Flying Fan Blade!

So I was driving my jeep today and all of a sudden I hear what sounds like an explosion under the hood and something flying out of my hood! Just about scared the SH## out of me! I was just around the corner from my house and no flames so I limped home.

Open the hood and low an behold a piece of one fan blade broke loose and shot through the hood ripping a hole. Im glad it didn't happen 10 minutes earlier when I had the hood up and was fiddling with the carb.

http://picasaweb.google.com/BrentHostetler/FlyingFanPieces

Cant figure out what caused it... I went to NAPA and its a discontinued part. They have a couple left in main warehouse. Should I switch to electric fan, anyone else done it and prefer??

Thanks.

 

DAMN that is crazy.

 

Yeah, you would think it was damaged. But no.. No damage prior, just a little rust. I kept thinking that something must have fallen and jammed between the engine and radiator but the radiator has no damage and engine looks find. Its just crazy!

brent

 

I've never heard of it actually happening, but I've been told not to stand in line with the fan when working on a running engine. Yikes.

 

I've had the happen...Even more than once....Once on a 73 Ford truck and once on a 68 chevelle...Both of them were turning fairly high RPM when they came loose.
Yeah...get an electric fan...I have always run electric fans on my Jeeps...because I do a lot of deep mud and water crossings. The electric fan from a Ford Taurus is one of the best out there.

 

I've seen it several times.
especially factory 6-7 blade fans.
the blades flex during normal driving, meaning higher rpms.
they crack around the rivets that hold the blades to the fan arm.
always a good idea to inspect the fan blades once in a while.
as with most cracks, you usually see rust appear around the area.

 

I'd think an advantage with electric would be efficiency since it would have a cowl. Now I gotta go inspect mine! glad you are okay... haven't you warned your Jeep not to injure the Golden Goose?

 

had it happen to me in early summer. never agian a flex fan i was drive as you were and bang pop my fiberglass hood like it was nothing.