fan goes into radiator

[Craig Hockers]

Thanks again all. I didn't get the car home yet, but when it gets here I will try to get a couple pictures to show. One fan blade appears to have caught on the top rad. edge, bent in and gouged the rad. in the upper half. In the picture Arne posted, I had less than half that much space between the fan and rad.

Beandip, we are practically neighbors- I live just outside North Plains! Funny how the internet makes the world small.

[Arne]

IIRC, even the popular taurus fan swap is too thick to be used with the L6

My yellow car had an aftermarket electric fan on it when I bought it. Plenty of room.

Well, if this is about a metal fan and the clutch that goes with it, I have no clue. In that case, Ron's scenario makes sense. It's been 36 years since I owned one set up that way. I'm not even certain that the plastic fan and attending clutch for a 240Z is the same as the combination on a 280Z. I do know that the design of a 280ZX/810 fan makes it sit farther forward than a 280Z fan though those two clutches are identical.

The plastic fans for later 240Z was a slightly smaller diameter than the 260/280Z fan, and used the same fan clutch. I have the 260/280Z fan on the yellow car now. Clearance is about the same as the original metal fan on the red car. This leads me to also believe that the car in question either has the fan on backwards, or has the ZX fan.

[kinfish]

If your Z had the dealer installed Air Conditioning option you probably have a spacer plate sandwiched between the hub pulley and the flange for the fan mount. You can remove it to shift the axially location of the fan rearward which increases the clearance with radiator. You will need to shorten the studs in the water pump mating flange or replace them.

Metal fans are notorious for causing high loads on the water pump and the the pump shaft will eventually shear, especially if you like running high rpm's. When the shaft shears it will generally destroy your radiator and may even cause other impact damage. You should consider replacing the metal with the plastic fan sold by MSA as an upgrade kit.

[e_racer1999]

My yellow car had an aftermarket electric fan on it when I bought it. Plenty of room.

correct, yet not all electric fans fit. the thinner ones DO work, but a good amount are too thick.

[Arne]

Metal fans are notorious for causing high loads on the water pump and the the pump shaft will eventually shear, especially if you like running high rpm's. When the shaft shears it will generally destroy your radiator and may even cause other impact damage. You should consider replacing the metal with the plastic fan sold by MSA as an upgrade kit.

Yeah, I'm well aware of that. I'll probably do that eventually. Just still a ways down the priority list right now.