Fan hits shroud
March 10th, 2018, 04:54 AM
#1
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Fan hits shroud
I have a 19” six blade fan that I’d like to use on my 69 442 with a 455. It originally had the fixed four blade. I have the correct pulleys for HD cooling, correct length water pump, 402995 shroud. It’s like the engine sits too low, hits the bottom of the shroud. I’m using 350 engine/frame mounts which are new. Can’t figure this out. I’ve even tried different length fan clutches with no success.
March 10th, 2018, 06:17 AM
#2
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Location: St. Louis
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Some things to check:
Is the radiator sitting down in the saddles properly? (Top and bottom)
Is there enough gap at the top if you adjusted that it would not hit there?
can the bottom shroud mount tabs be adjusted or bent down any?
is the top plate too high ( bent up slightly) and causing the bottom to be too high?
the blade should be positioned into the shroud so about 1/2 inch or less is outside the edge of the shroud the way I remember.
Dont know part #'s sorry can't help there. Good luck.
Is the radiator sitting down in the saddles properly? (Top and bottom)
Is there enough gap at the top if you adjusted that it would not hit there?
can the bottom shroud mount tabs be adjusted or bent down any?
is the top plate too high ( bent up slightly) and causing the bottom to be too high?
the blade should be positioned into the shroud so about 1/2 inch or less is outside the edge of the shroud the way I remember.
Dont know part #'s sorry can't help there. Good luck.
March 10th, 2018, 07:16 AM
#4
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Location: Zanesville, Ohio
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Some things to check:
Is the radiator sitting down in the saddles properly? (Top and bottom)
Is there enough gap at the top if you adjusted that it would not hit there?
can the bottom shroud mount tabs be adjusted or bent down any?
is the top plate too high ( bent up slightly) and causing the bottom to be too high?
the blade should be positioned into the shroud so about 1/2 inch or less is outside the edge of the shroud the way I remember.
Dont know part #'s sorry can't help there. Good luck.
Is the radiator sitting down in the saddles properly? (Top and bottom)
Is there enough gap at the top if you adjusted that it would not hit there?
can the bottom shroud mount tabs be adjusted or bent down any?
is the top plate too high ( bent up slightly) and causing the bottom to be too high?
the blade should be positioned into the shroud so about 1/2 inch or less is outside the edge of the shroud the way I remember.
Dont know part #'s sorry can't help there. Good luck.
The top isn’t attached yet. And the radiator is not in yet. I’m just going on where the shroud attaches and it’s too high. ( or the engine is too low)
March 10th, 2018, 03:35 PM
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 48,237
From Post #1:
The so-called "350" mounts are exactly what the factory used on all 1968 442s and H/Os, so they should be no issue for your 69. Check the trans crossmember, especially where it bolts to the frame. On my 70, an idiot previous owner had jacked the car under that part of the open channel frame, bending the lower flange upward and thus raising the rear of the trans (and lowering the front of the motor in the process).
The so-called "350" mounts are exactly what the factory used on all 1968 442s and H/Os, so they should be no issue for your 69. Check the trans crossmember, especially where it bolts to the frame. On my 70, an idiot previous owner had jacked the car under that part of the open channel frame, bending the lower flange upward and thus raising the rear of the trans (and lowering the front of the motor in the process).
March 10th, 2018, 04:12 PM
#7
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From Post #1:
The so-called "350" mounts are exactly what the factory used on all 1968 442s and H/Os, so they should be no issue for your 69. Check the trans crossmember, especially where it bolts to the frame. On my 70, an idiot previous owner had jacked the car under that part of the open channel frame, bending the lower flange upward and thus raising the rear of the trans (and lowering the front of the motor in the process).
The so-called "350" mounts are exactly what the factory used on all 1968 442s and H/Os, so they should be no issue for your 69. Check the trans crossmember, especially where it bolts to the frame. On my 70, an idiot previous owner had jacked the car under that part of the open channel frame, bending the lower flange upward and thus raising the rear of the trans (and lowering the front of the motor in the process).
March 10th, 2018, 07:17 PM
#8
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I read in a GM bulletin, to loosen the rad cradle mounts and stick a pry bar up through the hole in the frame and push the bolt forward. This will slightly tilt the shroud downward at the rear. Try that. I have the same problem on the wife's car but not tried it yet. 
March 10th, 2018, 07:53 PM
#9
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I read in a GM bulletin, to loosen the rad cradle mounts and stick a pry bar up through the hole in the frame and push the bolt forward. This will slightly tilt the shroud downward at the rear. Try that. I have the same problem on the wife's car but not tried it yet.
