Re: Exploding Fans?

Posted by Ross On 2014/5/18 21:39:26

Read through some of the posts in a couple of places and could smell the hot steel of an axe being ground.

Observations: 1)have been around these cars for forty years and have never heard a discussion, even among those who were oldtimers THEN about this problem.

2)When Packard had the problem with the Dana axles in 56 it was documented and addressed in the service letters; that is how "campaigns" were made known. Can someone find a service letter on this? There was no other mechanism I'm aware of to get special information to the field.

3) That said, I have seen a 56 Clipper blow off a fan blade with devastating results to the fresh air duct. A skull would not have stopped it. So I have gotten in the habit of examining fans closely for cracks before I paint them--and have found them rarely on Packard and Studebaker fans. I believe this comes from bending and that most probably from using the fan to turn the engine whilst adjusting points etc.

4)Just went back and checked and they used the same fan 54-55-56. The earlier 51-52-53 style was used on 54 with air, oddly enough.