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#1
12-11-2004, 12:36 AM
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A-body clutch fan clearance
Questions for all you fellow gearheads.... I am in the process of switching a '68 Dart from a /6 to a stroker 360. The swap is made and I am working out the bugs in the accesory drives, which leads me to my question. Did small block A-bodies come with clutch fans? The gap between my water pump hub and radiator is a half inch less than the depth of the fan clutch. The radiator for the /6 is 3.25 inches thick from the mount flange to the core. Do the v8 cars have a thinner radiator than the /6 cars? The engine is in the stock location.
torch 
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#2
12-11-2004, 11:35 AM
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I dont know about a 68 Dart, but my 72 Duster did not have anywhere near enough room for a clutch fan drive. I finally ditched the fixed 7 blade fan I was running and bit the bullet for a pair of 16" Spal fans in a push pull setup on the radiator. I use a thermostat that turns them on at 195 degrees and off at 180 that I got through painless wiring co. Very happy with the relay, thermo, and fans. Even in summer traffic the motor never gets above 195 - 200, then when the fans kick in, it will hover between 180 - 185. You may need to consider some variation of this setup as I dont see using a thinner rad as being your solution, unless it's one of those nice aluminum jobs, and then you may need to cut the hole in your radiator support wider to accomodate the wider, yet thinner aluminum rad. And that's if it indeed is any thinner than what you have now. You might invest in a torque strap as insurance against a broken motor mount letting your motor torque over putting a fan into the radiator. my .02
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#3
12-11-2004, 11:45 AM
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Inline motors are longer than V-8s right?So if anything you should be better off now.If you dont mind a little cutting and drilling in there get a triple core from a pickup and a decent shroud.
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#4
12-11-2004, 12:15 PM
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Quote:
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#5
12-11-2004, 12:32 PM
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I was wondering about whether a-bodies ever had a clutch fan after I trial fitted a fairly young 4 core radiator I had made for my old 76 B200 van. It is almost a perfect fit, but it seemed too thick, so I measured the /6 fan and it was the same thickness. I also looked at a Napa temp catalog that listed dimensions to see if there is a shorter fan clutch, and there are shorter ones, but not short enough to avoid radiator damage after a mild brake check. After I go to the boneyard and pick around for ideas, I may have to decide between a solid 7-blade and a 16 inch electric, both of which I have. I love the 7-blade for all the air it pulls which will be great for the a/c, but they take a LOT of power. A 16 inch electric that I have on my Barracuda keeps a 13:1 340 with 5.38 gears cool on a 90 degree day, but I'm not sure if it can pull enough air through the condenser to keep the interior the way I like it.... like a refrigerator!
torch
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#10
12-11-2004, 11:39 PM
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Gthomas,
Now you got me wondering how one fits your 340 72, and not mine. I'm wondering, wasnt there two wheelbases for Dusters? 108" and 110" I know mine is 108" as I measured for when I put on the frame connectors. Maybe that two inches also affected the motor placement. Mine is on sandwich type rubber motor mounts, is yours maybe a 110" wheelbase with spool mounts? Just dont get it otherwise. I'm happy with my setup but wonder wtf? 
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#12
12-11-2004, 11:57 PM
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Well, I went to four boneyards today and found zero A-bodies for reference. Could some of you that have this combo shoot me some quick dimensions? I need to know the total length of the fan clutch from the mount flange to the fins, and also the thickness of the radiator from it's mounts to the engine side of the core.
Could the '68 A-body have a shorter engine compartment than the later ones? I'm not against cutting and welding to make things work, but there must be something I'm missing. I would hate to go through mods that are unneccesary when the factory has done it before I was even born! I appreciate the help, guys! torch
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#13
12-12-2004, 12:11 AM
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Boy, I think I might have come up with a head-scratcher here! Oh well, when we figure out an answer, we will have to put this thread in the tech archives for safe keeping!
torch
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#14
12-13-2004, 09:51 PM
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Quote:
2 15/16 inches - from where the radiator bolts to the front support and the front of the radiator 9 inches - between the radiator and where the water pump bolts to the engine front cover 2 1/4 inches - total thickness of clutch fan 3 1/2 inches - radiator to pulley front 37 inches - total depth between front of engine compartment and firewall Hope this helps
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#15
12-13-2004, 11:22 PM
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gthomas-thanks for the measurements! All of our dimensions are within a gnat's ass of one another, except the fan clutch depth. This is probably the source of my problems. Two more questions.... was your fan clutch measurement from the water pump to the end of the fins, and is the fan clutch the same as the factory installed unit?
Again, thanks (to everyone). This info is helping to narrow down the possibilities. If we pick each other's brains enough, we WILL come up with an answer! torch
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#17
12-14-2004, 01:00 AM
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I was talking about the fins on the fan clutch itself. I didn't think to check if they were flush with the fan blades, but I think they're close.
torch
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#18
12-14-2004, 08:09 PM
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One question I didn't think to ask... cast iron or aluminum water pump? I think they are different lengths. Mine is aluminum.
torch
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#19
12-14-2004, 08:34 PM
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Quote:
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#20
12-15-2004, 11:12 AM
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I think you may find your lack of clearance is due to the difference in water pump shaft extension between 68 SBD which exited on the left side and the later styles that exit on the right side - least that is what negated me from using a clutch fan. I run a 5 blade flex fan (±18"dia)that came on lots of 80s mopars that pulls lots of air and at least reduces some of the power loss
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#21
12-15-2004, 10:44 PM
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I thought of that too, but it turns out we both have the same water pump.(Gthomas and I) All other dimensions are essentially the same except maybe the fan clutch length. I'm waiting for him to get back to me with the details of where he measured the clutch.
torch
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#22
12-19-2004, 12:22 AM
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Goooooood Neeewwwws!!!!!!!
I found a donor car that had the exact combo that I was trying to duplicate, and got a fan clutch that fits perfectly. It was in a 72 swinger, 318 with A/C. I didn't even have to unbolt it, it was laying in the battery tray. It's probably no good, since it is very leaky, but it was a good sample to bolt in and trial fit the combo. As a bonus, the factory part number (in ink) was intact! If I need a new one, at least I have a number to cross. I crossed the part # in the Napa temp control book, and the dimensions they listed were way off. I think that is why I had my doubts about whether the factory ever installed this combo. It's a moot point now, since my problem is solved, but I still have a question for Gthomas -- where exactly did you measure the fan clutch for depth? It doesn't seem to match up with either one that I have. For anyone that wants to know, the part # is 3462-106. torch
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