Bus fan Woes

mycoleptodiscus · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:07 am Post subject: Bus fan Woes

Taking my cooling fan off, I noticed that's it's cast aluminum. I told myself, "Self, be careful with that because if you use a prybar on it to keep it from moving while tightening the bolts you have to be real careful or you'll crack a fin." Guess what I did yesterday. I felt it give a little and stopped. I saw a harline crack and then bent it back. It seems like it won't budge now. What's the worst that could happen? Do I need to start looking for a new fan? Should I break the fin off? I think I'll just leave it...

Randy in Maine · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:24 am Post subject:

This is a 78 bus or something isn't it?

Did you undo the 3 bolts that hold it on and the center bolt? It should come off pretty easy at that point.

I would get a used fan assembly for it. It is turning about 4,000 RPMs and is balanced at the factory. Anything missing is bad.

See if you can find one off the classifieds. I am fresh out at my house.

mycoleptodiscus · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 9:34 am Post subject: fan

'78 Bus. The fin is still there and is back in its original position.

MarkWard · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 10:02 am Post subject:

A replacement fan is the best solution. However, in the mean time get some brake clean or carb clean and a wirebrush. Clean the area very well and apply some JB Weld. It takes 24 hours for a good setup of the JB weld.

Randy in Maine · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 10:25 am Post subject:

Keep in mind that if that baby blows apart it is going to do some damage.

josh · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 10:39 am Post subject:

I made the mistake of placing a magnet hide-a-key up in one of the cooling towers. I went to check on the engine and peices of key hider were in the fan and several blades were missing. Just make this more of a pisser I was en route from California to Montana. The bus ran fine to Montana and back but sprung an oil leak. Tore the engine down and found a leaking oil cooler. I couldn't however find any shrapnel in it or signs that anything had hit it. Hell of a coincidence though.

Only other issue was pulling keys, peices of hide-a-key, and fan blade out of cooling fins.

twinfalls · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 10:41 am Post subject:

Sure the best is to change the fan.
Just to give an opposite point of view: My fan has two fins missing.
It ran that way at more than 3000 rpm for years. When I changed the engine block, I added a bolt and few nuts at the missing blades to balance the fan ( thru some wild guess about the lost fins 's weight ). It's been that way many years waiting for a new fan at the earliest convenience. May be I am lucky, it did not explode yet, well: What me worry.
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Stock 1974 US Westy, AW-A 1800cc dual carbs. Twin Falls is my favorite site on the Churchill river in Manitoba.

penthink · Samba Member Joined: November 23, 2004 Posts: 288

I betcha your friend and mine vdubtech has about fifty fans lying around ye olde East Syracuse bus supply. I bought a couple shrouds from him, which tells me there are extra fans around there too. PM him and he will get back to you. He's fair with prices.
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www.mainesaltwater.com

ratwell · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:08 pm Post subject:

Ken Madson at thebusco.com can set up you with an excellent used replacement.
_________________
'78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab Sweden
Read the Baywindow FAQ

Vanapplebomb · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 7:47 pm Post subject:

I have two fans, both of which have one missing fin. I was thinking about harvesting a fin from one fan and attaching it to the other. Has anybody ever done this before?
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1800 Type 4 Berrien 295

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021

airschooled · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 8:12 pm Post subject:

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 52794

Running without a fin doesn't seem to hurt much. I have even considered removing every other one to see if the air flow at highway speed actually increases. Trying to jury rig in a replacement fin would just be asking for trouble in my book.

Vanapplebomb · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 9:03 am Post subject:

The one problem I could see with it is the aluminum around the area of the weld would have a somewhat lower yield strength than the rest of the material, so if the blade was under enough stress, it could break at some point around the weld.

So what actually causes these blades to crack off? Debris getting sucked into the fan, or fatigue from vibration and loading?
_________________
1800 Type 4 Berrien 295

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021

jtauxe · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 9:20 am Post subject:

Break off that broken fin, and the other one 180 degrees from it. That will preserve balance.

Take this advice with a grain of salt. Smile

_________________
John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD


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