Radiator Fan Destruction

[BusinessConnected]

Hello All:
I'm having a continue problem where I can see my Radiator Fan "Swaying" forwards and back. Upon Removal I can see that the Metal Mounts on the Fan (Where it Bolts to the Viscous Coupling) have all cracked/fatigued...

I've been through a couple of water pumps in the last 2 years for various reasons, a Viscous Coupling and a Couple of Fans with the same issue.

Am I doing them up "too tight"... or perhaps my VC is defective?

In any event... I've ordered a New VC (Which has arrived) and also a New Fan today... Just seems bizarre and was wondering if others had ever seen the same thing...

[PhilipA]

Sagged engine mounts can cause the fan to hit the cowling at the bottom especially when hitting bumps.
Maybe that is causing your problems.
Regards Philip A

[BusinessConnected]

Philip:
Thanks for that... I'll take a look...
I did have some dodgy Radiator Mounts which meant I had a lot of play in the radiator so perhaps it was doing a similar sort of thing....

[BusinessConnected]

Well I changed the VC and Fan on Thursday evening... Did a 200km Round Trip on Friday no problems...

Went out for a quick trip to the shops and went around a bend Semi Agressively... Giant Bang and Power Steering went very hard...

End Result
- VC Intact
- Radiator Fan Exploided
- Radiator Damaged (Fins are ok... Plastic Header Tank has Crack at Main Input from Engine at the Top)
- Power Steering Reservoir Wrecked (Both Lugs on Bottom Snapped Off)
- Radiator Shroud & Radiator Top Cover both smashed into a Million Pieces
- Bonnet Insulation Cover Ripped above Radiator and now....
- Some Nice Dints/Bumps in the Bonnet where the Fan Exploded....

Just one of those wonderful "Before Christmas Joys"......

[PaulP38a]

Mate, I am sorry to hear this... what bad fortune and timing.

I'd be seriously looking at some new engine mounts (per Philip's suggestion) when you are ordering the other parts.

p38spares.co.uk or island4x4 are probably your best bet for all those parts. I have found that DLS seem to get confused when you order more than a few parts at a time.

[BusinessConnected]

I'm getting the Front Cover replaced today on the Engine (to solve some leaks) and getting some other Bushes etc replaced as well....

I'll get them to have a look at the Engine Mounts as well....

Interesting this is the 2nd Fan I've had "Explode" on me in the last 12-18 months... both of them have been the "BritPart" Branded Fans....

[Keithy P38]

That's sad to hear mate! Hope you get it sorted!

Will keep in mind not to order a britpart fan when the time comes!

[BusinessConnected]

Mechanic has had a look ths morning. No Signs of the Fan rubbing the Radiator or Radiator Shroud, No apparant issues with the way I've mounted the fan to the viscous coupling.

I've had terrible, terrible trouble with these VC's and Fans... I'm done and going to Electric with a Davies Craig 16 Inch Fan & Thermatic Controller.

I'll let you know how I go...

[PeterAllen]

Any chance you could have left a tool laying around in the engine bay and when you threw it around the corner its flung into the fan and caused the havoc.? Wouldn't be the first time something like that happened.:angel:

[sheerluck]

Any chance you could have left a tool laying around in the engine bay and when you threw it around the corner its flung into the fan and caused the havoc.? Wouldn't be the first time something like that happened.:angel:

Guilty as charged m'lud :angel:

No damage though :D

[BusinessConnected]

Nope..... Wish it was that easy....
I'd driven 500k's+ the previous two days since changing the fans before the destruction... So nope... it's just a mystery...

I'm never going to find out why or how to fix it either... Because I'm sick of it and I've just bought a 16" Davies Craig Hi Flow Fan & Fan Controller...

We'll see if Electric can do the job or not....

[PeterAllen]

Yeah we all know that feeling when you have just had a gutfull of the issues.
Keep us informed about the electric fan solution.

[BusinessConnected]

Will do....

[wanglemoose]

been down the electric fan path to no avail, was using a spal 3500cfm 16" fan with custom shroud and it wouldn't keep it cool under 1700 rpm or under heavy load, towing etc, ive since opted for a flexalite 18" 10000rpm race fan with an adapter to the water pump and moving the thermostat to the intake manifold like normal cars. have had much success with these fans on other vehicles and il let you know how it goes when my radiator finally gets built, been waiting since september for it -_-, good luck. btw my original fan exploded at 4800rpm and took out the radiator powersteering and oil cooling lines and huge dent in the bonnet.