Warning!!! You could easily lose fingers or even your hand if you do this!

[MarcDeSoto]

The other day, we found an oil leak at the front timing case cover.  so we removed the radiator to get a better look at where it was leaking.  My helper made a video of the engine before we removed the radiator and almost put his cell phone in the fan.  I warned him about the fan, so he pulled back.  There is a big difference between and engine with the radiator on and one running without it!  After removing the radiator, I started the engine just for a couple minutes to see exactly where the leak was coming from.  Then I went inside for a minute and when I came out, he said it's leaking really bad!  In my alarm, I said really where, without thinking about the fan, which is invisible at fast idle, and I started to lean in to the engine.  Luckily my friend said watch out for the fan!  So my advice is if you ever need to start your engine without the protection of the radiator, put up a cardboard sign in front of the fan, or something to warn people that there is a powerfully spinning fan there and save someone's hand.  

[Doug&Deb]

Glad you’re okay. Yeah we all have safety lapses. If we’re lucky we don’t get hurt. It’s a good reminder for all of us.

[Semmerling]

Interesting, I was going to write a short thread about the process of "Bumblebeeing" the fan blade but figured it was too light weight for this place. Many of the people including my grandfather, took the time to do this....Eglin Field "pink mist" makes a powerful case. 

 

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by Semmerling

[vintage6t]

Agreed we all have safety lapses. Either via inexperience or b/c "familiarity breed contempt".

 

IMO based on the seemingly endless assembly issues you're having, it looks like you fall into the former.

 

On that note, one thing I see in your videos that is incredibly dangerous is putting your transmission in gear engine running/drive shaft exposed. If you get caught up in the turning drive shaft it will kill you without mercy. You really should make some sort of shield even if it's cardboard.

 

There are countless cases of farm accidents where people get caught up in tractor implement PTO shafts even though they are almost always shielded these days. That's basically the same as you spinning drive shaft.

[FarmerJon]

As a guy who has stuck his hands, fingers, and tools into more than one fixed mechanical fan, I think your thread title is a little over dramatic. 

Unless you were at significant RPM, I think the chance of ripping/cutting a finger off is basically none. Usually they just get bruised, and cause a long string of very creative, loud curse words. You could probably get a fingernail ripped off or a couple fingers broken. For you elderly guys with the thin skin, I could see it causing a nasty cut. 

Tools are dangerous because they get flung back up at you, but still generally lack any sort of deadly momentum. They are hell on a radiator though!

 

As vintage6T pointed out, the real killer is the open driveshaft. If you have never had the pleasure of seeing the OSHA video on the job, you should really treat yourself. 

 

ETA: @Semmerling, that bumble bee fan looks awesome!!

Edited April 9, 2023 by FarmerJon
Spelling

[Sniper]

47 minutes ago, Semmerling said:

Eglin Field "pink mist" makes a powerful case.

 

My first thought when Marc mentioned a spinning fan

[Dan Hiebert]

I find myself doing some things a tad slower than I used to, because I know some of my senses have aged and I need that extra time to ensure situational awareness of hazards around me.  I painted the tips of the fan blades in all our old cars many years ago, anything without a fan shroud.  Cue taken from airplane propellers.  At the time it wasn't so much for my protection but seeing that warning circle always makes me stop and ensure I'm paying attention to what I'm doing before I continue - you know, because there are shiny things in those engine compartments...

Edited April 9, 2023 by Dan Hiebert

[DonaldSmith]

Joke from my childhood:  Did you hear about the lady who backed into a propeller ? - disaster.  I'll go sit in the Andy Dodge remorial corner.   

[iowa51]

After a close call I put a piece of painter's tape on one of the blades with the cars of mine with an unshrouded fan. 

[OldPly]

Take the fan belt off , it will be easier to find a oil leak, without the air blowing the oil all over the place. Also much safer without open fan and generator spinning (water pump has nothing to pump anyway ,motor will run a long time off the battery)

[DonaldSmith]

I put white-out on the edges of my fan.  It works.  I'll take a photo the next time I get the engine running.     

[MarcDeSoto]

Semmerling, I love what you did to your fan.  I am going to that to mine!  How did you put the 1934 on there?  Does that signify the year of the car?  

 

7 hours ago, Semmerling said:

Interesting, I was going to write a short thread about the process of "Bumblebeeing" the fan blade but figured it was too light weight for this place. Many of the people including my grandfather, took the time to do this....Eglin Field "pink mist" makes a powerful case. 

 

 

 

[MarcDeSoto]

6 hours ago, FarmerJon said:

As a guy who has stuck his hands, fingers, and tools into more than one fixed mechanical fan, I think your thread title is a little over dramatic. 

Unless you were at significant RPM, I think the chance of ripping/cutting a finger off is basically none. Usually they just get bruised, and cause a long string of very creative, loud curse words. You could probably get a fingernail ripped off or a couple fingers broken. For you elderly guys with the thin skin, I could see it causing a nasty cut. 

