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07-19-2006, 02:04 AM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10
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Help! Need a radiator Fan
I have a 1990 Chevy/Wayne Lifestar bus and the fan is cracked, our mechanic said we are going nowhere until that is fixed, we have to leave on tour on the 26th does anyone know where I can get one?
Engine is a 8.2 diesel with an Allison Auto tranny
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07-19-2006, 08:15 AM
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#2
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: near flint michigan
Posts: 2,657
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you can always remove the engien driven fan and replace it with an electric fan from the junk yard...or new if you like spending money.
electric radiator fans move tons of air, and they can be had for $10 at the scrap yards around here. The most appropriate way to install it is to use a thermostat that automatically cycles the fan, but if your'e really pressed for time, you can simply wire in an electric switch and manually turn the fan on when you thing the engine will get hot, ie: when climbing hills, driving in stop/go traffic. Anytime you see the needle begin to move above the normal range, simply turn on the fan.
there are plenty of mounting options. The few different fans i've had will run backwards if polarity is reversed which is handy if you wan to mount the radiator fan on either the front or back of the radiator when it was originaly used for the opposite application. Just remember that the air should move through the radiator toward the engine.
__________________
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes (who will watch the watchmen?)
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07-19-2006, 01:04 PM
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#3
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 809
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Radiator fan
When seeking any info or advice, help a little. What is the size fan, as diameter, number of blades and application. If I had a cracked fan blade, I would weld it in about 15 minutes. Take the part off bus and look it over. Get to know what ya are seeing. I'm old so I want to fix everything instead of buying new. A fan's real value is drawing air thru the radiator core. The fan only does it's task in slow forward motion and up a steep hill. Most of the time a fan can go slow as cooling is done from forward motion. A fan blade must fit closely to the fan shroud. The clearance should be no greater than 1/2 inch. Fan blades can crack because of a number of causes but the most common is that a weight was lost or fan is bent. A wise mechanic would check fan blade for balance and straightness. Balance can be checked with a string thru center hole and allow fan to seek balance. Slowly adding small washers will indicate heavy side. Frank
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07-19-2006, 02:15 PM
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#4
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lost in N.C.
Posts: 44
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ditto on the electric fan.
Lots of jeep projects use a taurus fan, cheap, and every junkyard has a bunch of them. Lots of info online if you search. Use the search term "taurus fan" (without the quotes). You can mount it in the taurus fan shroud (comes out as a unit) to your radiator. If your rad is really big, you can mount 2 if you trim the shrouds down. A taurus fan pushes around 3000CFM's
also search for "taurus fan st85". The ST85 is a heavy duty continous duty relay that you'll use to trigger the fan. This is the best way. The Taurus fan carries quite a bit of current, up to 30A at 12vdc.
You'll need a thermostatically controlled switch to turn the fan on and off. You can usually find a pipe plug on a coolant passage on the block where you can put a fan switch. If you go to NAPA, tell them you want a fan switch, look at their catalog, and all the Fan switch part numbers start with "FS" you can look at the pics and specs of each switch in the catalog, and pick one that will match the threading of the plug in your block, and pick your on- and off- temps.
Your seaches will find a couple of wiring diagrams. Basically, you have a hot straight off the battery, thru the relay, and to the fan. The fan is 2 speed, I usually just wire to the hi-speed lead (three leads, one ground, one hispeed, one lospeed). The relay trigger will come from ign hot, thru the relay, to the FS fan switch in the block (or even in a coolant hose with adapter), where it grounds out when the temp gets above the trigger point. (grounding here energizes the relay, which then sends power on to the fan).
btw, at the junkyard, you'll look at just about any ford taurus car or wagon. Takes like 4 bolts to pull the fan (one of the websites out there will even tell you what size wrench to take to the yard). get the plug and about a foot of the wiring harness, too. Don't mess with the taurus controller, use the relay.
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07-20-2006, 12:52 AM
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#5
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 448
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I have an 8.2 as well and the fan is made of steel. You are lucky it did not come loose and eat the rad while going down the road. Frank has some good advice. I would try to repair the fan. A new one will co$t you. If you can find one off a GMC utility truck with an 8.2 it would probably work.
That big old fan draws a lot of power from the engine. Mine has three belts. When that fan kicks on I can sure feel it zap the power. It will take one big electric fan to move the same amount of air through that big radiator.
The electric fan topic has come up before on other groups and the consensus was they are not adequate. Of course this is on a pusher so you might be able to get away with it. Since your bus is a dog nose. Going down the road you will have the air being rammed through the rad. I would not risk it though. There is a reason the engineers chose a big fan.
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07-20-2006, 04:49 PM
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#6
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10
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Still no fan
my fan is plastic, I have hit every junk yard and even called detriot diesel they say the part is discontinued,
HELP!
My mechanic says there is no way an electric will do it
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07-20-2006, 05:09 PM
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#7
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: high desert, California
Posts: 61
Year: 1992
Coachwork: International
Chassis: 3800
Engine: INternational DTA 360
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try a fiberglass repair
try doing a fiberglass layup over the crack to repair your fan
__________________
"Beer speaks people mumble" (lagunitas beer bottle)
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07-20-2006, 05:51 PM
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#8
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 809
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Fan repair
Most plastic fan blades can easily be repaired with epoxy. If possible embed some aluminium supports. Get out in the salvage yards and begin to search. The fan does not need to be exactly the same. Find an aluminium fan blade. If ya wanna spend some money, a company named Flexlite makes all style blades with most mounting holes. A 30 inch blade is about $200. Either spend time looking or spend money. Buy a nylon fan blade with as many blades as possible. Silence and lots of air volumn. Frank
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07-21-2006, 04:11 PM
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#9
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Duluth, MN
Posts: 243
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Most racing or speed shop sells plastic fan blades because drag racers and stock cars use them. They are strong, light and you don't cut yourself like you do on stainless ones.
Go here and do a search for fans
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/
Wait a minute, how big we talkin?
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07-22-2006, 12:00 PM
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#10
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 448
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If your local school district has GM buses give them a call and ask where they get theirs. You might also call midwest transit ( 1-888-Used-Bus) and see if they have parted any buses out.
Do you have any idea what type of plastic it is? Harbor freight sells plastic welders. I know lots of people that have had good results with them.
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07-25-2006, 02:01 PM
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#11
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Bus Nut
Join Date: May 2006
Location: mid Mo.
Posts: 942
Year: 1976
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: F33695
Engine: 427 chevy converted to 466
Rated Cap: 84
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fan blues
ask yourself what possible problems could come up if your fan does lose a blade while doing it's business, a radiator, a water pump from imbalance, a whole engine from overheating, hurting a loved one or bystander from the shrapnell? there are things that can be fixed without having other issues and there are things that cost dearly if "Murphy" is allowed to have his way. Jury rig a battery cable, a tail light, never something that turns into a sling blade if given the chance. You couldn't live with yourself if you tried to save a buck and killed someone doing it!
Sportyrick
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