356 Carrera 4 Cam Fan Repair

[Bill Sargent]

I recently needed to repair a couple of 356 carrera fans. I have worked with a local machine shop, welding shop and balancing shop and now have the necessary tooling fixtures and craftsmen to provide the following services:

1) Replace steel center hub in 1600 type fan. In original fans the steel center hub in the aluminum spyder sometimes comes loose. On reproduction fans I have also found the generator shaft hole enlarged or egg shaped as well as the hub installed off center. The solution is a new custom made oversized hub installed with tooling to ensure it is centered properly. The new hub can also be custom sized to fit a generator shaft that may be worn under the standard 15mm OD. Note that I cannot do this work on Carrera II fans as the hub design is different.

2) TIG weld all blade tabs and rebalance the fan. This is recommended for the reproduction fans, several of which I am aware have come apart during dyno testing. This service is available for both 1600 and Carrera II fans.

Please note I am unable to repair or replace blades or other parts on damaged fans.

Please email or call to discuss the work needed and pricing. I am located in the Seattle, USA area. Bill.a.sargent@gmail.com. +1 (206) 388-7546

Bill Sargent

[Bill Sargent]

Update on this post. I can still offer 4 cam fan hub replacement but no longer offer blade welding. Discussions with Urs Gretener indicated that the welding process could make the aluminum more prone to cracking.

Since my first post Ure Gretener has made the tooling to accurately replicate the late 904 style aluminum fan halves. He can replace damaged aluminum fan halves on both the 1600 and carrera 2 fans. His fan repairs have endured extensive race testing. I can recommend Urs without reservation.

[Harlan Halsey]

Bill,
Given the vanishing number of Carreras running these days, could you please elaborate on "extensive race testing"?

[Bill Sargent]

Hi Harlan,

From what Urs told me an Abarth carrera and 2 Carrera coupes are using his repaired fans and have run several vintage racing events without issue. Jeff Adams is also using Urs’ repaired fans in customer cars.

My experience with the reproduction fans is that the blade material is too soft it folds under RPM as low as 6500 rpm - that is what I saw with one of my repro fan on the dyno. Others have noted issues with the peening of the blades, with fans again coming apart on the dyno. The take away is the current repro fans fail almost immediately. Urs’ fan repairs holding up under racing conditions is, to me, an indication of a good repair. I currently have 3 fans with Urs for this repair. All three are reproduction, 2x1600 and 1x2L. Both 1600 fans required the steel hub to be replaced - one as the hole was egg shaped and the other as the hole was 0.2mm too large.