Aluminum Fan Question:

JBR

JBR

Senior Member
I recently purchased a new aluminum fan to replace the four blade on my Tudor. There were no instructions with the fan. Seems to me you were suppose to place a washer between the fan and the nut? Is that correct?
Thanks,
Jon
 
NO that is not correct, Ford did not use a washer at all, just put in the nut and insert the cotter key, bend and that is all.
You might have to remove the radiator rods and pull the radiator forward to get off the 4 blade fan and also remove the water pump with it for ease.
 
I always use a flat washer on aluminum fans. I feel the aluminum is less likely to "squish" forward with the larger surface of the washer as opposed to the nut. Once the aluminum fan gets the slightest bit loose on the tapered shaft it will quickly get "wallered out" the size of a pea coat sleeve.
Ron
 
Last edited:
Rainmaker Ron said:
I always use a flat washer on aluminum fans. I feel the aluminum is less likely to "squish" forward with the larger surface of the washer as opposed to the nut. Once the aluminum fan gets the slightest bit loose on the tapered shaft it will quickly get "wallered out" the size of a pea coat sleeve.
Ron
Click to expand...

Yes, this is true. Failure to do this has also been known to cause a vibration as the fan becomes loose on the waterpump shaft.
 
When installing any fan is best to test fit the fan to the shaft with out the woodruff key in place. This will give you a base line as far down on the shaft the fan should go. Make a mark on the shaft remove the fan insert the key and reinstall the fan. If yo don't see your mark the key is not allowing the fan to seat on the shaft and will start to come loose under use. Sometimes the key is too tall becasue the slot is not deep enough in the shaft or the slot is too shallow in the fan, either way it needs to be corrected.
 
Thanks Ron and Brent. That's what I thought. That's interesting John. I will try that.
Thanks again,
Jon
 
Jon is correct to check the key, I was having issues with a little wobble and vibration, removed the fan and found the key was too high, wallered out the shaft and the fan.
 
Have any of you experienced a fan that appears to fit too far on the shaft. I'm replacing my four blade with an aluminum two blade. When I tighten down the castle nut, the prongs go past the hole where the cotter pin goes. In other words, the cotter pin won't prevent the castle nut from loosening because it isn't seated between the nut's prongs. Could the shaft possibly have the hole drilled in the wrong place, or is there something else wrong? The four blade fan did fit any better, my dad just put two nuts on it when he had the car.
 
I try to use a flat washer under the nut . Does it go further into the taper with a washer? If it does the fan probably will bottom out and rub on the waterpump casting when installed so either your shaft is way undersize or the tapered hole is too big. I've installed a few of the aluminim fans and haven't seen one mount too deeply yet.
 
i used a #8 flat washer & self locking nut with locktite . been on for 6 yrs now ... steve
 
Thanks for your replies, guys. The fan appears to fit nicely and isn't rubbing on the casting anywhere so I think everything is fine there. I think the answer might be pretty simple. As I mentioned, my dad put two nuts on it. Well, now I think they might be the wrong nuts. The Brattons catalog lists the height of the nut as 29/64". Mine is measuring about 7/32". So if Brattons is correct, then the nut I have is half of the height it should be. Sigh...
 
Josh,
The four blade fan is OK. However, the two blade aluminum fan is adequate for cooling and many of us think it looks closer to original.
 
has anyone had any problem with the new leakless water pump? i installed one 6 months ago, it came back with the pressed in front bearing loose on the shaft, causing the fan hub to ride on the w/pump
 
When I put my spare aluminium fan on my repro B water pump I had all sorts of problems .Basically the taper on the pump shaft was all wrong which meant the fan hub would'nt lock up aginst the taper -Required machining too make it fit but now no problems. Apparently there are a lot of problems with aftermarket water pump shafts
 
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