Cracked Fan

[nickair]

Took the wife to lunch today and upon return I checked the engine compartment to see a new 1/2 inch crack in the two blade original fan an inch from the hub. Dang it. Although, thankful I noticed it since there is a new radiator inches from it. Time for an upgrade. Thoughts?

[hangarb7]

Question: is it a new fan, relatively new fan, or an old fan?

I have a steel four blader on my '30, and I examine it occasionally for cracks. I have been told to replace it as it will eventually work harden from vibration and crack.

Yet, what to replace it with? I have heard of folks having problems with repro fans....

Thanks

[1931 flamingo]

"a new 1/2 inch crack" Are there others?? This is an aluminum fan??

Paul in CT

[nickair]

Yes, the fan is an original steel 2 blade. This crack is the only one. Photo attached

[Bob C]

Are you sure that is aluminum, looks like an original to me. Almost
looks like one one I have.

Bob

[glenn in camino]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

On an aluminum fan, the hub is molded into the fan. That's not an aluminum fan.

[Flathead]

Try a magnet on it.

[Steve Plucker]

nickair,

Take a magnet and see if it sticks to the fan or not.

I am with the others as it does not look like a aluminum fan, at least not the current ones out now.

BUT...Who knows what old Henry was experimenting with during the Model A era!

Pluck

[Tom Wesenberg]

Holy cow, where's the duct tape when you need it?

Yep, it's steel. I just put a magnet to the picture of it, and it stuck.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Dog here,
Well, personally, my Buddy, Ol' Bill & I don't trust anything made out uf BEER CANS, Vermin sports a 6 blade, BLACK plastic fan NEVER seen one BREAK!
Buster T.

[Purdy Swoft]

Quick, get the JB weld !!! just joking. Actually my thought also is that it looks like an original. The sides of the pulley look too thin to be an aluminum repro. No harm meant and I'm not tring to make you out to be a lie. Do the magnet test, but by all means replace the fan before it does greivious harm !!!

[Kurt in NJ]

Plastic fans break too, i have replaced several, along with the radiator sliced by the blade and dents in the hood

[700rpm]

Just buy a new repro aluminum fan. The quality is good. No worries.

[nickair]

I just did the highly technical magnet test on the fan. It is an original steel two blade. Thread post is now edited to reflect correct fan material. I assumed it was a replacement rather than an 83 year old original. We all know what assuming gets us. Oops. Thanks guys for pointing it out from my photo.
Now what about replacement options? Thoughts...

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by nickair

I just did the highly technical magnet test on the fan. It is an original steel two blade. Thread post is now edited to reflect correct fan material. I assumed it was a replacement rather than an 83 year old original. We all know what assuming gets us. Oops. Thanks guys for pointing it out from my photo.
Now what about replacement options? Thoughts...

Simple, repop aluminum from any of the vendors.

[Synchro909]

I've run one of those 6 blade plastic fans for many thousands of miles with no sign of trouble - not that the aluminium fan on my other car has been found wanting. As I see it, if you want things to look close to original, go for the Al fan, otherwise consider the plastic one.
Good pick up before it separated!! Well spotted.

[Tom Wesenberg]

You were very lucky because that's a major crack and soon would have been in two pieces.

You can also see rust pits where the fan meets the hub. I'd buy an aluminum fan.

[mshmodela]

Geee!!! Lucky it did not fly apart!!!

[neds29]

Just some advice: Don't start the motor until you replace the fan.

[BangerMatt]

Originally Posted by neds29

Just some advice: Don't start the motor until you replace the fan.

Unless you want to replace the hood and/or radiator.

[Purdy Swoft]

I agree with Ned in post #19. I've had three close calls with old fans. As a side note, the old model 46 four blade 1933 truck fans that was sold as a replacement is just , if not more dangerous than the old original Fan. I use the new repro aluminum two blade fans because they look original and have worked flawlessly for me since they came out in the 70s .

[George Miller]

Originally Posted by BangerMatt

Unless you want to replace the hood and/or radiator.

I= 3 thrd that. Please do not start. Any any other people with 80 year old fans please replace. I do not want to be beside you when it breaks.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Has ANYONE heard of one of the new type aluminum fans breaking? Surely, they must be made of a "special" aluminum alloy?? NOT beer cans!
Bill W.

