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Cooling fan clearance issues

Posted By: chache876

Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/22/09 06:01 PM

I've got a 72 demon with a 360 Magnum engine and a stock radiator. I want to put the popular chevy hhr fan in because it seems like it will do the trick and is also very cheap.

However, I don't believe theres going to be enough room as is. Theres about 3 1/4" clearance between the radiator and the water pump pulley bolts.

What are some ways I can gain a lot of clearance in this setup?

I could probably trim about 1/4"...maybe 1/2" off the fan shroud. Are there any short water pumps available? I'm running the LA style pump and timing cover, any differences in thickness between the Magnum and LA style timing covers and water pumps?

I would prefer not to move the radiator support as I don't have any way of welding it back together.

Any ideas?
Posted By: chache876

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/22/09 06:02 PM

The HHR fan is 4 1/2" thick I believe
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/22/09 08:22 PM

Quote:

Any ideas?


mill the tcover so the vanes are closer to the tcover flat area which will also make your water pump vanes more efficient(same as a fan shroud does with the fan),just use shorter bolts/washers so they dont bottom out(check them) & readjust your crank/alt pulleys if neccessary.
Posted By: chache876

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/22/09 08:51 PM

Are you talking about milling the water pump side of the tcover?

I guess if I had to modify the radiator support I was thinking of just cutting out the section circled in the picture and just moving the radiator back a little bit. How integral is that to the frame?

If I cut it out and leave it out will there be a lot of flexing?

Attached picture 5246406-radiator.jpg
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/22/09 08:56 PM

Quote:

Are you talking about milling the water pump side of the tcover?


correct
Posted By: chache876

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 07:14 PM

bump, can I cut that piece and be okay?
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 08:32 PM

You're fine milling the tcover which will move everything(fan assy) rearward & the alt can be easily spaced rearward to keep the pulley alignment correct but see where you are at with the crank pulley. Mock everything up before you cut and you ideally want ~.040" between the vanes and the tcover flat(including gasket) and on the water pump you can press the vanes closer(forward) to the pump body body(support the front shaft when you do so)(which makes the WP even more efficient)and which allows you to mill the tcover more to give you even more fan to rad clearance DEPENDING if your pulleys can be spaced into alignment. also the face of the harmonic dampener can be milled so the crank pulley will sit further rearward. that'd be extreme & I did not have to do that myself but I wanted to cover everything for you.
Posted By: 72challorange

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 08:34 PM

Quote:

bump, can I cut that piece and be okay?




don't cut the radiator support.

Tom
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 08:41 PM

Oh I thought he was asking about the tcover. My mistake
Posted By: I go fast

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 08:51 PM

If you have a good factory radiator,shroud and correct fan,why do you think you need something else ?
Posted By: chache876

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 09:49 PM

Quote:

If you have a good factory radiator,shroud and correct fan,why do you think you need something else ?




Because I don't have a factory fan or shroud!
Posted By: Pool Fixer

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 09:58 PM



There has got to be a better way. maybe two electrics mounted diagonally on the rad, clearing that pulley?

I just put a huge evans rad with big spal fans in my charger...we moved the rad up just a bit and trimmed the fans very very slightly to get it to fit....clearly yours and my situation are apples and oranges...but it shows that there is more than one way to skin a cat.

I'd hesitate to do anything that will screw you down the road...like milling everything in site on the front of the motor. That's nuts!

or locate a factory shroud
Posted By: chache876

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 10:08 PM

I mean I suppose I could get an aftermarket aluminum radiator that is thinner...but then I gotta figure out how to mount that. Argh!
Posted By: SomeCarGuy

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 10:17 PM

I have a similar problem going. I need to find a fan clutch that is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch shorter. My fan hits the radiator under hard acceleration.

I tried to get a shorter clutch and nobody carries one any shorter than 1 1/2" from fan blade mount bosses to the end of the shaft that bolts to the pulley/pump.

I tried a Northern brand aluminum radiator with no luk, it won't mount any better than the stocker 26" one that is on there now. That one is sort of shoved in there as it is a 22" core support.

I haven't had any luck finding what I need to make it work. The factory aluminum blade fan that I have on it must flex under hard load as it is fine unless it is floored.

I have a Schemaker adjustable torque strap and it isn't roking side to side but ight be inching forward somehow.

Anybody know of a shorter clutch than what I described?
Posted By: ademon

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 10:26 PM

It looks from the pic that you can move the radiator closer to the support by taking the radiator to a shop and have them move the tanks back and reweld the mounts, as for the guy whos looking for a clutch, go to napa and ask for a 91 jaguar unit,
Posted By: SomeCarGuy

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 10:27 PM

I'll check it out thanks!
Posted By: ademon

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 10:30 PM

You have to use the bushing that comes with the Jag unit, i have this setup on my Demon
Posted By: SomeCarGuy

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/23/09 10:39 PM

That won't be bad as long as it is shorter overall. I don't need much to be gold.
Posted By: chache876

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/24/09 04:29 AM

Well I guess its looking like the easiest thing to do would be just to return the fan and go with a dual setup or hopefully find a good enough single fan that actually works.

Any recommendations on single or dual setups with fan shrouds? Right now its pretty much a stock magnum 360 with some bolt ons, but I would like to have something that will work incase I decide to do some more with the engine.
Posted By: 72challorange

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/24/09 12:30 PM

Why not get a shroud and clutch fan?

Tom

At least a clutch fan, but a shroud may be needed depending on any heating issues.

I run a summit rad and northern shroud with a clutch fan, had to put a 180 stat in it since it wouldn't get over 150 cruising down the road with the 160 stat.

Posted By: chache876

Re: Cooling fan clearance issues - 05/24/09 06:20 PM

Quote:

Why not get a shroud and clutch fan?

Tom

At least a clutch fan, but a shroud may be needed depending on any heating issues.

I run a summit rad and northern shroud with a clutch fan, had to put a 180 stat in it since it wouldn't get over 150 cruising down the road with the 160 stat.






I had one originally and it was way to close to the radiator. It would have chewed it up in no time.
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