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Old 10-31-2013, 11:24 AM   #1
reggiedog
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Default vacuum fans

HI: Can anybody tell me how I can rebuild a vacuum fan????. I would like to re-build the fan myself but just don't know how to go about doing it. Is there a diagram of how to rebuild the vacuum fans and if so can someone email it to me. Thanks reggiedog
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Old 10-31-2013, 11:56 AM   #2
Tom Wesenberg
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Default Re: vacuum fans

I've never seen information on them, but the rubber blades seem to be the problem on most of the fans I've seen. I've also seen a few with leather blades. I found an NOS vacuum fan in the original box at Iola a few years ago. I bought it mainly because the vacuum hose looks just like what the Model A tire pumps use.
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Old 10-31-2013, 01:39 PM   #3
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Default Re: vacuum fans

THANK: But I need the info on how to fix them I have a fan that has a metal cage and metal fan blades. It's NOT the rubber ones at all I just don't care for the rubber ones. But I have to find out how to fix them. thanks reggiedog
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Old 10-31-2013, 01:58 PM   #4
Richard Redmond
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Default Re: vacuum fans

Is it like the Trico seen in my photograph?
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Old 10-31-2013, 03:13 PM   #5
Tom Wesenberg
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Default Re: vacuum fans

Have you connected the fan to your intake manifold? If so, what does it do? I'll have to find mine, but as I recall the motor part is crimped and can't easily be taken apart.

If you have a good vacuum on it, try to turn the fan with your fingers. If it still won't spin, I'd squirt some ATF in the vacuum hole and spin the blade several times, then try it again.
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Old 10-31-2013, 03:29 PM   #6
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I don't have a car motor to hook the fan to I just use a regular shop vacuum????. That does give enough suck to test the fan granted it don't make it go real fast. But you can tell if it works or not.
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Old 10-31-2013, 03:50 PM   #7
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Default Re: vacuum fans

Yes Richard from what I can see in your pic of it I think yours is just like mine. Mine has a metal cage and a metal blade I just got it off ebay and on there they said it worked or was a store model. Ya right.
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Old 10-31-2013, 03:55 PM   #8
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Default Re: vacuum fans

I think I found a place on the H.A.M.B. that kind of tells you how to fix them but I would still like more info on how to rebuild them. I think the lady on ebay blocked me or something cause when I try to get a hold of here it comes up that this seller is something?????. But if I need to I will have ebay them self get a hold of here but I'm going to try and oil it and get it to work first. And go on from there reggiedog
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Old 10-31-2013, 04:58 PM   #9
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Default Re: vacuum fans

A shop vac has a lot of volumn but not as much vacuum as the fan needs to run faster. I'd guess your fan is fine, and just needs to be connected to a car.
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Old 10-31-2013, 06:14 PM   #10
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Default Re: vacuum fans

There isn't anything inside to wear out. Be sure the shaft is lubed and the fan blades can turn freely, that's about it. There is a tiny hole on the outside edge of housing that has to be clear to let air into the fan motor. These are simple and fun accessories.
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Old 10-31-2013, 06:56 PM   #11
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Default Re: vacuum fans

yes the shop vac does turn the fan at a slower speed. But I have a fan that's been restored and that runs on the shop vac but at a slower speed. And then I have N.O.S. vac fan never been used and I tried that and that don't work either. But someone told me to oil the fan with brake fluid cause it lasts longer than regular 3 an 1 oil.
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Old 10-31-2013, 07:22 PM   #12
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Default Re: vacuum fans

I took one apart many years ago and all that I remember was inside, was a 3" one piece metal little turbine wheel with the fins on the outer edge of it. It was directly connected to the fan blades. Not much to it. The back cover was crimped on with the die cast body.
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Old 10-31-2013, 07:28 PM   #13
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Default Re: vacuum fans

In other words don't take it apart????
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Old 10-31-2013, 07:52 PM   #14
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Default Re: vacuum fans

If you can set your shop air pressure VERY low (like 5 psi) or otherwise restrict it (a disc with a small hole) you can try blowing air thru the exhaust hole (basically think of vacuum as just pressure in the opposite direction). I used to test vacuum gyros this way. Just don't get the pressure too high. It should work.
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Old 10-31-2013, 08:21 PM   #15
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Default Re: vacuum fans

You know I would if never thought of that one blowing air in instead of sucking air out maybe I will try that one. But right now I'm trying to get the blades off so does anybody know how to get the blades off. I have the cage off the hub or whatever you want to call that thing. It's taking a long time but I haven't had any luck on getting the fan off. I don't want to bend the blade and does anybody know how to put the cage back on after you bend the little tabs off the hub. I used a screwdriver to get them to bend out but how do you get them to bend in again. A pliers would be too small I thought of a can opener but that would be to big
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Old 10-31-2013, 09:37 PM   #16
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Default Re: vacuum fans

I've played with a few. The main problem with them is getting lube to the shaft. They gum up after time and also accumulate 'lint' blockage under the cover around and behind the rotor.

Trying to pry off the rear cover is difficult. I have had success holding a finger over the hose barb and blowing full pressure shop air into the intake hole with a rubber nozzled blowgun. The covers pop loose and you can then remove them without making ugly pry marks on the pot metal.

Once open blast it with brake or carb cleaner then squirt light oil behind the rotor onto the shaft. Park it rotor up, fan down for a few days to allow the oil to flush out the shaft. Rotate it back/forth every now and then.

When it spins free clean everything up. You'll need to apply a tiny bit of sealer on the rear cover, it needs to be vacuum tight. The last one I opened had nothing but the paint as the seal.

To test them (and give them a good high speed workout to loosen them up) I used my refrigeration vac pump. If you hook it up through your refrigerant gauge set you can bleed air in and watch the gauge to see it work at 5", 10", 15", 20" vac.

Good luck. Being die cast zinc (potmetal) I'm sure some of them have suffered the same fate as vac wiper motors and Tilly carbs.
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Old 10-31-2013, 10:00 PM   #17
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Default Re: vacuum fans

Don't open it. Put it in a pool of ATF. Rotate the fan by hand so it drinks ATF thru the little air hole on the rim. Let it soak a couple of days. Wha Laa.
If you push on the wire cage it will pop apart. It is not soldered. Then it is a real challenge to reassemble it
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Old 11-01-2013, 05:10 AM   #18
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Default Re: vacuum fans

can anybody tell me how to get the fan off I think the fan is bent a little????. So if it is bent how do you fix it????. I have to get the fan off first my fan has like a little round clip in the middle kind of like a airplane prop. Where it covers the bolts is there bolts under the clip. If so how do you take it off I've tried a small screwdriver and a small metal hook and neither have worked. But if the fan is bent a little how do you straighten the fan blades????. But first I have to get the fan off I want to buff it so HOW DO YOU GET THE FAN OFF. Most of the little felt washers if that's what they are either half gone or fell out. I do have the fan out part way in other words I can see part of the shaft but it wont go any farther I have it up about a 1/4" I just don't want to pull it any farther and end up braking something that CAN'T BE REPLACED. I have everything else off but the BLADE I got the cage all apart and going to clean that up. But NEED TO GET THE FAN OFF and I hope it's NOT BENT and get that off and clean that up too
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Old 11-01-2013, 12:02 PM   #19
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Default Re: vacuum fans

Have you tried a vacuumfantakeroffer?
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Old 11-01-2013, 01:25 PM   #20
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Default Re: vacuum fans

what is that???
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