how can there be that much of a price difference?

[Kali]

looking for an electric radiator fan motor. Rock Auto has one for $20.89 and one for $108.79:wtf:

and why does a whole fan/shroud/motor cost less than just a motor at some other places? again: :wtf:

[Gold Metal Flake]

1. What do you want? Stock replacement or custom installation?

All electric cooling fans are not created equal. Help me help you.

[Kali]

2. oh man, I'm sorry

I forgot to come back and look at this! I took the damn thing out and it is actually fine! Found a discussion on-line about the crappy relays (3 of them!) connected to this system and my electrophobia kicked in.

Been thinking about just wiring it up to a switch for when it needs to go on. Any advice for that? Just two wires from battery to fan with a switch or does it need to be "reduced" somehow (I only understand water, not electricity) what other kind of "fittings" would I need?

[Gold Metal Flake]

3. You should be able to wire up some high current aftermarket relays.

Might require some wire probing or a proper model=specific schematic, but relays generally work the same. You have a supply voltage for the relay trigger coil, the other end goes to ground. Then battery voltage goes to the contacts and from the contact it goes to the fan. So aftermarket relays could be used to replace the faulty factory ones.

I do not recommend a manual switch. The time you forget to look at the temp gauge and turn on the fan could be the time you blow a head gasket.

[Kali]

4. thanks for the reply,

my eyes glaze over when electric vocabulary starts being used - I have such a mental block about electricity it just won't compute in my brain. Update on the car is I think it lost the timing belt so if THAT breakdown is repairable without a major expense (like if valves are ok) I will take the fan down and have him trouble shoot it.

I saw some strange comment on one of the repair forums that the radiator fan won't run if the air conditioning isn't charged? Could that even be possible? Makes NO sense to me but maybe it has to do with some of the sensors or something - and right around the time the fan quit the air stopped being cold so...???

edit to add in case it might matter: 95 Escort, AT, 1.9l (hence not really worrying too much about manual switches or other strange ranch-rigged type alterations - been driving it without the fan since at least January)

[Gold Metal Flake]

5. Some cars have two fans.

One runs to cool engine only and another is used when the AC compressor is running and may also turn on to cool engine. If there is a single fan then it will run to cool the engine (only when needed) and it will also run when the AC compressor is running.

I suppose a technician could wire in a new circuit. An aftermarket fan switch with temp sensor is used to trigger the fan when the engine temp exceeds 200 degrees. It would trigger a relay to power the fan. If you have AC, the wire to the compressor clutch could also trigger the same relay. Diodes in the two trigger wires would prevent crosstalk.

Anyways, the timing belt is muy importante. Have your mechanic check the fan then.

[Kali]

6. its a two speed fan, that I do know

and he just called to discuss the timing belt - thinks it IS (was?) an interference POS so we aren't going to know if it's even toast until he does the belt.

I think I'm throwing good money away but I told hem to check. If the valves are shot I will probably dump the car.