Sort of fixed: Radiator fan blade broken (1 Viewer)

[aaronrules]

Day after HIH and I broke a fan blade on my LX. Wouldn’t be a huge problem except the part is four days away from anyone I can get a hold of. The fan also has 7 blades total so cutting the opposite one off isn’t going to balance it. Could I cut like half of the two opposing blades? I have 1000 miles to drive back home. Do I limp it to Durango and wait for the dealer to get the part and fix it? Do somehow take the fan out completely since I am going interstate the whole way home? Hack off all the blades? I’m more worried about screwing something else up if I just got kinda fix it to get home. Durango can’t get it in until next week. If it breaks something else, I’m ok with it since I’m due a 90k, I’m just worried and trying to figure out how I can get it home.

 

[birch hill]

Any local scrap yards? What about after market, any car quest or advanced autos around?

 

[reznunt]

If it's all highway and no traffic, I would just drive it without the fan (if I had to). I'd have to be more aware of upcoming traffic and any areas with a lot of signal lights. Just have to keep air moving across the radiator and keep an eye on the temp. No McDonald's drive thru would be rough.

I'm sure some of the 100 series gurus will correct me if I'm wrong. Never drove fanless in a hundy.

 

[birch hill]

Looks like car quest can order it but shipping might take awhile

 

[phatdragon]

What about the fan out of a Tundra or Seqouia?

 

[bamabrock]

Can you remove the stock fan all together and install a generic electric fan from an auto parts store just to get home?

 

[ga12r1]

Have you tried finding a fan on Amazon? You could probably get one pretty quick from there.

 

[planomateo]

Classic Cruisers just got their first 100. Call them, they are close.

 

[aaronrules]

Thanks for all the replies guys! But @Austin Hot Shoe was still in town today and we hit up the hardware store for “fix”. We aren’t calling it fixed until I make it home, but the vibration is all but gone. 4 bolts, 4 lock nuts, 8 washers and locktite all weighed out to the same weight as the fan blade I still have and secured to the stub left on the rest of the fan. Did a quick run up 550 at speed with the A/C on full the whole up and back and my engine temp didn’t get above 194. Going to take it easy getting back home, but man did Kevin pull thru today with this idea!

 

[aaronrules]

This is red neck engineering at its finest!

 

[Davio6]

Great solution.
Good luck,
Dave

 

[FxFormat]

How did one blade just break off? Did you hit something? Good job with the temporary fix, i once drove 1000 miles home without power steering, stopping by to get gas sucks.

 

[aaronrules]

I guess I hit a deep enough water crossing just perfect enough for it to happen. Crazy thing is, two of us had it happen on the same run!

 

[87warrior]

Slick thinking!

HIH must not be kind to your LX. Didn't you have some sort of suspension issue last year?

 

[nakman]

that is really clever... well done!

 

[aaronrules]

Slick thinking!

HIH must not be kind to your LX. Didn't you have some sort of suspension issue last year?

Last year went ok actually. It was the year before when the AHC went into low going down the interstate on the way.

 

[aaronrules]

In Santa Fe for the night. Engine temps never got above 204 degrees both at slow in traffic speeds and at highway speeds. Fingers crossed we make it home tomorrow. Headed through the heat of New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma to end in the heat of Arkansas.

 

[aaronrules]

And we made it! @Austin Hot Shoe is my hero!

 

[flintknapper]

And we made it! @Austin Hot Shoe is my hero!

Yep, smart temporary fix.

Problem: Imbalance from blade loss, potential to do further damage.

Solution: Add counter weight to remaining portion of fan blade, hope to minimize imbalance.

Improvisation: Use bolts to provide weight, semi-easy installation. Pure Genius....!