The Ford Barn

foustr · 03-30-2013, 09:05 PM

I have a 1929 Ford roadster, all stock. I have had to replace the radiator and water pump (with std. parts). I bought the correct 28/29 radiator and the fan blade is std 8 in. radius. When I installed them, the fan blade now hits the underside of the upper radiator return pipe. I can't figure out why as this should be a no-brainer replacement project.
Anybody else had this problem?
Any ideas?

Fred · 03-30-2013, 09:22 PM

Where did you get the radiator ??..

Tom Wesenberg · 03-30-2013, 09:40 PM

Do you still have the old radiator to compare?
I've heard of this problem from others a few times.

Mike V. Florida · 03-31-2013, 12:02 AM

How does the hose line up with the head?

Mike · 03-31-2013, 07:28 AM

Try tighten the front engine mount, pulling the mount down should give yo the clearence.

Mike

59mgaguy · 03-31-2013, 07:43 AM

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I take it you did put the shims back under the radiator? Also when you rebuilt your water pump you did the correct measurement when you pressed on the impeller?

JBill · 03-31-2013, 07:49 AM

I had this problem with a '30 pickup I had. I shimmed the radiator as much as I could and then ground about an eighth of an inch off the ends of the aluminum replacement fan. Of course that wouldn't work with an original fan or if an eighth of inch won't do it.

Purdy Swoft · 03-31-2013, 10:52 AM

I had the same problem with my sept. 29. The upper radiator neck was obviously at the wrong angle. The repro aluminum fans are slightly longer than the original fans. I cut 3/4 inch from each fan blade and rebalanced. This solved the problem. I didn't want to run the risk of ruining the radiator by tring to alter the upper neck angle. Shortening the fan blades seemed to be the common sense approach for me. It takes less horsepower to turn a shorter fan and you only need the fan when idleing or at very low speed, so no real harm was done.

Christoph · 03-31-2013, 02:08 PM

Dont you ever use original fan (in common they are tired and tend to break).
Use plastic or Aluminium....

You might use such an ugly plastic fan (vendors do offer).
They have more blades and much smaller diameter

I used one for years and nobody ever noticed that there is
plastic under the hood....

59mgaguy · 03-31-2013, 05:59 PM

Christoph,

Not to push your buttons the wrong way and I hope I don't offend. But I repair two original two bladed fans around 30 years ago both are still holding up today. Depending on how they start to crack you can stop drill then weld and they will hold up. You just have to keep a sharp lookout on them as long as they are on the car. I do a prefilght on my car ever so often and it's mostly often. Personally I think the two bladed fan has gotten a bad rap. There was an article printed in The Model A Restorer on the best fan blades and cooling back in I believe 1967 or 68. And the two bladed fan came out tops.

Fred · 03-31-2013, 06:47 PM

Been using one on my 28 coupe I bought in 1964, its still fine... The 29 you see in picture has one also..

Mike Peters · 03-31-2013, 10:37 PM

The farther rearward the top of the radiator is, the more fan clearance you will have. Vica versa, the farther forward the radiator is, the less fan clearance you will have, because the inlet tilts downhill to the rear. The radiator shell mounting holes on your new radiator are probably different than your old radiator. Try grinding the radiator shell mounting holes such that the radiator can be tilted rearwards, with less clearance between the fan and the radiator core. That will give you more clearance between the inlet pipe and fan tip.

Purdy Swoft · 04-01-2013, 10:25 AM

The only radiators that I have heard of with this problem is reproduction 28-29 style radiators. I only use the aluminum repro two blade fans, they have slightly longer blades than the original two blade fans. There is no problem with the slightly longer fan blades on any of my 30-31 cars with original radiators or the 30-31 cars with Snyders or Smith and Jones new repro radiators. I don't think that all of the repro 28-29 radiators have this problem.

