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Fan Blade clearance. Final Chapter? Please, lol


Scottjeffrey

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Posted recently about my fan hitting the alternator pullet nut and breaking off, destroying my radiator. New fan came and I may have found the problem. Depending on which side of the fan you attach to the water pump, the clearance will be meaningfully different. The broken one still on the car was mounted on the side giving the least cleanse between the blades and alternator. Was that patently wrong? In any event can I put it on to increase clearance and keep my alternator? Picture 3 is the broken one, picture four the way I want to mount the new one (water pump attachment its right side, which will increase clearance. Is ok? Thank you!

Happy New Year,

Scott

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1 minute ago, kbmb02 said:

Please don't install the fan backwards (you'll realize why, and then do a palm face).

You'll need to address the alternator issue, and install the fan correctly. -KB

I do not have the faintest idea which way is backwards. If I put it on backwards from how it was when it broke, I will have the desired clearance. Is it supposed to be installed so that clearance is maximized or minimized?

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Take a look at the fan blades on an electric fan in your house; it's supposed to push air towards you.  The fan on your car's engine is supposed to pull air through the radiator and blow it back towards the engine, so logically it the blades should be curved in the opposite direction from your household electric fan when looking at both from their front sides.  Put another way, your radiator fan blades should be curved in the same direction as an airplane propeller.

 

Unless they're making them differently now, the BMW logo and part number molded into the fan should face the radiator.  That's the way my old spare fans are made.

 

mike

 

  

Edited by mike
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'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

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35 minutes ago, mike said:

Take a look at the fan blades on an electric fan in your house; it's supposed to push air towards you.  The fan on your car's engine is supposed to pull air through the radiator and blow it back towards the engine, so logically it the blades should be curved in the opposite direction from your household electric fan when looking at both from their front sides.  Put another way, your radiator fan blades should be curved in the same direction as an airplane propeller.

 

Unless they're making them differently now, the BMW logo and part number molded into the fan should face the radiator.  That's the way my old spare fans are made.

 

mike

 

  

Hi Mike, While I don't have a house fan, could you answer me this; on our cars the side of the fan facing the radiator should be the concave or convex side of the blade?    Found the answer; The fan blades are curved, convex (outward curved) on one side, concave (inward curved) on the other. Air will flow from the convex side to the concave side.   Not good for my clearance issue. Oh well. No biggie. Thanks, Mike! Happy New Year!

Edited by Scottjeffrey
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9 minutes ago, Scottjeffrey said:

Does the clearance now look sufficient?

 

Yes.  Do the two pulleys align as they should?

(Is the belt straight when it is all tightened up?)

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     DISCLAIMER -- I now disagree with much of the timing advice I have given in the past.  I misinterpreted the distributor curves in the Blue Book as timing maps for our engines.  I've also switched from using ported-vacuum to manifold, with better results.  I apologize for spreading misinformation. 

(3-28-2024)  

 

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Much better, probably enough but if I had just endured the whole new radiator trauma I'd be running scared. ?

You are probably good now.

 Got the little lock tabs on the fan bolts?Front hub plate installed ? Blue loctite wouldn't hurt either.

 

Edited by tech71
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6 minutes ago, tech71 said:

Much better, probably enough but if I had just endured the whole new radiator trauma I'd be running scared. ?

You are probably good now.

 Got the little lock tabs on the fan bolts?Front hub plate installed ? Blue loctite wouldn't hurt either.

 

Little lock tabs in place ($20!), front hub plate installed. Didn't use lock tight. Maybe I will take each bolt out and use some as I haven't bent my tabs yet! Thanks a million! New radiator delivered tomorrow. Back on the road in time to change my differential-yuck, lol!

Happy New Year To You!

Scott

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Man!  Backwards crossed my mind when you first posted.   I hesitated to comment as I don't have any reference at the moment.   But I will say that the larger fan can fool you.   It's not obvious on the hub.  Honest mistake.  

 

I know a couple of tricks for the removal of the diff when you're ready.

73 Inka Tii #2762958

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3 minutes ago, PaulTWinterton said:

Man!  Backwards crossed my mind when you first posted.   I hesitated to comment as I don't have any reference at the moment.   But I will say that the larger fan can fool you.   It's not obvious on the hub.  Honest mistake.  

 

I know a couple of tricks for the removal of the diff when you're ready.

Hi Paul. The old one wasn't on backwards and the new one is on and correct with suitable clearance. I am happy to be able to keep my higher amperage alternator on there. I will be tapping you on the shoulder when I get to the differential! Happy New Year!

Scott

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