 2 years to the day this thread was started.

Pretty Amazing isn't it?
Time to dig up the bones of the old horse that everyone has recently been beating.

[Ted Duke]

I just put an extra four-blade fan in my computer which was overheating and it didn't work.

BUT, after reading this thread I am DEFINITELY ordering a two blade aluminum fan for my 29 RPU when I get to that stage.

Thanks,

Ted

[Ted Duke]

Originally Posted by columbiA

An electric fan on an A is an oxymoron.It would look terrible & is simply not needed.Most modern cars are front wheel drive with cross-mounted engines.Driving a fan at right angle to the engine with a belt would be a challenge.In an effort to get as much gas mileage as possible in todays cars,it was found that less HP was used to drive an electric fan & a slight increase in milage resulted.Also ,the thermostatically controlled electric fan would shut off when not needed & come back on when the temp came up.

Yeah,

Like my 1961 CORVAIR?

Ted

[TinCup]

Yes Snyder's manufactures the fan that everyone sells.

[Arlen]

Here in Texas, it can reach 110 in the summertime. A two blade fan still keeps the car running comfortably cool.

[James G.]

Hey Chris - Ford did not ever put a 4 blade fan on the Model A, or the AA. That came later, likely as a cost cutting substitute. The Model A Times did a test of the various fan blades on the model a, measuring the air flow at given engine RPM and several locations, in front behind and by the middle engine area. Nothing beat the 2 blade original design!
Henry did it best after all!

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by Chris Haynes

When I got my first A in 1961 it had the Ford replacement four blade fan on it. What was Ford's reason to switch to a four blade fan?

The four blade fan was used on the 1933 trucks and later B style engines. After model A production ceased , the supply of the two blade model A fans were used up. The model 46 or 33 and later 4 cylinder four blade fan was offered as a replacement for the model A two blade prop style fan.