Author Topic: 1969 radiator fan (Read 13677 times)

69houdini · « **on:** December 15, 2008, 07:49:32 PM »

Hey guys , I am taking off my dealer added air that was added on back when the car was P/U at the dealers in 69, they did a terrible job on it. I want it to be correct. Thing is it has a 6 blade non numbered fan and everything I read s/b a 4, 5 or 7 blade fan. I read about the non numbered fan but nothing was said about the 6 blades. Any insight or info you can give me would surely help. Thanks

1968RSZ28 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 15, 2008, 08:22:01 PM »

http://www.camaros.org/coolingsystems.shtml

Paul

69houdini · « **Reply #2 on:** December 16, 2008, 02:57:43 AM »

Hi Kurt, Yes I read your report before I posted. I did do more digging and found the exact same fan on e-bay and in the Classic Industries catalog. They have been making this fan for a long long time. Your report lead me to what I really needed to be correct so a big thanks to you. -John

69houdini · « **Reply #3 on:** December 16, 2008, 03:15:40 AM »

Sorry Paul, I meant to thank you but had Kurts report on my mind. Must all 7 blade fans have clutches?

KurtS · « **Reply #4 on:** December 16, 2008, 03:49:45 PM »

In 69, all 7 blade fans have clutches in Camaros.

Pacecarjeff · « **Reply #5 on:** December 17, 2008, 03:13:29 AM »

The 6 blade fan is very common for Pontiac, Cadillac, Buick, and Olds.

It was used on many A/C cars in the 60's and 70's.
For those manufactures -- it was their High Perf fan.

Chevrolet never used a fan with 6 blades back then.

srode · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2012, 09:07:05 AM »

So from reading the article a 69 pace car without AC and with a 350 should have a 4 blade fan and not a clutch fan?

KurtS · « **Reply #7 on:** April 17, 2012, 05:05:32 PM »

More than 97% of SS's had the 4-blade fan.

srode · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2012, 01:27:57 AM »

thanks Kurt, I wouldn't have guessed that , but after reading this post suspected - nice to have confirmation.

KurtS · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2012, 02:22:40 AM »

Good point, I can add that clarification to the article.

It does say "So yes, your SS350 or SS396 (325hp or 350 hp), if without AC, likely came with the standard four-blade fixed fan. " But it will be clearer with percentages.

Pacecarjeff · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2012, 01:17:07 PM »

Quote from: srode on April 17, 2012, 09:07:05 AM

So from reading the article a 69 pace car without AC and with a 350 should have a 4 blade fan and not a clutch fan?

Unless the HD cooling option was ordered - there were a good number of SS350 cars that had a clutch fan.
Check your radiator code before assuming...

srode · « **Reply #11 on:** April 20, 2012, 11:41:21 PM »

Are the blades on the original clutch fans steel or aluminum? Not the center hub but the blades.

JohnZ · « **Reply #12 on:** April 21, 2012, 03:49:53 PM »

Quote from: srode on April 20, 2012, 11:41:21 PM

Are the blades on the original clutch fans steel or aluminum? Not the center hub but the blades.

The blades on the "772" fan are aluminum; don't know about the others.

Pacecarjeff · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2012, 08:35:05 PM »

5 blade Camaro fans have steel blades.
The 4 blade fans don't really have "blades" - the unit is steel stamped in two parts and riveted together.

Mike S · « **Reply #14 on:** April 21, 2012, 09:02:35 PM »

Quote from: Pacecarjeff on April 21, 2012, 08:35:05 PM

5 blade Camaro fans have steel blades.
The 4 blade fans don't really have "blades" - the unit is steel stamped in two parts and riveted together.

And yes.....those steel blades sure play havoc on timing light cables

srode · « **Reply #15 on:** April 22, 2012, 01:21:17 AM »

did the use aluminum on the 7 blade fans to keep the weight down so they didn't come apart at higher RPMS like the 302 was capable of I wonder?

KurtS · « **Reply #16 on:** April 25, 2012, 07:20:47 AM »

Quote from: Pacecarjeff on April 20, 2012, 01:17:07 PM

Unless the HD cooling option was ordered - there were a good number of SS350 cars that had a clutch fan.
Check your radiator code before assuming...

HD cooling had no affect on the fan. "The V01 HD radiator option did not affect the fan usage."
http://www.camaros.org/coolingsystems.shtml#fan
Out of 400,000 non-AC V8 cars that could have the optional clutch fan ordered, only 1% of them had the option. Even if most of these clutch fans were installed on non-L78 SS cars (not very likely), under 5% of those SS cars would have them. So yes, your SS350 or SS396 (325hp or 350hp), if without AC, likely came with the standard four-blade fixed fan.

Steve,
The aluminum is to keep the rotating mass down.

srode · « **Reply #17 on:** April 25, 2012, 08:44:17 AM »

Thanks Kurt, I figured to keep the rotating mass down - but why would that be important? Is it to let the speed of the fan come up to the engine speed quicker and so put less strain on the clutch? Is it to help the motor rev quicker? Keep centrifical forces down so the fan stays together at high RPMs? I realize this was a design choice by engineers and answers may be speculation, those are the only 3 reason's I could come up with but thought someone might know for sure which is why I was asking.

Pacecarjeff · « **Reply #18 on:** April 25, 2012, 05:42:19 PM »

Except that a clutch fan on an SS-350 would much more likely to be original equipment on a HD cooling car.
If I saw a clutch fan on a standard cooling car - I would be more suspect to the originality.

My 69 SS-350 has HD cooling with an original 7 blade clutch fan. I believe it to be completely original to the car.

Kurt, remember you pointed that out to me when i first got my car - I did not originally believe a clutch fan was possible?
After close examination of the dates on Radiator, fan clutch, and fan blades - I was convinced.

KurtS · « **Reply #19 on:** May 01, 2012, 04:23:32 AM »

Good point - the options were not tied together, but if someone was thinking to order one option, there's a higher probability that they might order the other one too.

I've seen that often on customer ordered cars.

crobjones2 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 04, 2012, 01:51:45 AM »

I also have a 7 blade fan with HD cooling(3 core)- Factory AC

Although I am a little confused about the radiator - ?F and IH tanks on a L48 auto w/AC? ?= there is a repair shop tag soldered/brazed over the letter

tmodel66 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 04, 2012, 02:18:17 AM »

Wouldn't it be the OF tank? Have you looked at the tank application chart?

http://www.camaros.org/coolingsystems.shtml#application

crobjones2 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 04, 2012, 02:44:23 AM »

That would be my assumption as well, but the application chart has the OF tank excluded from L48/auto/C60 applications

KurtS · « **Reply #23 on:** May 06, 2012, 04:59:17 AM »

Chris,
That exception is for 67-68.
> (exc 67-68 L30/L48 w/ V01 or AC)

> I also have a 7 blade fan with HD cooling(3 core)- Factory AC
I'd say you have AC - which included the 7 blade fan and a larger radiator.

srode · « **Reply #24 on:** May 06, 2012, 11:24:50 AM »

Well I found out why it's important to keep the rotating mass down - belt slip. With an all steel blade with more blades the fan will slip on a fast reving engine.

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Author Topic: 1969 radiator fan (Read 13677 times)