testing electric cooling fan

[Barkleymut]

the electric fan on my 03 Saturn Ion is not working. I unplugged the connector directly next to the fan and ran an electric wire from the positive terminal of the battery into the connector but nothing happened. My question is do I have to ground the fan in any way? I read on another forum that you do not but I just want to make sure before I go buy a new fan.

thanks

 

[MarkM66]

Yeah a fan has to be grounded. A power, and a ground.

How many wires are coming off the fan?

 

[Donald]

Do you have a schematic? Is this a radiator fan or one for the heat/AC?

Every motor needs at least 2 wires. If its only got one, then it has or needs a ground.

A fancy scanner can command the vehicle to turn on the radiator fan.

You can also measure the resistance across the hot and ground of the motor. It should be very low to almost shorted if the motor is OK. Infinity if the fan windings are open.

 

[Barkleymut]

no wires coming off the fan, just a connector that accepts 2 prongs

I don't have a fancy scanner but I do have a battery and a ground source lol

 

[KB2008X]

You need to provide both power and a ground to the fan to test it. Just be sure you have the correct wire connector - trace it carefully back to the fan itself - and that you are providing power to the correct wire.

Keith

 

[Barkleymut]

It would be virtually impossible to trace the wires. Does it really matter if I get the ground and power mixed up? or will this fry the fan motor (if its not already fried)

 

[Barkleymut]

and yes it is the radiator fan

 

[Donald]

On a radiator fan with only a single speed it should not matter which wire goes where assuming the fan is not also grounded via a metal contact.

It should go backwards if the + and - are reversed. With the power applied try spinning the fan to see if it needs a little help.

I found a Mopar fan on EBAY brand new in a box that was much cheaper than the dealer and also cheaper than the others on RockAuto. When one gets into things beyond engine/brakes/suspension, RockAuto has company names I am not familiar with. I assume they are known to those in the trade.

 

[Barkleymut]

just got a test light and ran the car with the ac on and the test light didn't come on for either side of the connector....I will assume the fan is good for now....

 

[Barkleymut]

well I was wrong, the test light wasn't screwed together very well when I tested it. Tested it again and now the light is coming on telling me that power is getting all the way to the connector on the fan. Guess I need a new fan....

 

[Donald]

Always test the tester first. You have a nice big source of 12V right there.

If an electrician did not test his tester and the bulb was broken at the circuit was really hot when he thought it was off, might need more than a new fan.

I have been using DVMs since I was in high school building Heathkits. I test lightbulbs with a DVM. I am not that keen on test lights except for the ones built into a test plug for 110V.

 

[boxcartommie22]

replace the relay..

 

[MarkM66]

Originally Posted By: boxcartommie22
replace the relay..


If it's getting power at the fan, how could the relay be the problem?