Fellas- I'm going to be buying a new fan for the 'Bird soon, and I'd like to make an intelligent purchase. I've always bought one like the one in the link below, but I'm also aware of the T'birds special cooling needs. (I'm not in the position at present to pony up for the T'bird upgrade parts that CASCO offers) Would the fan in the link do the trick? Thanks /Duck http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Derale-17018-Fan-Flex-Type-Clockwise-18-Diameter-Each_W0Q QcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem4ceafc21eeQQitemZ330359906798QQ ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories *EDIT* HOLY SMOKES! What just happen here? My post is in Cinemascope!

BOO- YA!!!

Duck

  I have the six blade fan on my 55 with the 57 312. It is metal and VERY IMPORTANT that you use a fan shroud. If the radiator is old and gunked up get it cleaned out. Use a 180 degree thermostat and a 14 lb radiator cap. It worked when Ford built it and it will work now. Check your distributor vacuum advance is working as retarded timing WILL CAUSE OVERHEATING. Get a metal fan. Pete

I tried all kinds of fans with my bird while living in Dallas. I had a flex fan that I threw away quickly. I used an electric fan for a while . Then I bought a 6 blade metal fan from CASCO . It worked better than the rest and I still have it on my bird today. Been 9 years now and I drive my car everyday and never an issue with overheating. But, I am back home in NC now and the weather is a bit different here. But as the man said use a shroud with it and you will be ok. 

55Birdman  Hickory NC

55 Birdman,



Do you have the CASCO clutch fan? Why didn't you like the flex?



I CANNOT keep my silver powder-coated 4 blade clean! Bugs stick worse than paint.

I have a good orig. 3 blade I would like to chrome in the hope that bugs would come off easier, but I figure there was a reason Ford dropped the 3 blade when they boosted HP/CR.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Ford droped the chrome fan on the T-Bird because the chrome plating process embrittled the metal and the fans came apart at speed. This did some damage when they went. I would go with more blades on the fan, not less.

No I dont have a clutch for the fan. I thought about it but I figured in Texas I needed as much air as I could get to the engine in the stop and go traffic there . So I didnt install it. I dodnt like the flex fan because it made a noise when on the road and didnt seem to keep the engine as cool as the 6 blades. 

55Birdman  Hickory NC

I pretty much gave up on finding someone with the knowledge/facilities to perform the plating/baking process that would prevent hydrogen embrittlement. Large industrial operations usually won't bother with small jobs.



Rural owners often get away with NO fan. While 3 blades would likely be enough for me (very little stop & go traffic in the boonies), I'm more concerned about the parasitic loss.



55Birdman,



Interesting: Recent discussion with knowledgeable mechanic pointed out that clutch fans often malfunction/fail, while flex fans have very low HP drain at higher RPMs. Subject of noise never came up!




6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Hi Duck - I'm back (alive) from Idaho - I've got to go back for steelhead season one of these days.... every time I've been up there its been for WORK. 

I got a "fixed" steel six blade in the right diameter from Speedway Motors in Nebraska - they also have the aluminum blade version. I just happen to like the "OEM" shiny black paint look. Best price and delivery I've seen so far. Somewhere back in our archives here is an engine that had its fan painted the same color as the block - and that sort of catches the eye (as opposed to aluminum or black).

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Don't remember which hot rod magazine had the article on fans but the clutch fan had the least amount of parasitic loss of any other fan tested if memory serves me correctly and kept the engine cooler in all driving conditions. I myself have had the 3 bladed, 4 bladed, flex, and the six bladed clutch fan. The clutch fan cooled my engine better than any of the others. I will always keep the 3 bladed fan because it's original too the engine in my bird but I steal think they were a little on beans when it came too real cooling in hot weather.

-Gary Burnette-

CASCO has a 6 blade fan for less than a dollar more and it looks sturdier than the one on ebay. A couple of friends of mine have the CASCO unit. I never trusted flex blade fans because of the horror stories I have heard about them.



Special needs of a TBird regarding overheating? Make sure the whole cooling system is clean, including a stop at a radiator shop.



A lot of guys swear by using white vinegar for cleaning out a cooling system. Inquire on www.fordbarn.com

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