Fan catching on fire

[SN95StangMan]

I was heading home tonight when all of a sudden I started to smell something burning. I immediately pulled over and popped the hood and noticed smoke coming from the fan. It looked like it was only coming from one small section, by one of the bolts, I added a picture to show what I am talking about.

**Edit, this is not my actual fan

I unplugged the harness for the fan and I was able to cruise down the freeway for about a mile back home with the heater on full blast and got the temp down from 250 to just under 210. Is my fan done? What should I be checking tomorrow to find out what is wrong?

Thanks,

 

[Husky44]

got a battery charger? Not sure what the voltage requirements are for the fan, but I used mine to test the power top motor (and to cycle the top after the electrical system was pretty much gutted) in my 67.

If that is that your fan in the pic (already removed) you should be able to run it on the bench; if it's still installed, disconnect your wiring harness and run it in the car using the charger as a power source. Should allow you to get a better look at the fan without risking the rest of your electrical system. I'd still recommend pulling it from the car, in case it is fried and does start a fire, then you don't have to worry about putting it out under the hood.

Other than that suggestion, I'm not much help.

 

[Adam95GT]

i might have an extra for you. use a jump box to test it.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Did your car have the recall performed, where they install the circuit breaker to prevent the fire? Basically what happens, is that the bearings begin to fail in the fan and the current demand increases higher than the wiring can take. The connector, being the point where there's the most resistance gets hot enough to catch fire. The true fix for it is a new fan and pigtail for the fan connector.

 

[BlackVert]

yep, check to see if your car has had the recall performed on it

 

[SN95StangMan]

-That's not my fan in the pic.

-The car has had the recall done as far as i know. this is a pic of my fan, it has this connected to the harness...

That bolt off to the right side of the pic is where it was smoldering from.

***I was checking come KOEO codes a few minutes ago for an unrelated issue, and the fan did not turn on like it usually does...

 

[HISSIN50]

Does the fan blade turn anymore (watch your fingers for sharp edges and don't have the fan's electrical connector connected while you do this)?

Simply sounds like it started to seize. New motors are like 65 bucks or so. You might have issues getting the motor's output shaft divorced from the fan blade.

Otherwise, I also simply bench test them in a situation like that. BE sure to use a fuse if you do this. Start with low and if it works, jump to high (going from off to high really loads the motor up).

 

[desertcox05]

that's what my motor did too. i smelled it in the morning on the way to work. I didn't know what it was till later. i almost overheated the engine on the way home in the afternoon. get a new motor and make sure the connector isn't melted too.

 

[SN95StangMan]

The fan will turn by hand with a little convincing. Im not sure how freely it is "supposed" to turn.

Can someone give me a quick "idiots guide" on bench testing it.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

The "convincing" is the telltale sign that the motor is dead. It should just about turn by blowing on the fan blades. Even if the fan is off, it should rotate while driving, from the air passing through the radiator. It sounds as if it would not do that right now, correct?

 

[SN95StangMan]

Right, that's what I thought. It takes a good grip on the blades to be able to turn it...


So, does anyone know where to get a good fan motor. Should I just get a parts store replacement.?

Thanks,

 

[HISSIN50]

The parts store replacement should be a Siemens (a Tier One company). And most of the time they are LLT.

I would not even bench test your old one because my experience is like that which Matt posted (a flick with a finger sends the blade spinning multiple rotations).

You might want to divorce the blade from the motor before you buy a new motor. If they won't come apart (use PB before you attempt it), it might save you buying and returning a motor.

 

[99FiveOh]

I say if the damn thing is smoking, that's a pretty tell tale sign to me! I bought a new motor from Autozone and it worked great. The fan blade took about half an hour to pull from the motor, it was a bear but I got it.

Also, just my .02, take that recall circuit breaker and throw it in the nearest lake. I've seen so many guys almost burn their engine up because that thing decided to cut the fan off. The problem is, when the fan is needed the most (hot day and high speed) that circuit breaker will cut power to the fan and you'll overheat in short order.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Anyone got tips on taking the fan off the motor shaft?? I have a 94/95 fan in my Fox and want to separate to install a new motor...but can't get the damn fan off the shaft. It's not a press fit or anything is it? Just soak in PB blaster and take the shaft off?

 

[99FiveOh]

It just pressed on there from what I can remember. The retainer clip keeps it safe from popping off, but it is a PITA to get off.

 

[tderrick]

That recall fix was ridiculous. I pulled that breaker off, bought a spare fan motor and kept it in the trunk until I needed it.

I don't know what these corporate guys are thinking about sometimes.

 

[99FiveOh]

Well, I think they hit the nail on head with that "fix" as far as a clever corporate move that is. What it did was significantly reduce the likelihood of a fire, which could actually "hurt" someone. With the breaker in there the only thing that might get hurt is the engine, which for FoMoCo, is an acceptable loss if they had to replace the engine. It sure beats multi-million dollar lawsuits for people getting broiled alived when the car catches fire! Some people are "that" stupid and will sit in a burning car...

 

[Dan95-5.0]

i removed my circuit breaker fix because it was damaged. Never got around to replacing it after 4 years but its always in the back of my mind that the fan might one day burn my car down.