VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 electric fan for radiator question

I've been having my '37 for about 8 months. A buddy was at my house today and wanted to hear it run so I cranked it up for him. It has an electric fan attached to the radiator to help with cooling. As my buddy walked by it he noticed the air was blowing out to the front instead of blowing to the radiator and the engine. Now I'm by no means a great mechanic but it seems to me that the fan should be blowing cooler outside air through the radiator and engine and not out to the front. Can anyone confirm how these fans should be set up?

The fan factory sucts air through the radiator and it passes over the engine.
An eletric fan mounted IN FRONT of the radiator should blow air through the radiator.

That's what I thought too. It seems like the fan would be fighting the clean air coming in through the radiator. That may be some of the recent overheating issues I've been having. I recently changed my thermostat thinking that was my problem. Now I gotta take my grill off and see if I can somehow turn that fan around. Thanks for the quick reply.

I haven't used one of these fans but, if there are two wires coming from the fan, I would think reversing the polarity of the wires might make that fan turn the correct way. It depends on the fan motor design.

10-4. I'll try that first. Sounds much easier. Lol

With the fan forcing the air through the grille it is operating in reverse. As Camille suggested try reversing the wire connections but some of those fans also earth through the body of the fan as well as through the wire provided, this provides another set of issues to sort through. As you try this go carefully making sure you have a suitable fuse close to the battery.
Tony

Camile,

First, like the others have said, is blowing the wrong way.

Second, it would seem to me that the electric fan is merely a Bandaid approach to an overheating problem. It's likely the problem will get worse over time and the extra fan won't help much.

I would suggest you determine the cause of the overheating problem and, then, after it has been fixed, toss the electric fan. You won't need it anymore.

The overheating is caused by one of the following in generally in order of top to bottom:

a. Radiator (partially stopped up)
b. Head Gasket (Blown - check for bubbles when water is still cold)
c. Cracked head (Ditto on bubbles)
d. Cracked block (Ditto)
e. Stopped up block (Blow some air through block cockpit hole)
f. Collapsing bottom hose (Not likely with the elbow, more likely with a single hose)
g. Bad Thermostat (You've already eliminated that one, it seems)
h. Timing
i. Friction if it's a newly rebuilt engine
i. Or a combination of some of the above

Note: I may have missed something: Gene JD, Chipper, Tiny, et al may have some suggestions as well.

You'll notice that I didn't mention the water pump. Usually the only thing that goes wrong with the water pump is it starts leaking.

Good luck with it.

Charlie

I felt the radiator while running and it seems to be all uniform on the temps so I don't think it's plugged. I already put a new water pump because, as you mentioned, it started leaking on me. I believe that the fan running in reverse is actually fighting the cool clean air trying to get to the radiator. I'm going to try either removing the fan or swap the wires and see if that helps me. I would like to avoid pulling the grill, radiator, etc if I don't have to. If the fan deal doesn't work then I'll look at either the head gasket or the head.

my 1940 was always at or over the second red dot at gauge which is not far from boiling.
By checking everything I found a blocked water passage at radiator using a infrared gauge to locate it. And after 74 years there could be lot of rust and lime in radioator and engine.
My solution was:
First I drained radiator and engine, filled up with fresh water and draining again until clear water came out.
Than I did fill up again and did ad lots of citron acid as you would use to clean a coffee cooker. Did run the motor with covered radiator until it did begin to boil. 6 hours later again "cooking", lets say during 3 days I did heat up 6 or 7 times.
After I did drain again, lot of dirt came out. Than again fresh water and some chemicals, called "radiator and cooling system cleaner" and same game. Some days heating up and waiting. At end of week again draining, flushing until only clear water came out. Than final fillup with clear and filtered rain water which is really the best. And of course some antifreeze solution.
Important never to fill cold water in a hot engine not to crack block or head.

Result: Even in hot summer the temperature does only reach the half way to first red dot. Much better than before.

To install additional fans is fighting against the wrong target I guess. Clean your cooling system and it will work much better I think.
About the fan blowing in wrong direction all is said, no need to repeat it.

Good luck

Stefan germany