Radiator fan stopped working

[FB71]

I talked to a local mechanic and he said I confused the chip and need to either get it reset or create a direct circut with a manual on/off toggle on the dash. Could this be the case? I'm not sure where this fan switch is you mentioned.

I think you need to find a new mechanic...

[nitrofarm]

I talked to a local mechanic and he said I confused the chip and need to either get it reset or create a direct circut with a manual on/off toggle on the dash. Could this be the case? I'm not sure where this fan switch is you mentioned.

Yes you def need to fix your own car and stay away from the clown dressed like a mechanic.

[crazyrog17]

New mech. for real. Actually the fan doesn't talk to the 'chip' or ECU at all.

It's a totally analog system. Actually the fan switch is a thermostatic device that solely relies on wax expanding when it's hot and pushing the contacts of a switch apart. That triggers a relay to turn off and the relay connects the fan to a fused connection off the battery.

Yes, the fan will run when the fan switch is disconnected.

The fan switch is located on the right side of the engine, just under the distributor with all the spark plug wires coming from it. It's on the thermostat housing which runs a large tube to the radiator. It bolts into a bung on the housing and has a single wire connector.

[g00db0y]

Thanks crazyrog. He isn't "my" mechanic. Just stopped into his the shop and asked him a quick question. Looks like I wont be going there. haha

So what exactly would the solution be maybe, because I unplugged the fan switch from the thermostat housing and the fan still didn't come on. I've checked the fuse on the panel on the dash and that looks fine. To revisit the original post, I mentioned that it worked fine but I unplugged it one night after getting home so it wouldn't drain my battery(had an embarrassingly gimpy battery) and leave me needing a jump in the morning. I plugged the male/female back together the next day and it never has turned back on since.

[georgeb]

I would unplug the 2-blade fan connection and connect a voltmeter to the car harness half. Unplug the fan switch wire and turn key on. You should have 12 volts. If yes, the fan is toast or that connection dirty. If no, then it could only be FAN fuse, relay secondary circuit or associated wiring. You can jump the relay secondary circuit if you can figger out which 2 terminals to use.

[crazyrog17]

Wait, you said you had to unplug the fan so it wouldn't run through the night?

...

Definitely not supposed to do that. I hope I'm not understanding something here.

[g00db0y]

No. My battery was REALLY bad and baaarellyyyy started the car. Leaving the fan on even long enough until the car cooled down and it turned off would prevent me from starting the car. It(the fan) was working fine until I unplugged it.

[nitrofarm]

If you werent carefull,you could have damaged the male/female connector wires.(if you pulled on the wires to disconect,instead of the plug itself)
Also look at the "male" metal tabs of the connector. Are the tabs still there & in good shape?

^

[g00db0y]

I held the black plastic housing while I was unplugging the connectors and checked out the tabs to make sure everything was ok.

I'm very careful about not making obviously bad decisions like pulling on wires etc.
I'm a believer in the correct answer is usually the most simple but I've exhausted all of the 'Duh(smack forehead)' possibilities I could come up with. I don't have the extra $$$ for a voltmeter to check like georgeb(I'm originally from MD. Go Ravens!)suggested.

I also unplugged the fan switch from the thermo housing and the fan didn't kick on. That whole area is fairly oiled up from a leaking VC gasket and so is the bung. Would spraying a degreaser(I'd be using 'Gumout - Steam Premium' in a spray can) inside the fan switch to get any oil out of the female tab harm it?

[iceracerdude]

Remember, you guys told him to unplug from the "switch" but never showed him where that switch was, or the fact it won't look like a switch at all Ha Ha Ha.
He's not like us, he's thinking about a switch, like "the" mechanic is thinking about digital "chips".
He needs new mechanic/s.
Show him a pic of the fan switch at the housing like HE might see it fer cryin out loud. I'd do it, but all I've got to show is a B6 with an aspire housing (no fan switch) and a BP engine (different sensor locations) and great batteries! You guys are just so insensitive to the needs of the Fella from Frisco!

[georgeb]

No. My battery was REALLY bad and baaarellyyyy started the car. Leaving the fan on even long enough until the car cooled down and it turned off would prevent me from starting the car. It(the fan) was working fine until I unplugged it.

You don't have to worry about the fan running at night or any time that the key is off. Unless you have a VW Fox.

[g00db0y]

Well, the car was stolen from the PO and had a screwdriver jammed into the ignition, which broken it. I had to disconnect the wire harness from the lock cylinder. So now I have to use a screw driver to manually turn the little plastic dial attached to the wire harness to start the car.

When the car was turned off the fan would run until the car cooled down and in that time it would drain my stupid, wretched battery just enough that it would need a jump in the morning.

Thanks iceracerdude. I appreciate the backup! Someone a few posts back did however explain what the fan switch was I think. It's the black plastic female connector that plugs into the male tab sticking out the side of the thermo. housing. Right? And that's referred to as a bung. I'm pretty caught up on that I think, but I could be wrong. If I am, would someone show me?

I'm not selling or getting rid of ghostiva. I don't care if it takes me forever to completely understand how to fix it. I love this car and taking your time to teach me is absolutely not wasted. One day I'll be giving the advice. I already told that mechanic what you guys said about the circuit being confused and he said maybe he should be reading the forums too haha. I respected his humility, but feel sorry for his clients!

[crazyrog17]

Remember, you guys told him to unplug from the "switch" but never showed him where that switch was, or the fact it won't look like a switch at all Ha Ha Ha.

The fan switch is located on the right side of the engine, just under the distributor with all the spark plug wires coming from it. It's on the thermostat housing which runs a large tube to the radiator. It bolts into a bung on the housing and has a single wire connector.

I described where it was on page 2.

g00db0y, since you said when you had the fan reconnected and then disconnected the fan switch, the fan didn't kick on, it's got to be the relay. We've eliminated fuses, right?

Also, you don't need to leave the key in run until the fan turns off, it should be fine to cool off by just shutting it off and letting it be.