Tools are dangerous because they get flung back up at you, but still generally lack any sort of deadly momentum. They are hell on a radiator though!

 

As vintage6T pointed out, the real killer is the open driveshaft. If you have never had the pleasure of seeing the OSHA video on the job, you should really treat yourself. 

 

ETA: @Semmerling, that bumble bee fan looks awesome!!

Can you describe what's in this video?  I'm too squemish to watch it.  Especially if there's a real death there.  I never thought of my driveshaft as being dangerous because I'm three feet away from it.  But I certainly could see that it could be, if I had a long pony tail or something like that.  

[Semmerling]

Yes that's the year of the car. It's relatively easy to do, first you put down painters tape on the areas that you do not want the spray paint to cover. If you look at mine, when the tape was down, the tip and the other two bars were open to be painted. Go down to any hobby store and get typical adhesive back paper letters. Home Depot sells them in many different sizes. Carefully place them on those very same open positions and then spray everything open with a quality spray paint. Give it about 5 minutes of drying, and then, with a pin, lift the letters back off and the black will show through underneath.

 

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by Semmerling

[Semmerling]

I would also tell you that for about 10 to 15 years Auto clubs would have color combinations specifically for that club. They were called Flags. I remember you could walk around and basically know if a car was from Brooklyn or the Queens. As soon as shrouds came, that all disappeared. Interestingly though, Hot Rodding picked it back up in the early 50s for a good number of years.

[Eneto-55]

My Dad had to replace the radiator in his 56 Dodge (work car at the time, my younger brother has it now) after one cold morning when a cat was sitting on top of the engine, until he started it. You can guess the rest.

[Dodgeb4ya]

52 minutes ago, MarcDeSoto said:

Can you describe what's in this video?  I'm too squemish to watch it.  Especially if there's a real death there.  I never thought of my driveshaft as being dangerous because I'm three feet away from it.  But I certainly could see that it could be, if I had a long pony tail or something like that.  

You get drawn into a driveshaft...here is what can happen..

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by Dodgeb4ya
Edit picture gruesome details

[MarcDeSoto]

Is that pic from that lathe accident?  Are those his clothes?  

[Dodgeb4ya]

Yes?

[Sniper]

I once had to do a rescue on a wind turbine because someone's sleeve got pulled into the turning gear and took his hand into it too.  Someone took off the guards that didn't need to be taken off to do the job.

[Los_Control]

We all love safety .... I think @MarcDeSoto description is fair. These fans are dangerous.

 

Is our duty to inspect them & see they are in good condition.    They do fail.

 

I had a 1969 1 ton  390 4 bbrl on my way to work one morning it was running rough.

 

I backed up my long drive way and was standing on my stool with the hood open trying to figure out why it was running so rough.

I whacked the throttle a few times .... kicked in the 4 barrels, and a fan blade cut loose & buried itself into the inner fender just a few inches from my chest.

Was the loose blade causing the rough running & vibration I was searching for.

 

That was one time I almost died. It all happened so fast. I was on a stool, leaning over the fender .... raised the rpm a few times & the fan blade stuck into the inner fender just a few inches below my chest ..... It was so close too sticking into my chest .... 7:00 AM I went in & fixed a whiskey drink to calm my nerves .... called the boss said I would not be in today. Then changed my underwear.

 

Just saying, yah I would not want to stick  a finger into one at a idle either.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I've been " ticked" by fan blades a few times over the years...no bodily damage.

I've survived never losing blood to spinning fan blades in 50+ years of working in the biz.

Now.... I have cut my hands on stationary  blades just doing WP jobs.

Oh well..

[keithb7]

6 hours ago, MarcDeSoto said:

Can you describe what's in this video?  I'm too squemish to watch it.  Especially if there's a real death there.  I never thought of my driveshaft as being dangerous because I'm three feet away from it.  But I certainly could see that it could be, if I had a long pony tail or something like that.  

 

I suggest you don't watch it. A guy is operating a metal lathe. While it is running he reaches over it. His clothes get caught in it and it pulls him in to it. Sadly it rings him out like an old washing machine set of rollers. It happened so incredibly fast.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I couldn't see the original blocked video....the picture I screen shot was of that russian in the lathe..

Was that the original video posted and blocked??

Wouldn't have posted the screen shot if so...I did  crop the screen shot to soften it up.

But folks working around machinery really need it pounded into them these pictures/videos to fully understand the danger of rotating machinery and how wimpy a human is around it.

Farm PTO equiment is the worst.

Edited April 10, 2023 by Dodgeb4ya

[SteveR]

I worked 40 years as a Service engineer in the Commercial Printing industry. It was not uncommon to see operators with fingers missing or fingers cut completely off. Fortunately even though I have been myself in many compromising situations, I still have all 10 fingers and I have never had to fish anyone out of a machine.

I like the idea of painting the fan blades and will be doing it on my Plymouth.