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From: clewis@mnetor.UUCP (Chris Lewis)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: A reminder of Human Mortality...
Message-ID: <1001@mnetor.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 13-Jun-85 12:44:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: mnetor.1001
Posted: Thu Jun 13 12:44:47 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Jun-85 14:32:10 EDT
References: <920@mnetor.UUCP> <2400060@hp-pcd.UUCP>
Reply-To: clewis@mnetor.UUCP (Chris Lewis)
Organization: Computer X (CANADA) Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lines: 47
Summary: 

In article <2400060@hp-pcd.UUCP> dhk@hp-pcd.UUCP (Dustin Kassman) writes:
>Re: Fan blade coming off
>
>Was the car a Ford?  In the mid-70s when I worked at a service station there
>were warnings out that certain Fords had problems with fan blades shearing.
>I am sorry that I cannot remember which models or if there was a recall, etc.

No, it was a '77 Plymouth (Chysler, probably something similar to 
Volare/Aspen/Valiant/Duster/Scamp/Malibu etc) with the standard exposed 
belt drive fan instead of the enhanced cooling (shrouded clutched fan) 
option.

The '78 Volare shop manual does warn:

	"Do not stand in line with the fan"

The '75 Valiant shop manual doesn't.  Both books tell you not to fiddle
with the fan though:

	REPLACE, do NOT repair!

[Though, not all do-it-yourselfers have or read the manuals anyways]

I suspect that he dropped a tool into the fan, or the fan was rusty and 
was revved well beyond normal rpm's during servicing.

BTW: the incident was reported in the Peel regional newspaper - it was
handled by the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police).

This should not be construed as a complaint against Chrysler (or Ford).
All cars, particularly those with non-shrouded and belt or direct drive 
fans have this danger under certain circumstances.  Especially, over-revving
during engine repair or analysis.  Even electric drive/shrouded fans
have their dangers (they can start even if the engine is off!)
There are dangers to all cars - do-it-yourselfers should be aware of them.

I have a '75 Valiant and I like it (though the poor thing is getting
rather elderly and I just spent $400 on replacing almost all the brake
parts and bearings) and my Father's '78 Volare is still running pretty
good (both cars have been far more reliable and smooth engine running
than our other newer, '80 and '83 cars - I LOVE "slant sixes"!).  The 
incident just reinforced our attitude about caution w.r.t. the fan 
while working in the engine compartment.
-- 
Chris Lewis,
UUCP: {allegra, linus, ihnp4}!utzoo!mnetor!clewis
BELL: (416)-475-8980 ext. 321