Radiator fan not spinning? (1 Viewer)

[NolaNomad]

Does this fan need to be spinning all the time or just when a thermo switch flips?
I thought I heard a strange sound and looked under the hood as noticed the fan spinning real slow.
After driving awhile I looked again
And saw the fan was still.

Did the fan blow? Wonder if it's fused or a bigger problem than just a fuse swap...

 

[medtro]

It is a condenser fan, not radiator fan. It will run when the pressure in the AC system is high enough. Turn ON your AC and go for a drive, that should get the AC system pressure high enough to trigger the fan ON.

 

[flintknapper]

The condenser fan is triggered by the trinary switch (AC pressure switch). It runs the fan and cuts the fan off at specified pressures....so no, it will not run all the time (depending on the system pressure)

 

[NolaNomad]

Ahh ok. Condenser. Rad fan is on the serpentine belt behind the rad.


Well I did have the AC on most of the time but fan not spinning. So what other diagnostic should I run.
I will take it out tomorrow on a long drive and blast the a/c and check on the fan.
May be I can get a GoPro down in front of that fan and keep an eye on it as I drive(?)

 

[NolaNomad]

Just for my edification, is there a fuse liked to this fan?

 

[knewstance]

You could just unplug it and hook up 12v power. That will tell you if the fan motor is still working.

 

[flintknapper]

You could just unplug it and hook up 12v power. That will tell you if the fan motor is still working.

^^^^^

Exactly what I would do.

Apply 12vdc directly to the fan to determine if it is good, then work your way backwards (wiring, connections, relay, fuse, trinary switch) IF the unit is found to not be working.

 

[LXJake93]

@flintknapper would this fan have anything to do with engine temp? If fan or fuse died, would this cause the engine temp to rise while at stops? Trying to diagnose and fix.

 

[araco100]

Is it normal to not be able to turn this condenser fan blade freely with your finger? Mine seems seized when I try to turn it with my finger?

 

[flintknapper]

Is it normal to not be able to turn this condenser fan blade freely with your finger? Mine seems seized when I try to turn it with my finger?

Not normal, it should turn very freely. In fact, even a good breeze (vehicle still) will slowly turn the blade. IF you feel any resistance something is amiss.

 

[flintknapper]

@flintknapper would this fan have anything to do with engine temp? If fan or fuse died, would this cause the engine temp to rise while at stops? Trying to diagnose and fix.

The Condenser fan is designed to move air across/through the A/C condenser which sits in front of your radiator. While it is large enough to 'aid' in the heat exchange for that item (condenser) it would have negligible effect on the cooling system of your vehicle.

It is normal to experience a slight increase in engine/coolant temps during prolonged stops (perhaps as much as 6-8°F in severe heat). During slow speeds and stops you don't have the benefit of 'ram air' going through the A/C condenser, radiator and across the engine/transmission. So the evacuation of under-hood heat becomes less effective. The engine cooling fan alone bears all the burden in those conditions.

Also, during slow speeds/stops.... engine rpm is less, so by default there is less cooling going on as the engine cooling fan (mechanical) is simply not spinning as fast, nor is your water pump. Yes, the engine is not working as hard either, but 'heat soak' can begin to happen quite rapidly under hood.... even having been stopped just a few minutes.

It is vital that your cooling SYSTEM be in top shape for summertime heat. In short, a condenser fan simply can not contribute enough to engine cooling to be considered a reason to install one or suspect it as a possible reason for increased coolant temps.

BUT......the opposite is most certainly true. IF your cooling system is not performing well you'll have engine/transmission/under-hood heat build up, which WILL effect your A/C systems ability to cool.

 

[LXJake93]

The Condenser fan is designed to move air across/through the A/C condenser which sits in front of your radiator. While it is large enough to 'aid' in the heat exchange for that item (condenser) it would have negligible effect on the cooling system of your vehicle.

It is normal to experience a slight increase in engine/coolant temps during prolonged stops (perhaps as much as 6-8°F in severe heat). During slow speeds and stops you don't have the benefit of 'ram air' going through the A/C condenser, radiator and across the engine/transmission. So the evacuation of under-hood heat becomes less effective. The engine cooling fan alone bears all the burden in those conditions.

Also, during slow speeds/stops.... engine rpm is less, so by default there is less cooling going on as the engine cooling fan (mechanical) is simply not spinning as fast, nor is your water pump. Yes, the engine is not working as hard either, but 'heat soak' can begin to happen quite rapidly under hood.... even having been stopped just a few minutes.

It is vital that your cooling SYSTEM be in top shape for summertime heat. In short, a condenser fan simply can not contribute enough to engine cooling to be considered a reason to install one or suspect it as a possible reason for increased coolant temps.

BUT......the opposite is most certainly true. IF your cooling system is not performing well you'll have engine/transmission/under-hood heat build up, which WILL effect your A/C systems ability to cool.

Got it. This morning, I checked condenser fan by isolating and powering with 12v - it works. Topped off coolant/antifreeze (50/50 mix, always) and spun the radiator fan/clutch (very freely) before cranking and letting it warm to 200~ degrees. Shut it off and tried spinning the radiator fan/clutch again - it spun but with resistance and would only spin 1/4 of the way around. Is this normal? I've read that if there's not enough resistance when spinning by hand while engine is warm then the clutch could be bad. Also, the fan never stops spinning when engine is on - is this normal? Sorry for asking so many questions.

 

[flintknapper]

Got it. This morning, I checked condenser fan by isolating and powering with 12v - it works. Topped off coolant/antifreeze (50/50 mix, always) and spun the radiator fan/clutch (very freely) before cranking and letting it warm to 200~ degrees. Shut it off and tried spinning the radiator fan/clutch again - it spun but with resistance and would only spin 1/4 of the way around. Is this normal? I've read that if there's not enough resistance when spinning by hand while engine is warm then the clutch could be bad. Also, the fan never stops spinning when engine is on - is this normal? Sorry for asking so many questions.

Yes, resistance from the fan clutch (cold) is normal. At normal operating temps (summer weather) fan should spin all the time when the engine is on and probably forcefully IF your fan clutch is operating properly. In fact, many folks that live in hot climates modify the fan clutch by draining and replacing the Silicone Fluid with a higher viscosity fluid for better engine cooling (which also aids the A/C).