If anyone is interested, I found a flex-fan manufacturer on the internet
that sells flex fans with a blank center. They will also machine it to your
center hole and bolt pattern for an additional fee. Since the address is at
work, I'll post the site after I return from the Dayton Invasion.
----- Original Message -----
From: Christopher Albers <Christopher.Albers@bubbs.biola.edu>
To: <TYang@compuserve.com>
Cc: <ALPINES@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: Flex fan
> TYang@compuserve.com writes:
> >As I discovered when I bought the 13" unit, I realized that it would not
> >simply bolt on (does anything?). The center hole of the fan was too
> >small
> >to clear the water pump shaft, and the bolt spacing was also not wide
> >enough for the bolts to line up. The bolt spacing was solved simply
> >with a
> >"rat tail" file, and some "eye balling," but my concerns were with the
> >centering of the fan to the water pump. Removing the material from the
> >fan
> >was not a good option because that would probably make the fan too weak
> >to
> >operate safetly, so a spacer was probably the best way to go. I did some
> >measurements, and decided I could go 0.5 inches forward, and still have
> >enough clearance from the radiator. This would give me enough room to
> >clear
> >the nose of the water pump with the fan, and solve my problems. I had
> >the
> >machine shop at work make me up a spacer with a nipple on the other end
> >so
> >the fan would center correctly and everything would remain balanced.
> >Without centering everything, my concerns were that the vibrations from
> >this rotating fan would eventually ruin the water pump bearing. I can't
> >wait to bolt this whole thing together later this week. I just need to
> >stop
> >by the hardware store for longer bolts!
>
> I had the same problem with my fan. I solved the bolt hole problem the
> same way. The center hole, however, I had drilled out for $10 by a
> machine shop. Well worth it, IMHO, to save any worries on operation.
>
> CNA
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