The Ford Barn

BirchRidge · 07-05-2017, 11:57 AM

My 4 blade fan decided to give up this morning.. I revved the car at the carb when it happened, I'm glad it took the radiator and not my head

BirchRidge · 07-05-2017, 12:20 PM

[IMG]

[/IMG]

Fred K-OR · 07-05-2017, 12:30 PM

I installed 4 blade fans on both of my rigs. This was before I saw all the discussion on the Barn about them. So far so good but do check them once in awhile like it looks like you should do on any fan.

denniskliesen · 07-05-2017, 02:34 PM

My original 2 blade fan wasn't consistent in shape on the blades. One blade had a hole in it near the end. One blade looked puffy from what is inside that might have been rust swelling. I didn't feel comfortable with it so I bought a new 2 blade from a local vendor. Installed it and measured blade tip distance from the radiator for each blade. good fit and finish. A little over $50 for peace of mind.

Tom Wesenberg · 07-05-2017, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirchRidge

My 4 blade fan decided to give up this morning.. I revved the car at the carb when it happened, I'm glad it took the radiator and not my head

Using a 4L fan belt instead of the correct 5L allows the belt to ride low in the groove, which will speed up the fan speed. Also the unbroken blade looks misshapen, so I wouldn't trust it. Buy a new aluminum fan and the correct belt.

Tom Endy · 07-05-2017, 04:01 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I would never run an original Ford two blade on a Model A. They are 85 plus years old. Moisture has likely gotten into the hollow area and has rusted from the inside. They are prone to cracking from fatigue and if they come apart they are likely to lodge in the hood, the radiator, or your forehead.

Most of the new aluminum two-blade fans on the market are of good quality. The ones I have purchased from Bratton's worked well. I have a static balancer I check them on. They can easily be balanced by taking metal off one blade.

A while back there were some on the market that were not machined properly. Most vendors have discarded these by now. Best not to buy a used one. There are also repo water pump castings around that are oversize and will bind in the fan.

When installing one make sure that it seats on the taper properly and it rotates without obstruction. Make sure you install a steel flat washer under the nut to prevent galling into the aluminum and offering a false torque.

Tom Endy

George Miller · 07-05-2017, 04:10 PM

I agree with Tom. That blade is bent up not worth the chance. A fan is always bending as it speeds up and slows down. If you ever bent metal back and forth it will break from fatigue. Get a new fan they are good quality now days.

Chris Haynes · 07-05-2017, 04:18 PM

My A has the Ford 4 blade fan on it. Yesterday I idled for miles in the Santa Clarita 4th of July parade. It was a hot day in the mid 90's. The engine temperature never rose out of the operating range. I do have an aftermarket fan shroud on it.

BirchRidge · 07-05-2017, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Using a 4L fan belt instead of the correct 5L allows the belt to ride low in the groove, which will speed up the fan speed. Also the unbroken blade looks misshapen, so I wouldn't trust it. Buy a new aluminum fan and the correct belt.

the blades was not misshaped until one decided to go south, it must have happened att the same time I put the engine in three days ago and ispected the fan when I mounted the water pump and didn't see any cracks or dents.
I will change the belt and fan but first i have to find a new radiator

Synchro909 · 07-05-2017, 06:47 PM

Chris raises a good question. He has an aftermarket shroud on his car. I have nothing on any of my As, shroud or splash pans and have little or no overheating problems. The only time any of mine will get too hot is when pulling the camper at 50mph in O/D in ambient temperatures in the mid 90s F. I don't think a shroud or pans would help at cruising speed but I can see that they might help at sustained LOW speed (I can't remember the last time I did that anyway). I have only ever seen one Model A with a shroud and never any pans and cars were like that for decades.
So here's the ? How important are shrouds and pans for every day use?

Lona · 07-05-2017, 08:50 PM

A year or so ago, I discovered a cracked two blade fan on my roadster. I searched several vendors at the time for two blade aluminum fans but all were back ordered. So, I ordered a plastic four blade fan to use until the two blade alum fans were back in stock. After reading all the nightmare stories about broken fans of all types, I decided to leave the plastic one on. I can deal with flying plastic but not metal, thank you.

