If I was physically able I would be pulling my hair out!… Because of my disability I am forced to depend on internet documentation (photos, part numbers, parts suppliers, etc.) for all of my part purchase guidance. Then I have to bother friends to come do my wrenching. I keep getting burned and wasting other peoples time and my money I don’t have.
[NOTE: THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A BLAMING STATEMENT/ TONE] I want to be able to turn to the CRG site / reports as the final say, but even something as basic as the correct 4 Blade Engine Cooling Fan report is throwing me a curve. Should be simple…., Correct 67 fan for my car = part number #3839282 and spacer #3814241. My dilemma is this, the photo in the CRG Report (cooling systems - fan blades) shows the strengthening ribs running continuous through the centering hole. The spacer and fan blade don't appear to be compatible... I can find multiple examples of the centering nub on the spacer is not very tall / pronounced (which matches my memory from 34 years ago for what that is worth). There is even an eBay listing of a NOS #3814241 spacer right now with the short nub (see included pic) .
The CRG Report shows 2 spacers below the 67-68 fan photo. The one on the left #3876828 is most like #3814241 (which makes sense since I think both are to interface with the same 4 blade fan). But the offset surface of the ribbed center is too deep to engage that short nub. The taller nub on the #3927792 spacer for 69 would work, but that spacer itself is not the necessary thickness.
The stamping off-set of the ribs raises the centering hole away from the mating / contact plane of the 4 hole pattern surface necessitating a taller centering nub on the end of the spacer… I have seen multiple examples of 4 blade fans that claim to also be part number #3839282 that the reinforcement ribs do NOT continue through the center. There are truck fans #3881239 that include a third piece/flat plate with centering hole riveted to the assembly on the spacer side to aid the centering, but passenger car fans do not seem to include this added plate [not to mention the tolerance variation introduced by the third part in the assembly is not a good thing with higher rpm engines]. Also, the 4 attachment bolts have too much clearance to depend on them to center the assembly (water pump bearing would not last long with the fan weight not centered).
WHAT IS THE CORRECT FAN? With or Without formed ribs passing through the center? CRG photo shows ribs thru, I don’t want to waste more money/ buy one type of fan and need to get another spacer. But I want to have the factory match that came on my car (and I threw out as as a teenager in favor of a light weight fiberglass performance fan…). This shouldn’t be that complicated, but everything I try to do seems to snowball into confusion these days.