March 12th, 2018, 08:28 AM
#11
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Location: Austin, Texas
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You can't shim the fan shroud "lower"....the bottom of the shroud is "fixed" and can only be affected by lowering the whole rad support which should not be needed unless it's been pushed upwards.
Those shims are just meant to take up any gap UP TOP where the fan shroud sits underneath the radiator top plate.
Kevdog - you said something about the motor or car having a fixed 4 blade fan which means the rad support and radiator were likely a 3 ROW setup. This also means the radiator support had 3 row brackets in it......
>Did you change the brackets over to the 4 row style brackets?
>Did you get the 4 row brackets in the right position, fore and aft on the bottom of the rad support?
>What is holding the bottom of the fan shroud to the radiator support? You should have two spot welded on brackets down there but you may not have them if the rad support is from a 4 blade fan car. You need them AND they have to be installed in a certain position, fore/aft.
Those factors matter a lot....I just dealt with a "fan scraping at the bottom of the shroud" Olds 442 last week.
Those shims are just meant to take up any gap UP TOP where the fan shroud sits underneath the radiator top plate.
Kevdog - you said something about the motor or car having a fixed 4 blade fan which means the rad support and radiator were likely a 3 ROW setup. This also means the radiator support had 3 row brackets in it......
>Did you change the brackets over to the 4 row style brackets?
>Did you get the 4 row brackets in the right position, fore and aft on the bottom of the rad support?
>What is holding the bottom of the fan shroud to the radiator support? You should have two spot welded on brackets down there but you may not have them if the rad support is from a 4 blade fan car. You need them AND they have to be installed in a certain position, fore/aft.
Those factors matter a lot....I just dealt with a "fan scraping at the bottom of the shroud" Olds 442 last week.
March 12th, 2018, 11:58 AM
#12
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You can't shim the fan shroud "lower"....the bottom of the shroud is "fixed" and can only be affected by lowering the whole rad support which should not be needed unless it's been pushed upwards.
Those shims are just meant to take up any gap UP TOP where the fan shroud sits underneath the radiator top plate.
Those shims are just meant to take up any gap UP TOP where the fan shroud sits underneath the radiator top plate.
March 12th, 2018, 12:12 PM
#13
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Zanesville, Ohio
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You can't shim the fan shroud "lower"....the bottom of the shroud is "fixed" and can only be affected by lowering the whole rad support which should not be needed unless it's been pushed upwards.
Those shims are just meant to take up any gap UP TOP where the fan shroud sits underneath the radiator top plate.
Kevdog - you said something about the motor or car having a fixed 4 blade fan which means the rad support and radiator were likely a 3 ROW setup. This also means the radiator support had 3 row brackets in it......
>Did you change the brackets over to the 4 row style brackets?
>Did you get the 4 row brackets in the right position, fore and aft on the bottom of the rad support?
>What is holding the bottom of the fan shroud to the radiator support? You should have two spot welded on brackets down there but you may not have them if the rad support is from a 4 blade fan car. You need them AND they have to be installed in a certain position, fore/aft.
Those factors matter a lot....I just dealt with a "fan scraping at the bottom of the shroud" Olds 442 last week.
Those shims are just meant to take up any gap UP TOP where the fan shroud sits underneath the radiator top plate.
Kevdog - you said something about the motor or car having a fixed 4 blade fan which means the rad support and radiator were likely a 3 ROW setup. This also means the radiator support had 3 row brackets in it......
>Did you change the brackets over to the 4 row style brackets?
>Did you get the 4 row brackets in the right position, fore and aft on the bottom of the rad support?
>What is holding the bottom of the fan shroud to the radiator support? You should have two spot welded on brackets down there but you may not have them if the rad support is from a 4 blade fan car. You need them AND they have to be installed in a certain position, fore/aft.
Those factors matter a lot....I just dealt with a "fan scraping at the bottom of the shroud" Olds 442 last week.
I don’t think it matters where the radiator sits because the shroud attaches to the support.
March 12th, 2018, 02:04 PM
#15
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Looking at it today, I don’t think my problem is in the core support/radiator position at all. It all fits like it should and if it was too high or low I would see it in fender/hood/door gaps. I think my problem is in the engine/frame mount area. Seems to be concaved a little on one side making the engine sit a little low. I don’t think the front of my oil pan should be touching the drag link. 😳
March 19th, 2018, 04:49 PM
#16
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Well....that wasn’t it. The issue with the frame wasn’t bad enough to make much difference. What did make a difference was switching out the frame and engine mounts to the big block setup. I had 350 mounts. I know I know the crank centerline should be the same, but in this case, the big block mounts raised it up. The 350 (2261) mounts were new last year so I’m a bit confused but at least the problem is fixed.
March 19th, 2018, 06:28 PM
#18
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