Hi guys,

Can you please review the pictures of my radiator fan ('76 280z) and let me know if I should replace it with a new one from zcardepot? I am seeing some cracks and am afraid the fan can explode taking out my radiator and my hall sensor which is sitting within a few millimeters from it. The fan clutch is showing some resistance while free moving it.

I'd like to stick with the mechanical one since it has been cooling my car pretty well. I have a stock fan shroud.

Thanks!

I don't know anything about ZCD's fans (no link provided) but @Terrapin Z might have an original fan in good condition. Yours does look in bad shape, although I've never heard of a plastic Datsun fan exploding.

That's what I thought. Thanks!

1 hour ago, Zed Head said:

I don't know anything about ZCD's fans (no link provided) but @Terrapin Z might have an original fan in good condition. Yours does look in bad shape, although I've never heard of a plastic Datsun fan exploding.

Here is the link for the fan blade at ZCD. I have always felt their shipping was kind of high priced, but that would also be part of the price.

I would be about half of that price but it would be a used fan. I would check for cracks if interested but all will show some wear.

They show an 8 blade and I have seen 7 blade fans as well.

Z Car Depot Inc

Cooling Fan Blade Radiator OEM 240Z 260Z 280Z

Fan Blade Mechanical OEM 240Z 260Z 280Z - 200-460 (). New OEM plastic fan blade for Datsun 240Z -260Z-280Z 1970-78.

I checked the parts site and it looks like Nissan new might be available. You never know.

Also stumbled across this "Motor Fan" option. Electric. Never knew.

https://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/engine-280z/water-pump-fan/11

https://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/parts/nissan-blade-fan~21060-n3600.html

The motor fan assembly includes a coolant hose fitting and temperature switch.

Datsun Z Motor Fan L28E (Option)

Thanks, ordered one.

2 hours ago, Zed Head said:

I checked the parts site and it looks like Nissan new might be available. You never know.

It does look like Nissan still sell them and a better price too.

Looks like darom has it sorted out.

Okay, this is weird, but I'll mention it anyway. I bought a new fan blade (just like that) from Nissan and it was great - OR would have been if I had a stock radiator maybe. But I installed a Koyo 240Z radiator in my early 260. The Koyo is probably a bit thicker than stock - although there looked like plenty of room between fan and radiator. I drove my new setup a bit and pulled back into the shop. The radiator was leaking coolant. It had been hit from behind. I couldn't figure it out. (I first thought it was a defect I didn't see)

The new fan had blades just a smidge longer than the old, hard blade I had been using. And they were nice and fresh and supple (well, much more so than my old crusty fan). What I EVENTUALLY found after I almost ruined a SECOND Koyo radiator: The stinking longer, more flexible blades of the new fan were flexing FORWARD ENOUGH for the tips to reach the radiator. Fast spinning nylon beats aluminum tubes and fins. (Koyo is side tank and the fan didn't hit the center, it hit the inside of the right-side tank and the tip of the blade was then pushed into the tube and fins on that side only - right next to the tank)

Check the forward motion of the fan blades at speed.

(having said that, I've found NO BETTER radiator than the Koyo for my Phoenix, AZ, daily driven, A/C pumping, turbo swapped, intercooled early 260Z - and I'm still using that old, hard fan... The new one is sitting on the shelf.)

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by cgsheen1

Do you think your fan clutch (Tem-coupling) was working correctly? Supposed to hold fan speed in a narrow range.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by Zed Head
over-capitalized

Sounds like he was only concerned with the condition of the fan itself unless I missed something in earlier posts.

47 minutes ago, Yarb said:

Sounds like he was only concerned with the condition of the fan itself unless I missed something in earlier posts.

That was for @cgsheen1 Maybe the fan speed was higher than design, from a stuck fan clutch, causing more blade flex in to the radiator.

Maybe that would have been better off on another post. Totally threw off where to get an NOS or comparable fan. Difficult sometimes to understand what the post was about originally unless you begin at the beginning. I hope you understand what I’m trying to say. Thanks