Water pump modification

[66gt350]

When I'm sitting at a stop light my current electric fan doesn't pull enough air through the radiator and my temp starts to rise. As soon as I'm moving, it drops back down. So, I ordered a new fan that pulls alot of air. But when I went to install it, is where I"m running into trouble. It's a little bigger than my current fan, which is a tight fit. It's only slightly bigger, and just barely doesn't go into place.

I got looking at my water pump, and noticed that the center part sticks out of the pulley about 7/16" of an inch:

Has anyone ground down the center part to get more clearance? I think that if I take it down 1/4", I'll be able to slip the fan in.

thanks

 

[AzPete]

I would take it down to the bolt head level. I see no problem as long as it still comes thru the pulley to hold it in place for install and you remember not to put a fan spacer on it at any later date. I see them as an alignment item for installation. Once things are bolted on, what do they do?

 

[66gt350]

Thanks Pete. That's what I was thinking. Since I'm no longer running a mechanical fan, there's no reason for it to stick out there like a sore thumb. I'll problem cut it back so there's about 1/8" sticking out of the fan pulley.

Hello grinder, here I come!!

 

[AzPete]

Ya could just hold a file against it while it's running..... :lol

 

[stangg]

If your current fan shroud is just covering the blade area, then you might want to make or buying a shroud that covers the entire fin area so that air can be drawn over the entire radiator. Even with a small fan that will be an improvement.