Glen

ursus · 07-06-2017, 02:36 PM

I have to wonder why nobody has come up with a plastic two-blade fan attached to a metal pulley that has the appearance of the original fan? The plastic blades could pull sufficient air at lower speeds but flex for lessened drag at high speed and, being plastic, will be less likely to cause injury or damage if one takes flight. Is this a crazy idea, or what?

steve s · 07-06-2017, 06:05 PM

THis happened to a friend.

Charlie Stephens · 07-06-2017, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve s

THis happened to a friend.

I would like to point out that the fan shown is an aftermarket reproduction fan and not the one most people are referring to (Ford part 46-8600).

Charlie Stephens

denniskliesen · 07-06-2017, 07:42 PM

Charlie, So the fan in your picture is a Ford fan? And the fan in steve s is a aftermarket fan?

Charlie Stephens · 07-06-2017, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denniskliesen

Charlie, So the fan in your picture is a Ford fan? And the fan in steve s is a aftermarket fan?

Yes. My fan is the one that came out in 1933 for the Ford 4 cylinder engines and it was the dealer replacement fan for 1928-34 for many years (the is why there are so many of them).

Charlie Stephens

Big hammer · 07-06-2017, 09:58 PM

What is it with fords and fans ? I had a 1978 Mercury that lost a blade, could not find any trace of where it came off. Because it wasn't a ford it wasn't on the recall, and had to wait several weeks for ford to make one. 8 months later ford did send me a check for the purchase price. I haven't heard of other makes having fan problems?

Mike V. Florida · 07-06-2017, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick L.

I've been running a 4 blade for a long time. I installed it because I had it hanging around and noticed a crack in the original 2 blade. Purchased a new 2 blade a while back but haven't gotten around to install it yet. The 4 blade works just fine for me and as far as I know they don't have a history of breakage. Maybe this year it'll get changed, maybe.

I did the same thing and the 4 blade shed a blade destroyed the radiator and the vibration from 3 blades took out the water pump. Your car your choice.

daveymc29 · 07-06-2017, 11:16 PM

Two blade aluminum. No vibration and no cracks. Have also used plastic five blade, never saw plastic four blade.

denniskliesen · 07-06-2017, 11:19 PM

I noticed a plastic fan is much smaller in diameter. Are they all like that?

07-05-2017, 11:57 AM	#21
BirchRidge Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: sweden Posts: 35	Re: 4 blade fan My 4 blade fan decided to give up this morning.. I revved the car at the carb when it happened, I'm glad it took the radiator and not my head

07-05-2017, 12:20 PM	#22
BirchRidge Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: sweden Posts: 35	Re: 4 blade fan [IMG][/IMG]

07-05-2017, 12:30 PM	#23
Fred K-OR Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Stayton, Oregon Posts: 3,806	Re: 4 blade fan I installed 4 blade fans on both of my rigs. This was before I saw all the discussion on the Barn about them. So far so good but do check them once in awhile like it looks like you should do on any fan. __________________ Fred Kroon 1929 Std Coupe 1929 Huckster

07-05-2017, 02:34 PM	#24
denniskliesen Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: SoCal Posts: 877	Re: 4 blade fan My original 2 blade fan wasn't consistent in shape on the blades. One blade had a hole in it near the end. One blade looked puffy from what is inside that might have been rust swelling. I didn't feel comfortable with it so I bought a new 2 blade from a local vendor. Installed it and measured blade tip distance from the radiator for each blade. good fit and finish. A little over $50 for peace of mind.

