I was standing by a service rig a few years ago, up by the engine. The crew was laying down pipe, so every connection the operator would rev the engine full throttle to run the power tongs. Fuckin fan went off like a bomb! Shot plastic blades every where, somehow the shrapnel missed me entirely, but blew threw the shroud, rad , and air to air. Pieces of plastic straight through aluminum!
Dang that sucks. The worst thing I have happened was got into a golf cart, turned the key on and the battery exploded. That was quite loud inside the storage building.
I've always thought flexlite fans were dangerous. I was thinking more about how easily they would take off a finger though. Having one come apart like that is a freak accident.
i9 had a close call once with a old ass clutch style fan, I was adjusting the carb and the damn thing shot right into the radiator. Thankfully, the plastic shroud somehow kept it from hitting me.
I bought a stock 454 out of a wrecked 77 one ton Chevy and put it in a 79 shortbed 4x4. Got it all together and running, was standin with my kness on the radiator support, reached over and wacked the throttle and the fan came off and hit my elbow and broke it. I damn near passed out! Got down and shut the truck off and went in the house to get the ol lady to take me to the ER. Here the waterpump shaft mustve got hit in the wreck and it was cracked. When the shaft broke, the hub, pulley, heavy clutch fan and all came apart, walked right out of the belt and went straight up in a hurry!
A buddy of mine in high school had a Trans Am. Going down the road, the water pump shaft broke, and the stock steel fan cut a huge gash up through the hood. Phucked up his hoses, radiator, and the hood. Scary shit!!
Sad story, RIP brother. I had a battery explode once while it was being charged. Shot out of hood and smashed the wall in about 10 feet in front of car.
As a young fellow [MANY years ago] I had gas jockey job at a corner gas station. An early 60's Buick came in for a water pump. I saw them reassembling. There was a fan blade missing, a 3 bladed fan going back on and a perfect exit wound in the hood where the missing blade got out. I asked if they were really going to put that fan back on, I was replied to snarkily that the owner didn't want to spend the money ... I'm sure, knowing me, that I gave my opinion. Pointed out that's probably why the w/p went bad. Didn't work there very long ...
I had one come apart and send a blade into the hood and another ricocheted into the radiator. Of course it was at a street race about 20 miles out of town. It also took out the fan belt. It takes a long-ass time to drive 25-30 miles in the AZ heat without a working water pump. Drive it a couple of miles until the temp gauge gets too high for comfort - then coast to the side of the road and sweat some more. (Way before cell phones)
Sorry, he wasn't the first person killed by a flex fan. What's even sadder is that he probably won't be the last. You just can't tell some people anything, These fans are still being sold.
I raised Holy Hell with my 39 y.o. Son until he took his OFF his 64 Impala. Rather than the clutch fan that I prefer, he went with the original 4 blade. At least he did away with the flex.
R.I.P. Dude, I will tell others about you and try my best to see that it doesn't happen again to anyone around me.
10 years ago I had a flex fan on my old Bu. Was doing a burnout and let it roll out of it and all I heard was pieces under the car. Damn thing ripped 3 blades off and put a bunch of gouges in the pavement. At least it didn't go upward through the hood I guess...Never ran them after that.
It sucks when a mech. gets it at work. A lot of people don't think the job is that dangerous. RIP
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Yellow Bullet Forums
23.7M posts
139.6K members
Since 2005
A forum community dedicated to drag racing drivers and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about racing, builds, pro mods, hot rods, events, turbos, nitrous, superchargers, and more!