clutch fan problems
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
clutch fan problems
i have a 1979 corvette.it has a 350 that puts out 426hp.
this is what happens to me and i need some opinions and thoughts. i stomped on the gas and the clutch fan it too heavy and broke my water pump
what should i do, should i go electric and spend the money that i dont have or go with a fan that weighs less. any thoughts? thanks
this is what happens to me and i need some opinions and thoughts. i stomped on the gas and the clutch fan it too heavy and broke my water pump
what should i do, should i go electric and spend the money that i dont have or go with a fan that weighs less. any thoughts? thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,456
Likes: 102
From: Piedmont Va
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13,'19-'20
I would say if the fan clutch broke the water pump it was more than just heavy..can you expound on exactly where the pump broke, and how the fan was involved?...
Cheapest way out is a rebuilt pump and a flex fan.
Cheapest way out is a rebuilt pump and a flex fan.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 427
Likes: 1
I saw this once before in a 1971 Buick GS 455. A guy from Saskatchewan stood on the throttle so hard that the fan blade actually from first apperance of a young lad of 17 years sucked the bearing right out of the water pump and right into the shroud to only 'eat' the rad. I kid you not.
Now looking back, it may have been a collection of vibration stress over time on the water pump snout, maybe a missing fan blade, though nothing through that Stage 3 hood, or maybe something loose.
It was very memorable as we all ran home with our 1/2" wrenches and tighted every loose bolt/nut from the thermostat forward.
Dano,
Now looking back, it may have been a collection of vibration stress over time on the water pump snout, maybe a missing fan blade, though nothing through that Stage 3 hood, or maybe something loose.
It was very memorable as we all ran home with our 1/2" wrenches and tighted every loose bolt/nut from the thermostat forward.
Dano,
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,456
Likes: 102
From: Piedmont Va
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13,'19-'20
one that moves a lot of air if the torque of your motor broke a perfectly good water pump at the mounts 
Seriously I havn't used one in several years...but there has to be a break point between whats enough air to cool the engine and your tolerance of the noise....although some folks think they sound cool...
Seriously I havn't used one in several years...but there has to be a break point between whats enough air to cool the engine and your tolerance of the noise....although some folks think they sound cool...
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 2
From: Lewisburg WV
You will notice newer model cars all use electric fans. Plus, large mechanical fans even when working correctly cause premature wear on water pump bearings.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Funny how GM and other manufacturers built tens of millions of cars with clutch fans and bog standard cast iron pump that somehow survived 20-30-40 years untouched in some cases, yet they're 'unreliable'.
How could the HP output of an engine possibly cause a water pump to break in half?
How could the HP output of an engine possibly cause a water pump to break in half?
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Funny how GM and other manufacturers built tens of millions of cars with clutch fans and bog standard cast iron pump that somehow survived 20-30-40 years untouched in some cases, yet they're 'unreliable'.
How could the HP output of an engine possibly cause a water pump to break in half?
How could the HP output of an engine possibly cause a water pump to break in half?
Not sure how even a locked up fan clutch could break the pump housing.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
I would suggest that there was a latent defect of some sort in the pump shaft and not a design error. Revving an engine with a fully locked up fan clutch is well within the range of typical operation by a consumer, isn't that what we were taught to do when stuck in heavy traffic on a hot day?
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I would suggest that there was a latent defect of some sort in the pump shaft and not a design error. Revving an engine with a fully locked up fan clutch is well within the range of typical operation by a consumer, isn't that what we were taught to do when stuck in heavy traffic on a hot day?
I didn't mean to insinuate there was design error, the worn out clutch should have been discovered and fixed with normal maintenance.
I don't like being under the hood with a locked fan clutch, maybe I'm a sissy but they downright scare me.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 2
From: Lewisburg WV
thegazman
Funny how GM and other manufacturers built tens of millions of cars with clutch fans and bog standard cast iron pump that somehow survived 20-30-40 years untouched in some cases, yet they're 'unreliable'.
How could the HP output of an engine possibly cause a water pump to break in half?
How could the HP output of an engine possibly cause a water pump to break in half?
