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Radiator fan on 97 Accord fails intermintently

I have a 97 Accord with about 280K. Often the AC compressor will shutdown (most likely from overheating), mostly when I am driving low speeds or idling. On the freeway I NEVER have this problem. Engine coolant temperature and coolant levels are fine. I discovered that EVERYTIME I have this problem, the accessory (2nd) radiator fan isnt spinning. I believe its this fan that helps cool the AC evaporator. If I move the blades with a pencil, they do start spinning. Which means the fan is getting electrical power. The bearings are probably starting to go. No doubt I need to replace this electric fan. I need to postpone this repair if possible. I tried spraying a bit of WD40 in the motor armature. It didn't help. Is there anything else I can spray in there that could help extend the life of the fan? Thanks

Reply to
techman41973
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If it's the bearing going bad, WD-40 will make the problem worse. WD-40 is not a lubricant and does not work as a lubricant. Most of it is volatile.

BUT, if kicking it with a pencil starts it up, it's more likely to be the brushes or commutator. You _can_ actually replace the brushes and turn the commutator down yourself, but a junkyard fan will be not be too expensive, and those motors are not designed for easy repair.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Ugh. WD40 is not a lubricant. Spraying a lubricant in a motor isn't really a good idea since it will accumulate dirt and gum things up.

Locate the ground wire. It probably goes to the thermal switch mounted in the radiator. Ground the wire by removing the connector, ground one contact and apply 12V to the other. If the fan spins, the problem is probably the thermal switch. These go bad a lot. Mine (Subaru) was $35 at Autozone. Also scope the fuse out and make sure it's good (location is in the owner's manual).

Reply to
Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B

Interesting idea regarding the thermal switch. I wonder if the thermal switch is more like a thermal resistor. This could explain why there isn't enough current going to the fan to make it spin on its own. I notice that when I nudge the fan with a pencil is spins much slower than the main radiator fan.

Reply to
techman41973

No, it's a mechanical switch with a bimetallic plate in most cases. And usually when it fails, it doesn't fail in the way you describe. But you can short it out and verify it for yourself... what you describe is probably a bad spot on the commutator or a brush that is not making good contact.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Yeah, that sounds about right. I missed the part about the pencil. I thought he meant when he spun it with a pencil it freewheeled, meaning it was loose but not getting juice.

I don't remember the Honda fan, but these aren't really anything but an electric motor: rotor, stator brushes and contacts. Yank it and open the motor...you'll see what's wrong.

I haven't bought a new or rebuilt alternator for 30 years...

Reply to
Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B

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