Is there a FANdemic going on????
 

Tue pm at 55mph , my eng compartment went crazy in the '33 cpe. I was a mile from a V8ers house so I made a run for it shaking like crazy,but still good oil pressure. Arrived and upon inspection missing one fan blade, some rt hood side damage and an untouched radiator!!! Blade exited between grill and hood side which is now distorted. Inspection showed a pre- existing crack which finally let go. Photos. Newc

Re: Is there a FANdemic going on????
 

Yes. It's called old age metal fatigue.

Re: Is there a FANdemic going on????
 

Wow! Glad you're safe. Had a similar incident last all. Wife and I went for a quick run around the block, so to speak in the '32. Loud squeeking as if a bearing was going out then bang. Saw something exit under the car in the rearview mirror. Then no noise. Got it home ok and put it away. Upon investigation turns out the generator pulley cracked apart. Sent a chunk straight up and dented the hood from the bottom and took a chunk of paint off. BTW, in a recent thread about the fan coming apart and just how dangerous it can be. I recall some years ago watching an emergency show (real) about a guy who was working on a pickup. One of the fan blades let go (like yours) and hit him in the neck severing the main artery. He didn't make it. As posted in the other thread add fan inspection to the list.

Re: Is there a FANdemic going on????
 

One morning I was on my way to work, started my 1969 F350 flatbed.
Was running rough, I got out and opened the hood.
I was standing on drivers front tire and revved the engine up from the carb.
Fan blade broke loose 6" below me and it was buried several inches in the inner fender well.


Pay attention to fans they can kill you.

Re: Is there a FANdemic going on????
 

Newc, did you have the fan shroud installed?

Re: Is there a FANdemic going on????
 

So what should a guy do to prevent this kind of thing from happening? Will regular blade inspections catch everything?

Re: Is there a FANdemic going on????
 

38bill, I don't think this type of fan blade breakage can be prevented. It also happened to me. That's when I converted to a more modern fan stainless steel fan, hoping that today's fan blade metallurgy is better than it was "back in the day". I have heard of some folks installing electric water pumps.

Re: Is there a FANdemic going on????
 

While looking through Schramm's attic a number of years
ago I found a pile of industrial blades. They were thick metal
and some were pushers and some normal pullers. I made
adaptors for a few and mounted them on some of my old
Fords. My 39 P/U ran for 4 hours on a day that was over 100
degrees at a fast idle and never got to 180. It had 170 or 180
stats I can't remember which. I raced it up a few times and
the temp came down a few degrees. I went to lunch for 45
minutes and left the guy in the next booth at the flea market
watching it it. This is the stock 39 P/U radiator, a latter big
truck schowd on upside down and flat metal spacers on the
sides to bolt to the radiator support. The other car is my 39
convertible with more blades. Makes a little more noise but
not bad. G.M.