383 water pump destruction
 

I have a street performance level 383 that had a stock water pump, 7 blade fan and clutch. After my last burnout the fan mount spun off the water pump shaft, leaving my fan buried in my radiator. Does anyone have a remedy? Should I lose the mass of the clutch by using a flex fan, or go with an electric fan or would a performance aluminum pump avoid a repeat? If I need an electric fan, can someone recommend one for a 70 Challenger with a 26 inch core radiator? Thanks

Welcome to the forums.

I have heard good and bad things about the flex fans. One story I heard about the flex fan involved it destroying a radiator, but I do have one in my Jeep, and it has been working fine.

A lot of people recommend the electric fans as you can also put one in front of the radiator to allow for cool down in stop and go traffic, and I have also heard you may see a slight increase in performance as there will be less stuff being powered from the engine.

Just to get this clear, when the fan came off the shaft from the water pump it was bare, mount pulley and all?

Bare shat left
 

That's correct, the fan, clutch and pulley were all still bolted to the mount that came pressed onto the pump shaft. I assume the sudden acceleration of the pulley by the belt, could not spin up the weight of the fan and clutch fast enough and the fan mount spun on the pump shaft.

Welcome chall70 ,

I feel that one can go with an all aluminum water pump and housing and still get the performance you want as i myself use them and im at 500 plus hp and with a regular fan i have never spun one off but i would lose the clutch fan and just go with a stock fixed blade fan and run a 180 thermostat and you will be fine .... sorry about your rad; as those are a bit costly but if you can go with a aluminum radiator i would for better cooling also :D

The pump could have seized as well. The aluminum housing and pump may be the place to start, as you lose some weight, get some new parts in there. I am putting one on my 440 as well and am pleased with it so far.