Just Curious - Fan Shroud

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rrb6699

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what difference does it make running without a fan shroud? is it essential in cooling or more for protection when you open the hood?

I suspect both but, just wondered about running the truck without it.

rr
 

14 Lonestar

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It is for cooling, running without it you might notice higher temperatures.
 

hotrod45

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The shroud helps the fan draw air through the radiator by blocking air from sneaking into the fan from the sides.
 

S0CAL

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Many of us dump it when we go eFan. Look how much more room in the engine bay without it. No higher engine temps here. (Disclaimer: I did have a 180 Tstat problem, but I resolved it).

fullsizeoutput_230c.jpeg
 

hotrod45

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I probably should have added that the shroud increases the efficiency of the fan at low speeds/idling. The fan clutch was added when they found out that there was sufficient air passing through the radiator at higher speeds and the fan wasn't doing anything but sucking up hp. No one back in the '50s ever suggested that a shroud was a safety device. I'd be surprised if no one ever got injured by a fan, but I never heard of it happening. It would have been the sort of thing that would have spread like wildfire, too. We would have laughed until it hurt if someone was so inept.
 
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rrb6699

rrb6699

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yea. that fan is wide open without it.

I cut 2 triangles in the bottom of the shroud so I could remove it without removing the fan clutch & blade. I'm leaving it off until I finish the rest of what I'm doing under there including a new frt rt fender & headlight assy.

this is more a work truck for me unless I get a hair to go crazy with it.
 

dapepper9

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If you're sticking with a clutch fan it does help quite a bit at lower speeds. Electric fans, depending on your setup, it's less critical.

As for hands going in the fan, ive had a wrench slip and my hand went in the fan. It hurt lol but nothing broke and it never even cut me. Wasn't even enough to swear at
 
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rrb6699

rrb6699

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well, that's good but I wouldn't want to test it out with my hand
 
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