07-05-2017, 04:01 PM	#26
Tom Endy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 3,131	Re: 4 blade fan Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I would never run an original Ford two blade on a Model A. They are 85 plus years old. Moisture has likely gotten into the hollow area and has rusted from the inside. They are prone to cracking from fatigue and if they come apart they are likely to lodge in the hood, the radiator, or your forehead. Most of the new aluminum two-blade fans on the market are of good quality. The ones I have purchased from Bratton's worked well. I have a static balancer I check them on. They can easily be balanced by taking metal off one blade. A while back there were some on the market that were not machined properly. Most vendors have discarded these by now. Best not to buy a used one. There are also repo water pump castings around that are oversize and will bind in the fan. When installing one make sure that it seats on the taper properly and it rotates without obstruction. Make sure you install a steel flat washer under the nut to prevent galling into the aluminum and offering a false torque. Tom Endy

07-05-2017, 04:10 PM	#27
George Miller Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: NC Posts: 2,975	Re: 4 blade fan I agree with Tom. That blade is bent up not worth the chance. A fan is always bending as it speeds up and slows down. If you ever bent metal back and forth it will break from fatigue. Get a new fan they are good quality now days.

07-05-2017, 04:18 PM	#28
Chris Haynes Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Camarillo, CA and Pine Grove, CA Posts: 2,832	Re: 4 blade fan My A has the Ford 4 blade fan on it. Yesterday I idled for miles in the Santa Clarita 4th of July parade. It was a hot day in the mid 90's. The engine temperature never rose out of the operating range. I do have an aftermarket fan shroud on it. __________________ 1921 Runabout 1930 Tudor Early 1930 AA Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go? Last edited by Chris Haynes; 07-06-2017 at 01:32 AM.

07-05-2017, 06:47 PM	#30
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,496	Re: 4 blade fan Chris raises a good question. He has an aftermarket shroud on his car. I have nothing on any of my As, shroud or splash pans and have little or no overheating problems. The only time any of mine will get too hot is when pulling the camper at 50mph in O/D in ambient temperatures in the mid 90s F. I don't think a shroud or pans would help at cruising speed but I can see that they might help at sustained LOW speed (I can't remember the last time I did that anyway). I have only ever seen one Model A with a shroud and never any pans and cars were like that for decades. So here's the ? How important are shrouds and pans for every day use? __________________ I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.

07-05-2017, 08:50 PM	#31
Lona Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Gloucester, Va Posts: 464	Re: 4 blade fan A year or so ago, I discovered a cracked two blade fan on my roadster. I searched several vendors at the time for two blade aluminum fans but all were back ordered. So, I ordered a plastic four blade fan to use until the two blade alum fans were back in stock. After reading all the nightmare stories about broken fans of all types, I decided to leave the plastic one on. I can deal with flying plastic but not metal, thank you. Glen __________________ '31 Model A Deluxe Roadster '31 Chrysler Model 70 Sedan '88 Pontiac Fiero GT '36 Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

07-06-2017, 02:36 PM	#32
ursus Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,375	Re: 4 blade fan I have to wonder why nobody has come up with a plastic two-blade fan attached to a metal pulley that has the appearance of the original fan? The plastic blades could pull sufficient air at lower speeds but flex for lessened drag at high speed and, being plastic, will be less likely to cause injury or damage if one takes flight. Is this a crazy idea, or what?

07-06-2017, 07:42 PM	#35
denniskliesen Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: SoCal Posts: 877	Re: 4 blade fan Charlie, So the fan in your picture is a Ford fan? And the fan in steve s is a aftermarket fan?

07-06-2017, 09:58 PM	#37
Big hammer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 3,131	Re: 4 blade fan What is it with fords and fans ? I had a 1978 Mercury that lost a blade, could not find any trace of where it came off. Because it wasn't a ford it wasn't on the recall, and had to wait several weeks for ford to make one. 8 months later ford did send me a check for the purchase price. I haven't heard of other makes having fan problems? __________________ Don't force it with a little hammer tap, tap, tap get a bigger hammer tap done

07-06-2017, 11:16 PM	#39
daveymc29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Danville, CA Posts: 1,554	Re: 4 blade fan Two blade aluminum. No vibration and no cracks. Have also used plastic five blade, never saw plastic four blade.

07-06-2017, 11:19 PM	#40
denniskliesen Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: SoCal Posts: 877	Re: 4 blade fan I noticed a plastic fan is much smaller in diameter. Are they all like that?