70 L46 Fan Clutch

[Bill L.]

I have seen this discussed before, but I am still a little confused.

I think there were two different clutches in 70. The larger one used with the 7 blade fan and the smaller used with the 5 blade fan. Is this correct?

What part number should I be looking for on my 70 L46 with 5 blade fan?


Thanks.


Bill

[Jack H.]

Re: 70 L46 Fan Clutch

Crack open your copy of the AIM and look it up. The fan clutch used often varied with specific configuration of the car (SB vs. BB and with/without A/C). The various PN's used will be called out in the AIM and sometimes on low volume configurations there's only one PN while other, higher volume, configurations will have a primary PN followed by one or more [OPT] designated alternative parts...

[Joe L.]

Re: 70 L46 Fan Clutch

I have seen this discussed before, but I am still a little confused.

I think there were two different clutches in 70. The larger one used with the 7 blade fan and the smaller used with the 5 blade fan. Is this correct?

What part number should I be looking for on my 70 L46 with 5 blade fan?


Thanks.


Bill

Bill-----


I think your application originally used the "small OD" (i.e. non pie-pan) Sweitzer or Eaton fan clutch. There's no way to tell which was originally installed unless you have the original. However, I'd say there's about a 99.9% chance it's the Sweitzer since the Eaton style were rarely, if ever, used for 1970. The Sweitzer clutches use the "rectangular plate" type thermostat and have the "straight" fins. They are not reproduced and not otherwise currently available. There is no part number to be found on them.

The closest you can get to the correct clutch in a NEW fan clutch is the GM #3916141. This is an Eaton "coil spring" thermostat clutch and it has the "curved" fins, but it's otherwise similar to the original.