Mechanical cooling fan

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I have found I may have room for a mechanical fan like the pictured unit.  My space on the Falcon is limited

I am curious if the fan blade design  would tend to move / flex forward much at higher RPM.

[enjenjo]

I have used that type of fan in the past. As I recall, they are not particularly effective, but they don't move around much either. It will probably be enough for your six.

[C9]

I have found I may have room for a mechanical fan like the pictured unit.  My space on the Falcon is limited

I am curious if the fan blade design  would tend to move / flex forward much at higher RPM.

I run a mechanical on my 32.
A 17" dia six blade Hayden with the wide blades.
(Similar to the 15" Hayden in this pic of the 31.)

The Hayden on the 32 pulls a lotta air and the car runs cool in summertime traffic - 100 degree + temps.

There's approx 1" clearance between the flush style allen plugs that seal off the trans cooler part of the radiator tank.
These plugs, although flush do stick out a bit.  (1/8 - 3/16")
The fan did clip one of them (with no damage) when the car was first running, but that was because I didn't screw the plug in as far as I should have.
After that, no more problems.

The really nice feature about the Haydens is that the fan blades are mounted to it's hub rearward of center.
All other stainless flex fans I've seen have the blades centered on their hubs.
(If it's not clear, hub translates to - in this case - the fan's center mounting flange.  In other words stick a Hayden in place of any other fan and the blades will sit to the rear a little more than an inch.)

If the flex fan blades just barely clear an obstacle at the back of the fan - the 32's fan blades sit about 1/8" ahead of the crank pulley, which in this case has the front of three sheaves machined off (leaving 2 sheaves) - it's not a problem.  The blades flex forward at their rear edge which gains clearance from the crank pulley in my case and what looks like the alternator pulley in your case.

Conversely, if you have a Hayden and need a little room to the rear, get a different brand which has the blades centered on the hub and that will get you some rearward clearance.
Derale and Summit are two brands I've dealt with that have the blades centered on the hub.

[C9]

I meant to add that the style fan - narrow blades - you've shown don't pull near the air the wide blade fans do.

HotRodsrJ wrote a really good article on fans comparing brands, measuring flow etc.
Electric fans were compared as well.
He has a site somewhere, but I lost the addy cuz I'm on a new computer.*

For myself, I'd run an electric fan only as a last ditch effort.

The mechanicals are the way to go.
The wide six bladers shown make a little bit of noise, but it's not obtrusive even with the 32's hood sides off.
You'd probably do better in the noise dept. with your Falcon.


*Ya know, if computers were cars every time a new model came out the steering wheel, brake & throttle pedal etc. would be in a different place.

If it ain't one computer geek it's another.... :cry:

[purplepickup]

Just leave that piece of cardboard in there and if the fan does flex it won't hit the core.

I used a fan like that once but  it wasn't pulling enough air so I switched to a Flex-a-Lite 1300 series with larger, more flexible blades.  I think both of them say they work best when installed 3/4" to 1" of clearance in front of the fan, so they must not pull forward too much.  

A lot of people have said flex fans are dangerous but I haven't had one come apart yet.  I do check the blades and rivets once in a while tho.  I guess if it had a shroud it could act as a scatter shield.  I have cut my finger on the blades before when a wrench slipped.

[Ralph]

I have cut my finger on the blades before when a wrench slipped.

Crosley - I have a fan like your picture. I call it the "spinning razor" style.   Looks pretty, but doesn't move much air. I'll be replacing it with one like C9's soon, so I can idle throughtraffic without gettin' warm! New fan+ shroud= no more problems.
Ralph

[model a vette]

The flex fans that REALLY bend are the old fiberglass ones. They were made in various colors, supposedly denoting the amount of air they would move. I had an orange one on a V-8 Vega I built that stayed around town. My wife took it on the interstate and "nailed" the rad when she got it up to 60 mph or so. I mounted the next rad a little farther foward.
The stainless fans are pretty good but I got tired of putting finger protecting tape on it every time I had to work near it. I think I still have scars!  :cry: