Ok so about a month ago the relay for my radiator fan went bad. Well, I just replaced the fan motor and relay all at once to knock it out. The fan is hardwired at the motor (not my doing- previous owner). When the fan died last time it would not come on at all (no a/c trick, no bypass, no nothing). Well, today it decides to stop working in 97* heat and stop and go traffic. Luckily I can turn on my ice cold a/c and the fan will still work. I'm confused on what could be the problem though because the fan will work w/ a/c but not on its own. Help please????
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10:58 AM
PFF
System Bot
Amida Member
Posts: 2360 From: Seattle, WA. USA Registered: Jul 2003
The fan motor is working, so that's not the problem. Have you checked the fan switch on the engine? Maybe it's not turning on at running temp. If you ground the wire the fan should turn on. If it doesnt turn on when grounding then there is a bad contact some where in the wiring.
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11:07 AM
Acesurfer Member
Posts: 1020 From: James Island, SC, USA Registered: Sep 2006
Then you'll have to look at how the previous owner wired it, probable bad connection/ poor grounding in the hard wire somewhere. Check to see if there are any fuses in that line as well which may have blown.
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11:40 AM
Jun 9th, 2008
Acesurfer Member
Posts: 1020 From: James Island, SC, USA Registered: Sep 2006
well, I wiggled the wires where it is spliced in the motor and guess what... IT WORKED!!!! but I believe it is now classified as having a short in it. right? How do I go about fixing this problem?
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05:30 PM
Amida Member
Posts: 2360 From: Seattle, WA. USA Registered: Jul 2003
It's not necessarily a short, but could just be a loose/corroded/poor connection. Either make new terminal connections or, solder & shrink wrap it. Or, return it back to factory fan switch operation.
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05:51 PM
Acesurfer Member
Posts: 1020 From: James Island, SC, USA Registered: Sep 2006
A short would be connecting the wire to ground and that would blow a fuse, what you have there is a half assed repair. I swear people spend 10x longer jerry rigging crap that will just cause more probems than they would if they just fixed the problem the first time. I know, not your doing.
Anyway, if it still comes on with the AC switch, I would remove any modifications that the PO made and fix it right. Start by grounding the fan switch wire. The fan switch is a one wire connector on the lower intake, passenger side more on the forward side of the intake. Its kind of mushroom shaped. Just pull that off and ground the wire. If the fan comes one (with key on) then its just a bad fan switch, simple fix. Get a new one and replace it. It will take half the time it took the last guy to screw it up, I guarentee it.
If that doesnt do it, we'll have to do some more digging, but if it works with the AC, its probably just the switch.
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10:24 PM
Jun 10th, 2008
Acesurfer Member
Posts: 1020 From: James Island, SC, USA Registered: Sep 2006
ok, I will give it a shot. If you don't mind me asking how do I ground out the wire? I'm not really too mechanically inclined. I have been learning a lot over the last year and a half with my two fieros.
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08:35 AM
Amida Member
Posts: 2360 From: Seattle, WA. USA Registered: Jul 2003
That is what the fan switch on the engine does, it completes the ground. That is why it is only one wire, when the engine reaches running temperature it grounds & completes the circuit. So all you have to do is find that wire & make it contact the metal frame/engine; someplace clean with no paint or dirt. At normal running temp. the fan switch should ground, if not get a new switch.
Sorry, not to steal your thread, but I have similar issues. Fan dead.
I can't find the relay on the Chilton's electric diagram. Anyone know where it is?
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12:27 PM
86GT3.4DOHC Member
Posts: 10007 From: Marion Ohio Registered: Apr 2004
Just push a wire into the connector end of the wire at the engine, then touch that new wire to any metal piece, or the battery negative to be safe.
The fan relay is, I think, up in front of the drivers side headlight? Theres something up there Ive never messed with. That or its over by the AC dryer. Just check the wire colors going in compared to the schematic to make sure you have the right one.
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01:27 PM
Amida Member
Posts: 2360 From: Seattle, WA. USA Registered: Jul 2003
you can't miss it. it is like a little box with i believe two screwes holding it in place. you can get a replacement for like 10 bux at advance or autozone.