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Kindly Confirm 7 blade radiator fan installation - which side is front?
Gang,
Working through a running-hotter-than-usual condition after flushing my '66 Starfire radiator with thermocool. Process was I got nervous about the functioning of the fan, so I replaced the clutch which was 12 years old or so. In that process I may have reversed the orientation of the fan on the clutch.
After the fresh clutch, I ran thermocure through the engine for 4 hours at various speeds, then flushed the system 5-6 times until it ran clear. It's now full of 70% distilled H2O and 30% water with 2 bottles of water wetter for good measure. Yesterday I replaced the thermostat with a good high flow Mr. Gasket unit and it's working fine. But my car got over 210 coming up my hill on a mild 80°F day which hasn't happened in a long, long time.
After a bit of research using my InternetPhd, I find that Olds big block fans have an angled side and and vertical side to each blade. Everything I've seen from factory manuals to photos online lead me to believe that the Angled Edge of an Olds fan blade should be oriented to the driver's side of the car. This corresponds the the "Front" mark stamped on one side of the blade.
But I don't recall pulling my 7 blade fans from Oldsmobiles. I think maybe Chevy or Buick back in the day. Then I remembered the Olds big block runs counterclockwise, not what I believe to be Chevy or Buick clockwise. Regardless both of my fans look like this:
side stamped "Front" aimed at front of car. Practically speaking the Angled Edge is pointing at the driver's side fender with the Vertical Edge pointing at the passenger side.
From what you guys are doing, and know, is this the correct orientation for an Olds big block fan? The one picture here is the same orientation as my '66 Starfire and I'm 90% sure it's right, but on the bench I noted that the fan could be installed either way, presumably with a change in noise & performance if one were willing to ignore the "Front" stamp on the blade. I don't want to ignore the "Front" stamp, but if it came from a Buick or Chevy, my orientation might be all wrong.
These fans pull air, but on the new clutch the one in the car doesn't seem to pull more air when hot. Could be a bad fan clutch, or could be I loosed some cr*p in the flushing process that has gummed up the works. If the fan is on correctly, I think my next move is pull and rod out or recore the radiator. The water pump on this car (Flowkooler) is also at least 10 years old, so it could be on its way out, but it's not weeping or anything so I think I'm checking that last....
Hi Chris. Here's a couple photos of a 7 blade fan on a 1968 Toronado parts car. It looks to me like you have the correct orientation of the blades on the clutch fan.
In that process I may have reversed the orientation of the fan on the clutch.
This is my 69 its a 3 speed auto with the 310 HP 350 CID and came from the factory with AC. Its the 7 blade fan and I find the setups cooling efficiency to be extraordinarily good.
Cfair the key is the curve of the fan blades cupping the air from left to right when standing in front of the car. When looking at my pic, you will notice on the top of the center most blade its outer curve to passenger side and inner curve to driver side. Same as this 1966 Toronado pic below.
. It's now full of 70% distilled H2O and 30% water with 2 bottles of water wetter for good measure. Yesterday I replaced the thermostat with a good high flow Mr. Gasket unit and it's working fine. But my car got over 210 coming up my hill on a mild 80°F day which hasn't happened in a long, long time.
Chris,
If you want the most efficient cooling, you should mix glycol antifreeze 50/50 with distilled water.
Water boils at 212 degrees.
Water mixed with antifreeze 50/50 boils at 223 degrees.
That mixture, when confined by a 15 PSI radiator cap, won't boil until 268 degrees.
210 degrees is nothing to worry about.
