ACtion Magazine - March 2015 - (Page 8)

Did he really just do that??? Steve Schaeber W hile visiting a local shop and taking some pic- and with the extra space left by the V-6 an elongated fan tures for this edition of AC TION, I got to talking shroud is used to take up the difference from the V-8 modwith one of the technicians who was working els. One day the vehicle owner was tinkering around unon a Chevy Suburban. I told him that this month's theme der the hood, when he noticed that the fan blade seemed is electric cooling fans, so unfortunately the thermostatic able to turn very easily, even though it was directly conclutch he was replacing was not applicable. However, the nected to the belt and engine pulleys. Thinking this might story he told me does apply to all be a problem, he figured it best to get the fans no matter how they're operated truck into the shop. ...he thought it was on a vehicle; even those little ones He brought the truck in, opened the that used to be on the front of alterhood, and discussed the situation with the just freewheeling nators. It was about something that shop owner and technician. The engine happened at the last shop he worked was running while he explained what he at. saw, and while doing so he started reachOne of their customers owned an ing for the fan blade. The shop owner early 90's GMC pick-up truck; a 2WD, 1500 series with quickly said "Stop, don't touch that fan!" But it was too a V-6 engine. There was lots of room under the hood, late. The man's hand was already in motion, and right away they all heard that shrilling sound; tick, tick, tick, tick, as the fan blades came around, smacking the man's fingers. Turns out he didn't lose any digits, but sure bruised up a part of his hand. Luckily the angle at which he reached was such that his fingers made contact with the trailing edge of the blades. Had he been standing on the other side of the vehicle, or had the fan been rotating in the opposite direction, this story might be a little bit different. After the commotion of the incident, the technician asked why he did that. The man said because the fan spun so easily at home, he thought it was just freewheeling and he would be able to stop it by hand. Of course, he didn't figure (or know about) the thermostatic clutch, which had kicked in as the engine temperature increased. In the end, things turned out alright, and everyone learned something in the process. Ever have something like this happen at your shop? Send an e-mail to steve@macsw.org and let us know! ❆ " Reader Reply 8 ACTION * March 2015 Steve Schaeber Manager of Service Training You can reach Steve at Steve@macsw.org http://www.polarmobility.com http://www.macsw.org/imis15/MACS/Publications/ACtion_Reader_Reply/MACS/Publications/ACTION/ACtion_Reader_Reply.aspx?hkey=ac24bddb-c045-442a-813c-cbf05f88ac4d http://www.polarmobility.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - March 2015

Engine cooling systems: Electric cooling fan operating strategies
System Charge Determination
Outlook
Service Port
Leonard's Law
Virtual View
Heavy duty and off road
Last Watch
Coolin Corner
Letters to the Editor
By the numbers
Industry News
Association News
In Memoriam
New Products

ACtion Magazine - March 2015