[Veger]

My coupe was coming back from a show that it won Best work in Progress Lol told them I thought I was DONE with it but none the less LoL was a win! Coming home I head a weird noise. The ole lady named it Shake Rattle and Roll lol so there is lots of sound on my old car not to mention the metal roof they just screwed down on top. Anyways lol the old lady goes what noise? Lol I pulled over to see my 4 blade fan scraping on the radiator a very nice half moon circle. Took the belt off drove it the rest of the way home. I was VERY LUCKY my radiator is still Good Thank Goodness. Went out and got a beer can 2 blade and works Great for the past few years but I always check it every week just to make sure.

Keep On Truckin'

[nickair]

Thanks guys. Very appreciated. Decided to get the 2 blade aluminum fan, balanced and powder coated. $54. Good opportunity to replace my radiator hoses, clamps and put in a thermostat. Anything else I should consider doing, during this repair?

[JBill]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

The bolts that let you remove the water pump without moving the radiator.

[Tom F OHIO]

Are you overheating????

[SDJason]

Originally Posted by nickair

Thanks guys. Very appreciated. Decided to get the 2 blade aluminum fan, balanced and powder coated. $54. Good opportunity to replace my radiator hoses, clamps and put in a thermostat. Anything else I should consider doing, during this repair?

Well, if you ever thought about putting in a temperature gauge, I suppose this would be the perfect opportunity/excuse to do that as well.

[nickair]

No overheating issues with the new radiator.

I will do bolts on the water-pump. I installed my new repro cast aluminum fan yesterday and found that the water-pump has a crack on one side of the housing. Wonder how long that has been there. Just noticed it today as I started it up to see the crack while it was running during my inspection of the fan replacement! Darn. Time to pull it all back apart. Good time to upgrade water-pump for use with my new thermostat. Any advise for a new water-pump?

[tomkline]

By all means replace it. We just had a young mechanic locally die from a fan blade that flew off and severed the artery in his neck. A very tragic death.

[Joe K]

Well, there are those who "trim" an original fan back an inch or two on each side. Centrifugal force is the square of the diameter and this lessens the loading on the center considerably.

You could trim this one back to the crack - balance it off by trimming the other side to make it balanced - and then drive ALWAYS above 20 mph in the car (since the fan does no function when driving that fast or faster anyway.)

All except the first paragraph offered in good fun - and that first paragraph offered as concern.

Joe K

[BlueSunoco]

Nick, you -be-lucky

From the looks of that garage wall art piece, I'd go buy a Lottery ticket after you place your order for a new aluminum fan. And as someone said DON'T run that engine until you replace that bad boy she's ready to come apart. Good thing you checked it.

[JOES31]

Nick,

I put the leakless pump in mine that I got from Snyders. Part # A8503-B. No leaks, no greasing, looks correct and no cleaning the firewall after I drive it. I think it's the best way to go. I rebuilt the old one as a spare.

Joe

[Bob Bidonde]

Considering the mega posts about the perils of running an original fan, I am amazed that some are still in use! Nickair, you are very lucky that your fan did not throw the cracked blade.

There is absolutely no way to determine the remaining life of an original fan, and we do know their life is very finite.

[nickair]

Originally Posted by JBill

The bolts that let you remove the water pump without moving the radiator.

OK. Removed the water pump today. Has a crack in it. Studs did not want to come out. Double nut on them and still would not budge. Yes, penetrating oil was on overnight. Last resort I used my small pipe wrench and it worked, thank God. Did not want to drill and re-tap.

Now where do I get water pump bolts??

[henry's 31]

You ere very lucky you discover it when you did. The next thing would have been damage to the hood. I would replace it with an aluminum fan and you could replace the studs for the water pump with the new bolts that look like studs, so in the future you can remove the water pump without moving the radiator. I have seen some nasty damage to hoods and radiators with the original fan blades.

Henry's 31

[Brentwood Bob]

snyders part number is A8501-MBM at $5.50 a set.
bratton's part number is 12300. $6.30 per set.

[nickair]

Just ordered the water pump bolts. Now waiting for the extreme duty waterpump. Im thinking that I may as well get a new high compression head since I could do it now. Suggestions?

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by nickair

Just ordered the water pump bolts. Now waiting for the extreme duty waterpump. Im thinking that I may as well get a new high compression head since I could do it now. Suggestions?

Sounds like a good choice.

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

Looks like your garage is going have more horses.

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by nickair

Just ordered the water pump bolts. Now waiting for the extreme duty waterpump. Im thinking that I may as well get a new high compression head since I could do it now. Suggestions?

I highly recommend the higher compression head. Every model A needs one. Higher compression will make a day and night difference in hill climbing and drivability in general. They will also generally run cooler and get more MPG.