Fan ate my radiator...

[72-Madisyn]

went wheeling last weekend, had alot of fun and my bronco did great with the exception of wet drums..let to a high speed muddy down hill super bumpy ride / front end off the ground on a bigger bump at the bottom. scared me a bit and figured the day was done to lack of brakes. bronco sat in the garage all week till yesterday when I decided to drive it to my daughters b day party. got about 8 miles down the road to look at the temp gauge pinned at 260. Found out that on those bumps my fan ate my new radiator to peices. My bronco has no rust so it isnt weak due to rot, what is the fix to this problem? thinking of running electric fan so the front end cant flex into the fan and repeat this process. anyone have any advice on a solution or best electric fan? Disc front is coming as well just so you know.

 

[Steve]

...what is the fix to this problem?

Don't jump it. Seriously. Also, if you have the stock rubber body mounts, replace them with new poly ones.

And consider very carefully if you want to go electric and get rid of the fan. Most electric fans won't provide near the air flow of the stock fan.

 

[garberz]

You better check that your motor mounts are still intact. You may have tore one in half.

 

[Broncobowsher]

OK first off what failed?
Did the fan eat a little off the cores in a nice circular pattern? That would be teh fan getting into the core. Changing fan and/or spacer is a good fix for this. Gives the extra clearance. Make sure all the mounts are in good shape and things can't jump around. There are extreme motor mounts that do a great job of keeping the engine located on the frame.
But if the radiator failed at the corners then it failed due to being too rigidly mounted into a flexy core support. If you have urathane rad bushings, change them out for rubber. The radiator should float around a little. The more rigid it is installed the more it becomes a stressed member of the body. Radiators don't like stress.

 

[72-Madisyn]

didnt even think about checking out my motor mounts. Nice circular pattern on the radiator, pour fluid in and it is out just as fast. I think that I have seen more smaller water pump thus placing the fan towards the motor a little bit more, anyone know if this is out there for ford motors, I think it was for a che#y that I saw it for.
I now the dont jump it part is a big one, was not intentional at all, trust me.

 

[Bulletman]

My brother trashed a rad years ago, but he had some "help" that put the fan blade on BACKWARDS, he hit a water puddle while wheeling and the water caused the blades to flex TOWARDS the radiatior, and they ate it up.

 

[Stefan]

Also if you went into some deeper water with a flex fan I have heard of the blades being forced into the radiator due to the water.

If you get a buch of water into your brake drums your brakes will be basicly inoperable. Ride the brakes for a bit to get the water out until your brakes start to wark again.
I am putting disc up front because 4 wheel drum sucks.

 

[Stefan]

You better check that your motor mounts are still intact. You may have tore one in half.

My buddy launched his fan through his radiator with his Falcon Sprint off of a launch when he was dragg racing it.

 

[addicted]

My brother trashed a rad years ago, but he had some "help" that put the fan blade on BACKWARDS, he hit a water puddle while wheeling and the water caused the blades to flex TOWARDS the radiatior, and they ate it up.

Sure it was backwards? Thats actually more common with a fan installed the right way. It PULLs air so it will pull water also. When it pulls it flexes the blade forward. Seems like he would have over heating issues right from the start also since he would be pushing hot air from the engine compartment through the radiator and keeping cool air out.

 

[goblin79]

i had a fan eat my rad in one of my old jeeps few years ago i hit a water hole and it bent my blades but it didnt get in to the rad till i done a hillclimb and flexed the body it eat it alive took like 10 gals of water to get me back off the trail

 

[72-Madisyn]

I was in a lot of deep water holes and I do have a flex fan so I am thinking that I may have found the problem here as my motor mounts all look like they are are in great shape. thanks guys.

 

[Madgyver]

Flex fans are crap because they will eat your radiator in deep water crossings or deep mud holes... Go back and install a stock fixed pitch fan.

And or if you mess up your clearance after an A/C install...
Don't ask me how I know. Also chewed one up because of a broken motor mount.

 

[Stefan]

Flex fans are crap because they will eat your radiator in deep water crossings or deep mud holes... Go back and install a stock fixed pitch fan.

And or if you mess up your clearance after an A/C install...
Don't ask me how I know. Also chewed one up because of a broken motor mount.

I had a harmonic balancer come appart which sheared the front of the water pump off launching the flex fan I had through the nice staggered four core radiator
$300 tow bill, a long night and having to order a bunch of parts and it was up and running.

 

[KENSBRONCO]

Try A Thiner Fan Spacer

I Did The Same Thing. I Put On A Flex Fan With A Smaller - Thinner Spacer Stock Is 1 1/2" And I Took It Down To A 1" And Pulls The Fan Out Of Your Radiator And Still Clears Your Pulleys Etc...
This Is A Big Difference....i Use A Stock Water Pump Set Up.

 

[Larry B]

Sure it was backwards? Thats actually more common with a fan installed the right way. It PULLs air so it will pull water also. When it pulls it flexes the blade forward. Seems like he would have over heating issues right from the start also since he would be pushing hot air from the engine compartment through the radiator and keeping cool air out.

A pull fan pulls regurdless if it is on backwards or right. I just does not pull well if on backwards. In fact in a eb that all ready has a heating problem it would probably over heat

 

[mango]

Did you take any carnage pictures?
Not sure if mine was a flex-fan, but it pulled itself to the rad, then bent into the crankshaft pulley.
I have now added a radiator guard as well as moved the rad, and shortened the spacer. Not sure of the guards effectiveness, but I hope it will at least give me a warning.

 

[ltcbutch]

Ate one up too!@!

I just finished 351w rebuild. Put in brand new 4 core $$$$ and ate it just juicing it a little to keep it from stalling (carb setup needs adjusting) comin up the driveway from a 1/2 mile trip up the road. Less than a mile and big bucks gone!!!!!! Also, had put new motor mounts in with rebuild.

Patched the radiator

Where do I get the smaller spacer?

Thanks.

 

[Bulletman]

The fan will pull air no matter if turned backwards or not if Im' not mistaken, but when it flexes it will move towards the engine if on right and towards the rad if turned round.......thus eating the rad if ya hit water and yet not overheating in the meantime.

 

[BroncoMark]

I just finished 351w rebuild. Put in brand new 4 core $$$$ and ate it just juicing it a little to keep it from stalling (carb setup needs adjusting) comin up the driveway from a 1/2 mile trip up the road. Less than a mile and big bucks gone!!!!!! Also, had put new motor mounts in with rebuild.

Patched the radiator

Where do I get the smaller spacer?

Thanks.

What size spacer do you need? I have a pretty short one I'm not going to need.

 

[ltcbutch]

?

Really do not know what I need. According to an earlier post:

"Stock Is 1 1/2" And I Took It Down To A 1"

Any input or suggestions?