The Stovebolt.com Forums Home | Tech Tips | Gallery | FAQ | Events | Features | Search
Fixing the old truck

BUSY BOLTERS
Are you one?

Where is it?? The Shop Area

continues to pull in the most views on the Stovebolt. In August alone there were over 22,000 views in those 13 forums.

Searching the Site - a click away
click here to search
New here ??? Where to start?
Click on image for the lowdown. Where do I go around here?
====
Who's Online Now
10 members (TUTS 59, homer52, Guitplayer, Hotrod Lincoln, 32vsnake, Charles in CA, Peggy M, 46 Texaco, 2 invisible), 556 guests, and 1 robot.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics126,776
Posts1,039,271
Members48,100
Most Online2,175
Jul 21st, 2025
Step-by-step instructions for pictures in the forums
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#1447910 04/13/2022 2:30 AM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,194
Moderator: Interiors, Texas Bolters, Name that Part
Moderator: Interiors, Texas Bolters, Name that Part
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,194
Ok gents, I am currently running a pusher fan on the front of my radiator. (261 with aluminum radiator in a 51 3100). If I were to add a shroud, what would it look like since it’s on the front and not a puller? Any pictures would be great.

Please don’t tell me to go mechanical, I did not convert to a high water pump and mr aluminum radiator is too wide so a fan doesn’t fit!

Chris

I know a shroud is good for a puller fan, is it good for a pusher?

Last edited by ndkid275; 04/13/2022 2:36 AM.
ndkid275 #1447920 04/13/2022 5:32 AM
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 9,830
Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums
Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 9,830
A shroud would help for a pusher fan as well as a puller, but the question is why are you using a pusher fan in the first place. It's working against normal airflow thru the radiator when you are moving down the road. I'm not saying you will overheat, but it just sounds wrong.


Kevin
1951 Chevy 3100 work truck
Follow this saga in Project Journal
Photos
1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car)
Busting rust since the mid-60's
If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
ndkid275 #1447921 04/13/2022 5:37 AM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 28,674
H
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
H Online: Content
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 28,674
If the fan blades are within an inch or so from the radiator core, a shroud won't make much of a difference. If you choose to use one, be sure it only covers half the depth of the fan blade. Totally enclosing the fan will reduce the volume of air it can flow pretty significantly.
Jerry


"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
ndkid275 #1447926 04/13/2022 11:26 AM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,194
Moderator: Interiors, Texas Bolters, Name that Part
Moderator: Interiors, Texas Bolters, Name that Part
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,194
Klhansen,

With the new radiator, I don’t have enough to distance to put a puller fan on the radiator without modifications to radiator support. I tried!

Chris

ndkid275 #1447952 04/13/2022 3:12 PM
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4,209
J
Moderator, Electrical Bay
Moderator, Electrical Bay
J Offline
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4,209
Sounds like it won't work for you but I did away with the water pump fan and got a Spal puller with thermostat control and a shroud from Old Air in Fort Worth. The absence of the old type fan has been nice. Smoother, no imbalance vibration, more quiet, etc. The Old Air shroud has rubber flaps that go out when hit by incoming air and suck in while in slow-moving traffic. While driving the fan usually doesn't run (unless the A/C is on and then there's a front mounted Spal pusher fan for that. I used a Chinese made 3 core aluminum radiator bought on Amazon.


~ Jon
1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end
ndkid275 #1447954 04/13/2022 3:25 PM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,288
M
'Bolter
'Bolter
M Offline
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,288
Jon, any chance you could postup a couple images of your fan/shroud setup? It might help Chris and I'm still pondering the ac upgrade on my '51 and this is definitely an area of interest.

RonR


1951 3600 with Clark flatbed, T5, 4.10 rear
1970 340 Duster
1990 5.0 V8 Miata (1990 Mustang Gt Drivetrain)
1964 CJ5
ndkid275 #1447958 04/13/2022 3:47 PM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 28,674
H
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
H Online: Content
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 28,674
I've seen a similar home brewed shroud made from a big cookie sheet, with a couple of rubber ram air flaps to allow air to bypass the fan at highway speed. If there's room for it, a thermostatic fan hub can be adapted to the water pump to minimize noise when the fan isn't required for cooling. That system is totally mechanical, no electrical hookups at all.
Jerry


"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
ndkid275 #1447973 04/13/2022 5:36 PM
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4,209
J
Moderator, Electrical Bay
Moderator, Electrical Bay
J Offline
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4,209
I have a couple of images...I have the front end off getting ready to do some painting. You can see below.
Attachments
IMG_9278.JPG (138.25 KB, 135 downloads)
IMG_9275.JPG (211.5 KB, 139 downloads)
IMG_9598.JPG (175.38 KB, 137 downloads)
IMG_9596.JPG (189.1 KB, 131 downloads)


~ Jon
1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end
ndkid275 #1447997 04/13/2022 9:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,194
Moderator: Interiors, Texas Bolters, Name that Part
Moderator: Interiors, Texas Bolters, Name that Part
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,194
Jerry,

My current fan is 1.5” from the from of the radiator. With the new fan coming, I think I might cut out the “X” in front of the radiator so I can get my fan closer to the radiator.

Chris

ndkid275 #1448003 04/13/2022 9:41 PM
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,442
Bolter
Bolter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,442
If your truck is not overheating, leave it alone.


Martin
'62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress)
'47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project)
‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily)
‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence)
“I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one!
Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop!
USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)

Joined: May 2015
Posts: 9,830
Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums
Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 9,830
Originally Posted by Justhorsenround
If your truck is not overheating, leave it alone.
That's probably the best advice. thumbs_up


Kevin
1951 Chevy 3100 work truck
Follow this saga in Project Journal
Photos
1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car)
Busting rust since the mid-60's
If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
ndkid275 #1448254 04/15/2022 10:04 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,194
Moderator: Interiors, Texas Bolters, Name that Part
Moderator: Interiors, Texas Bolters, Name that Part
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,194
I was just asking. I need to upgrade my fan as my truck gets warmer when I’m idling, otherwise I’m good to go (216 verses 261). I was just asking to see if you can use a shroud with a pusher᠁. Just never seen it.

Last edited by ndkid275; 04/15/2022 10:09 PM.
ndkid275 #1448427 04/17/2022 1:58 PM
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 61
T
'Bolter
'Bolter
T Offline
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 61
https://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/cooling

Pretty good read, might answer a question or two.


Moderated by  Phak1, Woogeroo 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Home | FAQ | Gallery | Tech Tips | Events | Features | Search | Hoo-Ya Shop
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.0
(Release build 20240826)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 8.3.11 Page Time: 0.147s Queries: 15 (0.029s) Memory: 0.6599 MB (Peak: 0.7736 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2025-09-22 16:03:07 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS