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Urgent fan clutch ideas needed


68Datsun510

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Hey folks, ive been developing a cooling problem ever since Canby, ive been in Grants Pass for about a week visiting friends and i have a 400 mile drive home Tuesday morning.

 

I notice that in town my temps continuously climb to and over 210 degrees, coolant is full, engines fine. My fan is a cut down 7 blade truck on a clutch pump. I see that the fen is pretty much freewheeling at any temp and at any rpm. THe fans speed doesnt seem to increase at ALL. WHen i get over 20mph sustained, the temps come right back down.

 

Someone suggested bearing grease at Canby, is there any other ideas out there? I dont care about a little additional noise and HP loss, i want my temps to stay put!

 

BTW radiator is a brand NEW 3 row.

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If the pump is new and from a parts store, and is a clutch type, then you should be able to take it back as it's likely defective. To figure this out, get it hot, stop motor, lift hood, spin fan blade. If it spins easily, fan clutch is no good. If that's the case, when you go in to warranty out the pump, request a '69 pump instead citing you don't trust the fan clutch and you'll just straight blade it. Then get a 4 blade fan from an older L16. They work like a charm.

 

Or wire an electric fan from the wrecking yard to a switch in the cab. That's like a 10 buck fix.

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I put gear oil in mile about four years ago for this same problem, still works fine like this. No cooling troubles at all.

 

I did it with the pump on the motor too. Just remove the fan, then removethe four screws that hold the pump cover on. Put lots of gear oil on the cover and quickly put it on to the pump and hold it firmly in place while you put the screws back in and tighten them.

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Yeah, seriously, it will not only suck your mileage, but will sound like an airplane. The old stock clutchless fan turns at engine rpm but is very small and only 4 blades, so it's not that noticeable. The bigger truck fan will be a problem.

 

So far, I'd say dumping ice down the core support is a good idea for traffic. Or rig up a water spray (weed sprayer) bottle inside the cab and mount the squirter to the core support so you can hose it down in stop and go. What little fan action will still pull through a bit, and the water will definitely help.

 

Worst case, see if anyone around you has a spare '69 pump laying around. I have one I'd give you. Shaft is a hair loose, but would still probably work fine for a number of miles. I only replaced it because it was on the 510 and I'm anal with things on that car since I beat the piss out of it whenever I drive it.

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I say pack it with grease. It works. Did it to my truck a while ago. MKlotz helped me with that and worked like a charm. You can always take it apart at a later time and put the correct grease in there when you source it. Better than some of the "permanent solutions" This one is more reversible.

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well, the permanent solution is a new clutch or water pump with clutch included. If that isn't an option, you can pack the clutch with something.

 

My advice would be pack the clutch with something that wont damage it or sling crap all over, and if you have a little bit of money, buy a cheap-o electric fan from a local auto parts store, a toggle switch, and a fuse holder and some wire. If your coolant is nasty, buy some fresh green stuff and drain a gallon of the crap out, and flip the switch for the fan on when you get into traffic.

 

P.S. the electric fan, especially the cheap ones, are VERY reversible. They use zipties to mount them, and you don't have to spend 10 hours wiring it up, just ziptie the power wire so it wont rub anything and put a fuse up by the battery in case something shorts out.

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The silicon oil was thinner than engine oil maybe a bit thicker than hydraulic jack oil. It limits fan speed to a max of 1,600 rpms when cold and about 2,400 when 'warm'. Electric fans probably don't turn faster than that.

 

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Grease was likely used only because it would be impossible to fill with oil while vertically mounted on the motor.

 

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I would go with mike on this one, silicone oil sounds like a good idea, it will be thinner weight and different qualities than hydraulic fluid, and people have used it for this before, so it has been tested.

 

Now, as far as where to get the oil, try a autoparts store, if they don't know what you are talking about, ask for oil that goes in refillable shocks and struts. if they still give you a blank stare, go to a bicycle store and ask for silicone oil for bicycle shocks. looking at the MSDS sheets, the chemical properties seem close to the stuff mike is describing.

 

As a fall back in case it doesn't work, a cheap-o electric fan may be a little bit of insurance...a $40 fan is cheaper than an overheated motor or a ticket for blocking a california highway.

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Well i dicided to wing it and just go an alternate route around sacramento. Took 5 to 99/70 to 20 to 49. Took me right home without stop n go bullshit. Still got murderously hot just going under 30, like to refuel. It was 107 today in Redding. Bleh.

 

Anyway, got home safe. I plan on warrantying this or greasing it with very light grease.

 

Thanks folks for all the input!!!

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