The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - Damaged fan blade

The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network (https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/index.php)

- The 1967 - 1972 Chevrolet & GMC Pickups Message Board (https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/forumdisplay.php?f=3)

- - Damaged fan blade - repair or replace (https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=86398)

Damaged fan blade - repair or replace

The cooling fan on the engine I am going to use in my 69 was damaged slightly from a frontend impact. Appears one blade is bent slightly. No visible damage when you look at the blades but if you lay it flat you can tell one blade is bent.

Any thoughts on whether it is a bad idea to try to bend the blade or is it smarter to just replace it. It is a 5 blade fan off a 1989 454.

I wouldn't take a chance on it. After all the time and $ spent, Why take a chance on something that may wipe out bearings or worse.

I say replace too. Cheap insurance. If its out of balance it could mess stuff up, and if it has a crack that you can't see and a blade comes off will end up costing way more than just a new fan.

Shawn

Yep replace it. The bearing are going to go out in nothing flat. You should see what kind of damage a fan blade can do to a radiator. Not pretty.

Replace it. Just imagine the damage that could happen if it came off going down the road.

Thanks, advice will be taken. I didn't figure it was wise to use but wanted to get the general thoughts of you all.

Jack, I totally have to disagree with the rest of these guys, you have a chance to do something great here…

Remove the blade all together. That will still leave 4 blades more than enough to get the job done. Who cares about the vibration? Tell people it’s a blower. When some one looks under the hood tell them, “when I get around to fix’n that welder I’ll tack her back on.” But you got to keep a straight face, then buy some Coors Light with the money you save and sit on the porch and look at your neighbor’s funny with one boot on and one halfway off… Ever one will say, "Looky there kids, That's Crazy Yukon Jack":D ... Chevy Pete.

I don't know about that ChevyPete, he's :crazy: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Workers compensation in BC sent out an advisory lately regarding a mechanic who died when a weakened fan blade seperated, bounced of the underside of the hood and penetrated into his shoulder/neck area.
I'd always heard such a thing could happen but thought "what are the odds"
Good policy is don't hang over the engine if any reving is going on, do it from the front seat not the linkage.

there are times when you have to rev the motor while standing over it for example when you set the total timing

REPLACE THE FAN. I have been there done that. You don't want to mess with it, it will cost you big time in the long run.
MY STORY:
I was coming home one weekend when I herd a noise coming from the motor, it turned out the bearing had gone out on the water pump and the fan had hit the frame several times. It just got the tips of the blades.
I replaced the water pump and straightened out the tips and went on my way. Two months later I have to replace the water pump again. I figured I just got a bad one. To make a long story short, I replaced the water pump three times in less than a year, and one A/C clutch.
The last w/p I was replacing my dad happen to be at the house and I was telling him about all of this also, and as soon as he herd me say that I bent the blades back he said that's your problem it's out of balance. By the way my dad is retired from Chevorlet with 35 years and was the instructer at the training facility in Charlotte N.C. for about 6 years. He knows his stuff . Well I ordered a new fan and guess what, no more trouble, had the same pump now for over 5 years.

If you want I can introduce to you a guy that got hit in the face with a fan blade that broke of and he can tell you how it happened. Oh yea, I forgot he can't talk anymore.

replace it, I had a fan blade go through the hood of my truck once, that wasn't cool