Reverse radiator fan?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
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From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Reverse radiator fan?
Hi, can anybody tell me if a clutch fan like the one in my 1980 'vette will work if spun in the opposite direction? I have installed a serpentine belt from a 1987 'vette, but want to stay with engine driven fan, so I figure a reverse fan bolted to the existing clutch. Will it work, or is the clutch one way only?
Scott
Scott
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,689
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From: Yucaipa CA
No .... One problem you will find when trying to run a mechanical fan on a vettes aluminum pump is it will fail faster then normal. I would try a ford mustang plastic reverse fan to lower the weight on the snout of the pump. Just elongate the ford holes a bit and it should bolt right up, The plastic fan will pull plenty of air had one on my 93 mustang gt and it never had cooling issues.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Hi, folks,
Maybe I didn't express what I mean well enough. I'm not asking about the fan, I'm asking about the clutch. Will the clutch operate normally spinning counter clockwise as viewed from the front, which is the opposite direction from the stock setup.
The fan itself bolts onto the clutch, so I can get a reverse direction fan which will pull air pretty much the same as the stock fan, I imagine, (although it only has 6 blades as opposed to the stock fan which has 7 blades) but, will the clutch destroy itself, or not work properly, or what?
OK, now, jeffp1167, that is something I didn't take into consideration, but now that you mention it, I guess it makes sense. Are you talking about bolting the plastic fan onto the waterpump flange, or onto the fan clutch. I would like to use the clutch if possible, for several reasons: power and mileage savings from the clutch, and properly lining the fan up with the shroud, among others. I guess I could use a spacer to line it up with the radiator shroud, but is it a 19 inch diameter fan? OK, I guess thats it for now, see ya later!
Scott
Maybe I didn't express what I mean well enough. I'm not asking about the fan, I'm asking about the clutch. Will the clutch operate normally spinning counter clockwise as viewed from the front, which is the opposite direction from the stock setup.
The fan itself bolts onto the clutch, so I can get a reverse direction fan which will pull air pretty much the same as the stock fan, I imagine, (although it only has 6 blades as opposed to the stock fan which has 7 blades) but, will the clutch destroy itself, or not work properly, or what?
OK, now, jeffp1167, that is something I didn't take into consideration, but now that you mention it, I guess it makes sense. Are you talking about bolting the plastic fan onto the waterpump flange, or onto the fan clutch. I would like to use the clutch if possible, for several reasons: power and mileage savings from the clutch, and properly lining the fan up with the shroud, among others. I guess I could use a spacer to line it up with the radiator shroud, but is it a 19 inch diameter fan? OK, I guess thats it for now, see ya later!
Scott
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Scott
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,689
Likes: 4
From: Yucaipa CA
Bolting the plastic fan onto a clutch and then to your water pump. Figure the plastic fan is much lighter and will reduce the weight on the snout of the pump and they are if memory serves me right 8 blades so should cool your car with ease.
Might take some mod'ing to make work but has to be better then a metal fan.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-8...Q5fAccessories
Might take some mod'ing to make work but has to be better then a metal fan.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-8...Q5fAccessories
Last edited by jeffp1167; Jan 1, 2011 at 08:29 PM.
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Bolting the plastic fan onto a clutch and then to your water pump. Figure the plastic fan is much lighter and will reduce the weight on the snout of the pump and they are if memory serves me right 8 blades so should cool your car with ease.
Might take some mod'ing to make work but has to be better then a metal fan.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-8...Q5fAccessories
Might take some mod'ing to make work but has to be better then a metal fan.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-8...Q5fAccessories
looked it up online, and it actually has 9 blades, and it's cheap, too! The hole in my radiator shroud is 20 inches, the stock fan is I think 19 inches, and this ford fan is 18.25, I think that's close enough for gov't work.
I would try one of those El Cheapo nylon flex fans, but I don't think they make 'em in reverse rotation, I have looked and looked. I am having trouble wrapping my head around a flex fan with a clutch.....
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Advance auto has the fan in question for $26.99, and they are about 5 miles from my house, no shipping, no waiting; make a call, go pick it up the next day. They have the fan clutch that goes with the fan for $29.99, I wonder if I should just get it. Will the clutch fit my waterpump flange? I think they will order it and let me test fit it, and if it doesn't fit, they send it back to the warehouse, they are pretty cool like that at my local Advance. BTW jeffp1167, thanks for the heads-up, this may turn out to be even better than I first thought
Hmmmmm, looks like I may be riding around with a Ford radiator fan in my Corvette. Don't judge me........at least it's American.......
Scott
Hmmmmm, looks like I may be riding around with a Ford radiator fan in my Corvette. Don't judge me........at least it's American.......
Scott
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 49
From: Bridgewater nj
I'm lookin at my fan from my 93 GMC and it looks the same mounting areas just everything is reversed for the serpintine belt. Hit the local wrecking yard or ebay, I'm sure there are many!!!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Another good idea! We have a pick-a-part nearby, maybe I'll go check it out.
Scott
