Mechanical Cooling Fan broke during 6000 rpm burnout.
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I lost a blade off a fan on the freeway driving my 57" pick up.
Right in the middle of gang country.........
The split second the blade flew off, (straight down thank God), the water pump shaft bent and the remaining blades opened up my radiator.
I limped off the freeway and down the street by a park. I removed the blade opposite the one that flew off and straightened the shaft as close as I could do by eye.
But the radiator, I used needle nose to pinch off what I could, praying I could get out of there by nightfall, I was super lucky and found a tiny Mom & Pop auto parts store and bought a few of those containers of the silver powder stuff.
After filling a milk jug over and over at the water fountain I was on my way.
I got home but had to replace the fan, the water pump, and have the radiator recored.
It was just fatigue,.............
I have had hoods fly up on me three times over the years on these 57' thru 60' trucks, the hood mechanism gets old & brittle and when it lets go you better have good reflexes.
Happened once on the freeway in the fast lane, I clipped the center divider because I could not see, I just tried to keep it straight, but when you get close to one of the big freeway signs the concrete barrier goes wide and around the pole.
Thats where I clipped the barrier, what a pain in the neck.
Had to wrap a chain around the pole and to my bumper to pull it away from my driver side tire.
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