fan spacer question

[Princess Valiant]

how does one determine the correct distance that the fan should be from the radiator??? i know there are different spacers.....different fans.....and different radiators. i am using a spectra (auto zone) new radiator in a 67 cuda witha 440 and i was planning to use a bolt on fan , meaning non-clutch type.....but im not sure if the clutch type is better or not???

my 440 is not an overly Hi-po motor its all stock 67 out of a 67 GTX now planted in a 67 cuda ....thanks for any input .

 

[412 Stroker]

IMO the closer the better, I think there is a minimum spec, but I have mine (I have a small block) should be the same though for you, approx 1 inch away from the radiator, now most here will tell you to get a shroud, I do not have a shroud, and I have a flex fan now, but before I had tried an electric fan but no matter what I did the water pump would hit the fan motor, so I had to install the electric fan off center of the radiator, and then my car over heated, so I went back to a flex fan, and a 2 inch spacer now it takes like 20 minutes for my engine to warm up, soooo I went and bought a clutch type fan and hopefully that will help it warm up faster. haven't installed that yet.

 

[JohnRR]

The spacer on original BB A bodies is 5/8" thick.

 

[1968FormulaS340]

The leading edge of the fan blades should be about 1" inside the shroud.

 

[crackedback]

The leading edge of the fan blades should be about 1" inside the shroud.

Yep that's a good one if using a shroud.

Another is the fan blades 1/2 way in, 1/2 way out of the shroud.