

| Subject: | Re: Squealing Radiator Fan Motor |
| From: | Don Hanson |
| Date: | Wed, 6 Apr 2016 20:17:30 -0700 |
Google B.A.T. British American transfer.... Or something... They have a full line of fans. On Apr 6, 2016 7:29 PM, "Richard Koerner" <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net> wrote: > Thanks Dennis for the advice....and now you've got my mind working > "outside the box". Yep, the universal 16" radiator fan with "some > creativity for mounting brackets" seems like a great idea. After all, it's > only a fan. Something to suck air in through the radiator. Doesn't have > to be a VW fan right? I looked (briefly so far) at replacement fan/motor > assemblies for my 85 Vanagon on the web and didn't have too much luck. > But yes, somehow mount a fan assembly up in there; I mean, I think you > would only need to find some way to attach the thing. Four points ideally, > in the corners. Surely most of these radiator fan motors can handle the > "low" and "high" electrical currents for the different fan speeds....I > mean, most cars are similar methinks.....needs a little or a lot of cooling > depending on the situation. > So, provide a fan blade of the proper diameter (Dennis says 16") to > provide proper airflow, an electric motor, solid mounting, maybe even some > sheetmetal or plastic shrouding to enhance airflow, and I think it would > work. > As these Vanagons age and parts are NLA, we may have to all orient our > thinking to alternatives, not obvious at first. Hey, after all...I just > put a Subaru motor into my Vanagon with hopes of 20 more years. > > These last few days, the "squealing" has not re-appeared, but it's > probably only a matter of time. But I want this potential problem FIXED. > Here at home, not 500 or 1000 or 4000 miles away when its WAY more > expensive and difficult. > RichSan Diego > > > > > From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Sent: Tuesday, April 5, 2016 6:43 PM > Subject: Re: Squealing Radiator Fan Motor > > The squeaking and squealing could be either the bearings or brushes. These > motors are not readily serviceable. At 25 to years old these motors owe us > nothing. There are some vendors offering replacements. You can also fit a > universal 16" radiator fan with some creativity for mounting brackets. > Yes the easiest way till have to remove the fan and housing is to lower > the radiator. You will have to drain the coolant and disconnect the > radiator hoses. Remove the brackets holding the AC hoses on the chassis > rail as far back as possible. Then you lower the assembly without > disconnecting the AC hoses. As you begin to lower remove the two top screws > holding the condenser to the radiator. When it is down far enough tilt the > radiator back and the condenser will separate at the bottom. Now you can do > what is needed. Reverse to get it back together. > > Dennis > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf > Of Richard Koerner > Sent: Tuesday, April 5, 2016 7:42 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Squealing Radiator Fan Motor > > Lately I've had a couple incidences of squealing from my radiator fan > motor. You know, when you are in stop-and-go traffic and the fan comes > on. (BTW, just did a cross-country trip from CA to Florida and back and > had some heavy rain; maybe water got into the bushings?) I figured I would > lower spare tire carrier and take a look, maybe spray in some lubricant on > shaft bushings. But it all looks pretty closed up on the motor, no readily > available access points (which I think is a good thing for this electric > motor in a wet environment); not sure how to address this. > And to get the motor out, looks like removal of radiator and A/C condenser > would be required. > I did a search of the archives, and didn't get any help. > Any ideas on how to proceed? That is, how do I lubricate radiator fan > motor? > > RichSan Diego >
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