aluminum fan...Q

hardtimes

hardtimes

Well-known member
Are the 'newest' version of the two blade aluminum fan of better quality (read: balanced) than that available in the recent past? Has anyone recently purchased a new alum fan and used such and satisfied with the quality/balance?? Which vendor sells balanced alum fans. All opinions valued.
 
I just put one on my coupe, and it's fine. The taper was right and it's balanced. Depending on your pump, you may have to file a little material off the front of the pump to let the fan clear, but they explain that in the instructions. Not a biggie.
 
H/Times, the aluminum 2-blade fan is/was manufactured by only one person. There has been twice that there were some QC issues however Don has stood behind them both times. If you buy one and it happens to be out of balance (blades were drooping during the cooling process at the foundry) then contact him and he'll exchange it for a good one. I doubt you will find this however because it has been several years ago since that problem surfaced.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
H/Times, the aluminum 2-blade fan is/was manufactured by only one person. There has been twice that there were some QC issues however Don has stood behind them both times. If you buy one and it happens to be out of balance (blades were drooping during the cooling process at the foundry) then contact him and he'll exchange it for a good one. I doubt you will find this however because it has been several years ago since that problem surfaced.
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Ok then , that's exactly what I wanted to know, as I'm going to try one asap!
 
I still have the original fan on my '30 Coupe, but I've been thinking about picking one of these up. How serious is the original fan failure?
 
LSGUN said:
I still have the original fan on my '30 Coupe, but I've been thinking about picking one of these up. How serious is the original fan failure?
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How serious...hope you never find out first hand:eek: !
How serious...I have a nice appearing original that I'll give away, if/when yours gives way:D
Research the subject has been discussed (fans) in recent past. Personally, I don't have money to spend repairing/replacing such things as paint/radiator/hood/fan belt/water pump/whatever. And, heaven help anyone that would be unfortunate enough to get hit by one breaking up at the time that you are looking under the hood. 'Original' kind of a crap shoot. Hey, you may be lucky and nothing happen.
 
hardtimes said:
Thanks, welcome news!
Hmm, wonder if Tom W has one that he would part with:) >
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Don't know if you meant me, because there is a Tom W that also posts on here. I don't have one, but was real happy with the last two I checked for a customer. A big improvement over the previous few from about 4 years ago.

I'm still using my original fan, but keep an eye on it checking for cracks and I don't rev the engine over about 2,200 RPM.
 
My original flew apart a couple of years ago. For a second or two I didn't know what happened. Cost me nearly $1,000 to fix everything it damaged - and I'm lucky it did not fly out and/or hit me because I had one side of the hood open. When I bought my second Model A, I replaced the fan with an aluminum repop, even though the fan looked good. $45 dollars for a new repop is a lot cheaper than replacing a radiator, hoses and everything else damaged by a blade flying around and the resulting unbalanced load on the water pump and generator pulleys. At that time I knew nothing about Model A's nor the trouble an old fan blade can cost. I no longer trust any fan blade unless I inspect it at the beginning and end of the season and occasionally inbetween. Once bitten, forever shy in my case.
 
A buddy of mine was on a tour and his broke loose and got lodged sticking out of the top of the hood of his 30 unrestored body coupe. Now he allways carries a picture of it and everyone in his club runs alluminum fans, and I install them on every a I work on.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Don't know if you meant me, because there is a Tom W that also posts on here. I don't have one, but was real happy with the last two I checked for a customer. A big improvement over the previous few from about 4 years ago.

I'm still using my original fan, but keep an eye on it checking for cracks and I don't rev the engine over about 2,200 RPM.
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Yup , you be that Tom W that I referenced:) ! Mainly, because your reports and pics, etc ...back when we discussed this subject priorly...is the reason that I never bought an aluminum fan back when. Your balancing 'act' and machine for doing such was impressive.
Now, if you say that you've checked out the latest batch of aluminum fans on the market/think their good...I'll buy and try one.

BTW..is there any way that you know of (since you mention rpm)that an aluminum fan can be checked out for the MAXIMUM rpm that it will endure and be reliable:confused: Anyone?
 
"BTW..is there any way that you know of (since you mention rpm)that an aluminum fan can be checked out for the MAXIMUM rpm that it will endure and be reliable:confused: Anyone? "

Just buy a few and see at what RPM they explode. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
LSGUN said:
I still have the original fan on my '30 Coupe, but I've been thinking about picking one of these up. How serious is the original fan failure?
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Years ago, I had a '30 pick-up, made from an old sedan. It happened as I was coming down a long, steady grade, giving it no gas, but in third, probably doing close to 50 mph. I heard an explosion like a shotgun, and the engine came to a vibrating stop. At the top of the hood was a dent that stuck up about 3/4", and fortunately, that was the extent of the damage. I had thrown one blade from the fan; broke off the other one and limped home, a couple miles at a time, as she got hot without the fan blades.

You do not want to experience this... change out your fan.
 
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