| Has anyone ever replaced the fan clutch with a fixed fan? [message #247953] |
Sun, 20 April 2014 12:40  |
Otterwan
Messages: 946
Registered: July 2013
Location: Lynnwood (north of Seattl...
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With all the talk of fan clutches lately it got me thinking. Back in the day when we were poor college kids, replacing a fan clutch was not in the budget. Instead we would get a large "flex fan" from the local Al's Auto parts and run that instead. I had one of these on a 396 in a 1970 GMC truck for 22 years, hauling boats, campers, etc., and never had a heat issue.
Has anyone ever tried this on a GMC?
1977 Birchaven, Lynnwood WA - "We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us."
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| Re: Has anyone ever replaced the fan clutch with a fixed fan? [message #247954 is a reply to message #247953] |
Sun, 20 April 2014 12:48  |
Larry
Messages: 2875
Registered: January 2004
Location: Menomonie, WI
Karma: 10
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| Otterwan wrote on Sun, 20 April 2014 12:40 |
With all the talk of fan clutches lately it got me thinking. Back in the day when we were poor college kids, replacing a fan clutch was not in the budget. Instead we would get a large "flex fan" from the local Al's Auto parts and run that instead. I had one of these on a 396 in a 1970 GMC truck for 22 years, hauling boats, campers, etc., and never had a heat issue.
Has anyone ever tried this on a GMC?
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I don't know of anyone who has tried it , but you know how the fan "ROARS" when it gets hot enough to engage? Well, I think that is what you would hear with a fixed flex fan. Additionally, with that extra drag on the motor, your gas milage might be negatively effected. IMO, it is worth having that clutch in place and working. JWIT
Larry 
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.
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| Re: Has anyone ever replaced the fan clutch with a fixed fan? [message #247960 is a reply to message #247953] |
Sun, 20 April 2014 14:06 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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| Otterwan wrote on Sun, 20 April 2014 11:40 |
With all the talk of fan clutches lately it got me thinking. Back in the day when we were poor college kids, replacing a fan clutch was not in the budget. Instead we would get a large "flex fan" from the local Al's Auto parts and run that instead. I had one of these on a 396 in a 1970 GMC truck for 22 years, hauling boats, campers, etc., and never had a heat issue.
Has anyone ever tried this on a GMC?
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I can't recall which engine it was, but we had a very quiet flex fan on one of our truck models. I suspect it may have been a 4.3 v6 on a 1/2 ton. You just have to find the right combination.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] Has anyone ever replaced the fan clutch with a fixed fan? [message #247970 is a reply to message #247964] |
Sun, 20 April 2014 16:41 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
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| Gary Berry wrote on Sun, 20 April 2014 13:15 |
What I found out about the flex fan is that they flatten out at high RPMs
(which is what they are suppose to do). But, when you have to downshift to
second or first while going up a mountain and you're running the engine at
higher RPMs and it's hot out and you're going slow then you lose the
cooling ability of the fan.
Gary Berry
Prosser, WA
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Good point !
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] Has anyone ever replaced the fan clutch with a fixed fan? [message #247973 is a reply to message #247970] |
Sun, 20 April 2014 16:47 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
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| Bob de Kruyff wrote on Sun, 20 April 2014 15:41 |
| Gary Berry wrote on Sun, 20 April 2014 13:15 |
What I found out about the flex fan is that they flatten out at high RPMs
(which is what they are suppose to do). But, when you have to downshift to
second or first while going up a mountain and you're running the engine at
higher RPMs and it's hot out and you're going slow then you lose the
cooling ability of the fan.
Gary Berry
Prosser, WA
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Good point !
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BTW that reminds me of some research we did in the late 90's concerning fan noise. We were able to reduce the engaged fan noise to the extent that you couldn't tell it was on. It still consumes fuel of course. This did not reduce effectiveness. If anyone has the energy, I'm sure a late model truck fan that fits our coaches will be a good thing to have.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] Has anyone ever replaced the fan clutch with a fixed fan? [message #247978 is a reply to message #247973] |
Sun, 20 April 2014 17:38 |
sgltrac
Messages: 2797
Registered: April 2011
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Say maybe off a 7.3 ford diesel Bob?
Todd Sullivan
Sully
77 royale
Seattle
> On Apr 20, 2014, at 2:47 PM, Bob de Kruyff <NEXT2POOL@AOL.COM> wrote:
>
>
>
> Bob de Kruyff wrote on Sun, 20 April 2014 15:41
>> Gary Berry wrote on Sun, 20 April 2014 13:15
>>> What I found out about the flex fan is that they flatten out at high RPMs
>>> (which is what they are suppose to do). But, when you have to downshift to
>>> second or first while going up a mountain and you're running the engine at
>>> higher RPMs and it's hot out and you're going slow then you lose the
>>> cooling ability of the fan.
>>>
>>> Gary Berry
>>> Prosser, WA
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> GMCnet mailing list
>>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>>> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>>
>> Good point !
>
> BTW that reminds me of some research we did in the late 90's concerning fan noise. We were able to reduce the engaged fan noise to the extent that you couldn't tell it was on. It still consumes fuel of course. This did not reduce effectiveness. If anyone has the energy, I'm sure a late model truck fan that fits our coaches will be a good thing to have.
> --
> Bob de Kruyff
> 78 Eleganza
> Chandler, AZ
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> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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Sully
77 Royale basket case.
Future motorhome land speed record holder(bucket list)
Seattle, Wa.
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| Re: [GMCnet] Has anyone ever replaced the fan clutch with a fixedfan? [message #248027 is a reply to message #247989] |
Sun, 20 April 2014 21:11 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
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| USAussie wrote on Sun, 20 April 2014 17:03 |
Bob,
As noted in the text below the photo I bought one of these off eBay to help cool the Caddy 500 I've got. Gary Kosier gave me a photo
of the gold painted Caddy 500 at the GM Heritage museum that has one of these fans on it which has a clutch! I have yet to find the
clutch part number. The fan I have will have to be modified to make the clutch fit.
I can't remember if it was Gary or someone else that told me these fans were used on Caddy 500's in ambulances or hearses.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=6533
It is a GM product!
Regards,
Rob M.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob de Kruyff
BTW that reminds me of some research we did in the late 90's concerning fan noise. We were able to reduce the engaged fan noise to
the extent that you couldn't tell it was on. It still consumes fuel of course. This did not reduce effectiveness. If anyone has the
energy, I'm sure a late model truck fan that fits our coaches will be a good thing to have.
--
Bob
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Rob--the science really didn't really progress untill 1996 so I doubt any Cad 500 applications will work adequately.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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