Engine fan replacement 1930 Model A

[KCW]

My A has a terrible vibration! I found out that the engine fan broke and about half of it is gone. I bought a new one an thought it would be an easy swap, but it looks like a have to take off the radiator. I found an old thread about this but are there any good YouTube videos or instructions for how you do this? Never done it before. Thank you!

[KCW]

Photo

[katy]

Where did the rest of the fan go?

[Joe K]

You're lucky.

Go buy your lottery ticket NOW before the Gods of Chance decide you need a "leveling."

Joe K

[Will N]

If your replacement fan is a 2 blade fan, you don't have to take the radiator out. You can just loosen the nuts on the two radiator rods, lift the rods out of the slot and tilt the radiator forward a little bit. That will give you enough room to remove the water pump with the fan in a horizontal position. You'll want to remove the pump with the fan because removing the fan from the pump shaft may take some pounding.

[1928Mik]

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When I replaced my fan with the one piece aluminum one, I didn't mess with the radiator, I just placed a piece of cardboard against it and then loosened up the water pump and the whole assembly came out easily.
You are EXTREMELY lucky that fan didn't shoot thru your rad or hood!

[KCW]

Thank you for the advice. I have no idea what happened. The spot where it is broken does look a little rusted. I don’t recall hearing the fan break while driving, I just started it up one day and there was a ton of vibration, which led me to inspect the engine and that’s when I found the problem. It’s just a two blade fan so I’ll try to replace it myself.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by KCW

Thank you for the advice. I have no idea what happened. The spot where it is broken does look a little rusted. I don’t recall hearing the fan break while driving, I just started it up one day and there was a ton of vibration, which led me to inspect the engine and that’s when I found the problem. It’s just a two blade fan so I’ll try to replace it myself.

KCW was extremely lucky. Just another testament why everyone with a stock steel fan should change it out for an aluminum one as soon as posible.

I see the vendors are out of stack again, I recommend you put yourself on the waiting list.

[Randall]

https://youtu.be/Wcd-zIA1YrE?si=J_4sJZH_nBrtlbT1

[old31]

KCW, both Will and 1928 are 100% correct on what they told you.

Follow their directions and also get yourself to the nearest store and pick up a lottery ticket. You dodged a bullet on this one.

[JayJay]

That is a great photo! Bob Bidonde, you should be able to use that in one of your presentations on why you replace the fan.

And KCW, please do try to find out where the rest of it went to put a closure to the story. It might be lurking in one of your engine pans...

[gdmn852]

Hello, also check clearance on the inner pulley area to the water pump,sometimes the fan pulley area will rub on water pump , make sure it spins freely, if not you will want to tgrind some stock off the pump.

[KCW]

I have a stupid question - where are the radiator rods located that I have to loosen? Trying to do this in my own. Thank you!

[Big hammer]

The rods from the firewall to the radiator, just loosen the nuts and remove the rods , have you removed the hood ? If not your going to have to prop the hood up .

[KCW]

Got it - did that and it was simple. It seems to me that I will need to remove the radiator she’ll. Is that correct? Also, in order to tilt the radiator forward I will have to loose the at least the top hose. Is that right? Finally, there is a metal bar to which the headlights are mounted too. It will block the radiator from tilting forward. If I remove the shell then I will get maybe a few inches more of space. So I have to remove that bar and the headlights? I was able to easily loosen the fan from the water pump, but of course can remove it due to the position of the radiator. Thank you for the advice! I’d really like to complete this myself. Thank you again!

[Marshall V. Daut]

Depending upon the thickness of the radiator core, you may have to also loosen the four headlight bar nuts so that you can tilt the bar forward to gain additional clearance to remove the water pump from the cylinder head. You don't need to actually take the headlight bar off; just run the nuts off as far as possible without them leaving the bolts. Then can you tilt the headlight bar forward to gain that extra clearance.
Yes, you will need to loosen the upper radiator hose to tilt the radiator forward. Drain about half of the coolant so that it doesn't flow out when the hose is separated from the radiator. Removing the radiator shell will not make any difference.
Marshall

[KCW]

Thank you! Another foolish question - how do I drain the radiator?

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by KCW

Thank you! Another foolish question - how do I drain the radiator?

There should be a drain valve in the lower radiator hose pipe, if not just loosen the clamps and let the water drain. Someone may have replaced the pipe with a single hose in the past. Attached is a photo of the lower drain pipe and a close up of the pet cock for draining the radiator.

Cahrlie Stephens

[KCW]

Thank you! I’ve got the hood off and everything loose. I need to tilt the radiator a few inches to get the broken fan off. I can only tilt it a few millimeters. Do I need to loosen the bolts that hold the radiator down underneath the car? These particular bolts have springs in them. There is not much play in the tilting. Thanks for the help!

[KCW]

Got the old fan off! That was tough. Got the new one on, but with the fan belt in the pulley I can’t line up the center of the pulley with the water pump shaft? Any way to loosen the belt?