03-30-2013, 09:05 PM	#1
foustr Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 2	Radiator Replacement Problem I have a 1929 Ford roadster, all stock. I have had to replace the radiator and water pump (with std. parts). I bought the correct 28/29 radiator and the fan blade is std 8 in. radius. When I installed them, the fan blade now hits the underside of the upper radiator return pipe. I can't figure out why as this should be a no-brainer replacement project. Anybody else had this problem? Any ideas?

03-30-2013, 09:22 PM	#2
Fred BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: California, Maryland Posts: 1,421	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem Where did you get the radiator ??..

03-30-2013, 09:40 PM	#3
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem Do you still have the old radiator to compare? I've heard of this problem from others a few times.

03-31-2013, 12:02 AM	#4
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem How does the hose line up with the head? __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

03-31-2013, 07:28 AM	#5
Mike Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: ASTON, PA. Posts: 725	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem Try tighten the front engine mount, pulling the mount down should give yo the clearence. Mike

03-31-2013, 07:43 AM	#6
59mgaguy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 114	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I take it you did put the shims back under the radiator? Also when you rebuilt your water pump you did the correct measurement when you pressed on the impeller?

03-31-2013, 07:49 AM	#7
JBill Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 702	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem I had this problem with a '30 pickup I had. I shimmed the radiator as much as I could and then ground about an eighth of an inch off the ends of the aluminum replacement fan. Of course that wouldn't work with an original fan or if an eighth of inch won't do it.

03-31-2013, 10:52 AM	#8
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem I had the same problem with my sept. 29. The upper radiator neck was obviously at the wrong angle. The repro aluminum fans are slightly longer than the original fans. I cut 3/4 inch from each fan blade and rebalanced. This solved the problem. I didn't want to run the risk of ruining the radiator by tring to alter the upper neck angle. Shortening the fan blades seemed to be the common sense approach for me. It takes less horsepower to turn a shorter fan and you only need the fan when idleing or at very low speed, so no real harm was done.

03-31-2013, 02:08 PM	#9
Christoph Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Frankfurt am Main in Germany Posts: 671	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem Dont you ever use original fan (in common they are tired and tend to break). Use plastic or Aluminium.... You might use such an ugly plastic fan (vendors do offer). They have more blades and much smaller diameter I used one for years and nobody ever noticed that there is plastic under the hood....

03-31-2013, 05:59 PM	#10
59mgaguy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 114	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem Christoph, Not to push your buttons the wrong way and I hope I don't offend. But I repair two original two bladed fans around 30 years ago both are still holding up today. Depending on how they start to crack you can stop drill then weld and they will hold up. You just have to keep a sharp lookout on them as long as they are on the car. I do a prefilght on my car ever so often and it's mostly often. Personally I think the two bladed fan has gotten a bad rap. There was an article printed in The Model A Restorer on the best fan blades and cooling back in I believe 1967 or 68. And the two bladed fan came out tops.

03-31-2013, 06:47 PM	#11
Fred BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: California, Maryland Posts: 1,421	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem Been using one on my 28 coupe I bought in 1964, its still fine... The 29 you see in picture has one also..

03-31-2013, 10:37 PM	#12
Mike Peters Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: South East Wisconsin Posts: 1,279	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem The farther rearward the top of the radiator is, the more fan clearance you will have. Vica versa, the farther forward the radiator is, the less fan clearance you will have, because the inlet tilts downhill to the rear. The radiator shell mounting holes on your new radiator are probably different than your old radiator. Try grinding the radiator shell mounting holes such that the radiator can be tilted rearwards, with less clearance between the fan and the radiator core. That will give you more clearance between the inlet pipe and fan tip.

04-01-2013, 10:25 AM	#13
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: Radiator Replacement Problem The only radiators that I have heard of with this problem is reproduction 28-29 style radiators. I only use the aluminum repro two blade fans, they have slightly longer blades than the original two blade fans. There is no problem with the slightly longer fan blades on any of my 30-31 cars with original radiators or the 30-31 cars with Snyders or Smith and Jones new repro radiators. I don't think that all of the repro 28-29 radiators have this problem.