Cooling fan installed backwards on my 2850GST???

[dickjurgensen]

I recently noticed that the fan blade on my late 1980's L2850GST (with 700+ hours on it) pushes air forward instead of pulling air thru the radiator. I have observed for the 35+ years or so I've owned this tractor (I bought it slightly used) that this seemed to be an odd arrangement.... but hey, what the heck do I know!?!?

I runs fine and always has but in the warm weather it seems to run hotter than I've come to expect but not dangerously hot... and the weather does get hot and stay hot in Georgia during the summer.

Is there any circumstance in which this fan blade was installed correctly pushing cool air forward instead of pulling it back thru the radiator?

If it needs to be reversed, how big of a job would that be? And how? Does radiator need to come out?

I've replaced the water pump in 2012 so I am a wee bit handy with tools.

Thanks guys!

dj

 

[mikester]

On bigger equipment blades are reversible. You would have to find a replacement blade in the direction and flow rate you need.

If it’s working for the past 35 years leave well enough alone. If you want a new hobby doing tractor repairs then go for it.

 

[dickjurgensen]

This fan blades are "cupped" and it seems to me that the fan could have easily been installed "backwards," perhaps at the factory.

If it is now "backwards," the fix would be to to simply detach and reverse the very same fan so that it pulls rather than pushes air thru the radiator.

AI suggests that wrong-way installation results in a loss of 30-50% cooling efficiency.

That's considerable!

Is fan for sure backwards? Or am I missing something?

How difficult it would be getting to the fan I would also need to consider before deciding.

dj

 

[JimDeL]

Do you have an overheating problem? If not, then leave it alone!

BTW: DON'T BELIEVE everything you see on AI.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

"Reversed" blades may sig. help cooling efficiency when mowing or working in high chaff situations etc.... by helping keep rradiator from plugging up. Mabe yours was modified or came for this reason?

 

[#40Fan]

Simply turning the fan around won't make it blow/suck the correct direction. You would need to change the rotation of the fan.

 

[dickjurgensen]

Simply turning the fan around won't make it blow/suck the correct direction. You would need to change the rotation of the fan.

Hmmmmmm..... now that has my full attention.

If I simply flip the fan over w/o changing out the fan or the direction of rotation, I simply have a fan trying to push cool air forward less efficiently than before toward the radiator.... leaving me with the worst of both worlds.

So it may be that this particular fan setup blowing in the forward direction was by design.

Hmmmmmmmm..... LUV my 2850GST BTW!

It has spoiled me rotten with its toughness, durability and ease of operation!

dj

 

[GeoHorn]

There are a number models in the tractor-world in which cooling fans Deliberately Flow Forward.

As already mentioned, they are intended for high-chaff crops and high-staw mowing which would Clog the radiator with a conventional fan.

The radiator does not care which way the air flows thru it. The reason street-vehicles flow are aftward is because that direction is facilitated by the vehicles’ forward-velocity when in normal service.
Tractors are not known for forward speed…. So some cooling fans are more efficient when they blow Forward in high-chaff….which tends to keep the radiator more-clear.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

This fan blades are "cupped" and it seems to me that the fan could have easily been installed "backwards," perhaps at the factory.

If it is now "backwards," the fix would be to to simply detach and reverse the very same fan so that it pulls rather than pushes air thru the radiator.

AI suggests that wrong-way installation results in a loss of 30-50% cooling efficiency.

That's considerable!

Is fan for sure backwards? Or am I missing something?

How difficult it would be getting to the fan I would also need to consider before deciding.

dj

As pointed out, Simply turning the blades around will not change the air flow.
The blades will simply push less if the cup is on the wrong side.

And yes that is supposed to push air out the front.
You know this because the debris screen is in the back.

 

[dickjurgensen]

As pointed out, Simply turning the blades around will not change the air flow.
The blades will simply push less if the cup is on the wrong side.

And yes that is supposed to push air out the front.
You know this because the debris screen is in the back.

View attachment 177185

I've never been able to slide out the debris screen to clean because my front end loader support frame does not allow me to get at the screen from the side.

I've used compressed air (from all angles) to try to keep the screen clean with likely mixed results.

Is there a better workaround for this situation?

dj

 

[#40Fan]

Radiator Cleaner

If you think you could possibly squeeze one of the inbetween, they work great.

I made one very similar 25 years ago out of a piece of brake line.

BTW, that is just the first one I saw and linked too. Other options that are cheaper are available. Just have a look.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

As @#40Fan noted, turning the blade around won't reverse the flow. However, the cupped fans do have a correct orientation, the inlet face should be closer to the plane of rotation. Reversing the orientation will reduce the air flow. But, since your engine has 'reverse' flow, it is most likely correct as is.

 

[utterchaos]

That’s the proper fan. It’s a pusher design.

I have a kubota V1902-B in a New Holland L555 (project unit) with the same design.

I’m not sure of the thermodynamics of it but I think it draws engine heat away from the hydraulic pump area rather than pulling uncooled hot engine heat directly toward it.

 

[GeoHorn]

Sometimes the loader can be raised to it’s highest….. to facilitate getting to the radiator-screen and similar tasks.

The DANGER is that working beneath a raised loader is hazardous to your LIFE…. so it’s wise to support the loader, either with jack-stands…or (second-choice in my opinion)…. cylinder-locks.
(I use two H.F. hi-lift stands)

The cylinder lock I show is sold at the Tractor Mike site…but there are others who also sell them.

 

[dickjurgensen]

I've got a Du-al 107 loader on my L2850GST and its frame does not allow me easy access to the sides of the engine compartment, even with the bucket raised and out of the way. In this case, access to the debris screen on the back of the radiator.

The screen will slide out about 6 inches before it hits the loader frame.

I can "unsnap" one side of the shroud to allow me some access to the screen so I should be able to blow compressed air from a new (side) direction to dislodge debris and to better observe directly the screen's condition.....so I am making progress.

BTW, I use a 22"x2"x1" piece of channel iron as a "cylinder lock" to keep the bucket raised and safely out of the way any time I park my tractor in the shed. I learned the hard way that if I need access to the engine compartment, it is a whole lot easier if I don't have to fight thru/past the front end loader... to say.... remove a dead battery. OUCH!!!! I can always lower the bucket once I start the tractor.... raising it out of the way is another matter completely if tractor will not start.

I am very pleased that the fan was installed correctly at the factory after all. WHEW!!!

Turns out that the present owner of this treasured L2850GST is something of a doofus!

I can live with that.... with a little help from my friends!

d.j.

 

[dickjurgensen]

I was able to loosen both sides of the shroud and slip in there with a modified air blow gun @#40Fan and really clean up the debris screen.

Long overdue maintenance!

Thanks guys.... you saved me a whole lot of cuss'n and trouble!

dj