Dennis, selecting a different radiator fan is an interesting idea I had not
considered. Thanks for sharing.

I have another question. Is the OEM radiator fan motor designed to be oiled?

Thanks,
Ryan

On Sat, Jul 25, 2020 at 7:53 PM Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:

> The radiator has to be removed to service the fan. With some skill and
> patience the radiator with AC condenser can be dropped without
> disconnecting the AC hoses. Remove some of the clamps securing the hoses on
> the frame rail and the will give enough room to lower the assembly.
>
> As the OEM radiator fan is an electrical hog you may want to consider a
> more modern alternative. I have been using this fan
> https://www.jegs.com/i/Flex-A-Lite/400/238/10002/-1
>
> Grafted onto this shroud
> https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/52065/10002/-1
>
> Some metal working is needed to make it work and I seal the side of the
> shroud the radiator. This fan uses about 1/2 the current of the stock one
> and works just right with the stock resister maintaining the multi speed
> operation. For the 1.9L or non AC vans the resister set up needs to be
> added.
>
> To really dress this up add some sound-heat insulation on the sheet metal
> behind the radiator to reduce heat transfer into the interior. A benefit of
> this set up is that while at speed air flow can go through the radiator/AC
> condenser without the restriction of the 10 inch fan opening.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> On Behalf Of Ryan
> Cresawn
> Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2020 5:34 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: radiator fan grinding noise
>
> Today I removed the spare tire and spare tire tray and inspected the
> radiator fan motor. I am able to turn it with my fingers with relative
> ease. I feel the notches from the magnets in the motor snap the fan into
> specific positions as I rotate it. It is not stuck or frozen at any point
> but there is some constant resistance. When I spin it as fast as I can by
> hand I hear it squeak and I believe this squeak is amplified when the motor
> is powered on. My guess is that the bearings have lost some of their grease
> in that hot environment over 29 years and that they don't spin as freely as
> they once did. I also suspect they are the source of the squeak. Now my
> question is how to remove the fan motor without removing the radiator. As I
> stated earlier, I have a working air conditioner. It works because several
> months ago I replaced the condenser with one a new one that does not leak.
> I would rather not take the Vanagon to a shop to have them evacuate the
> refrigerant just to remove the radiator fan motor. When I look at the way
> the radiator fan and motor are mounted it is clear that, as Raimund wrote,
> there are three nuts that mount it to the shroud. There is also a nut or
> bolt that mounts the fan blade to the motor. I can't see it but I can feel
> it. Is it possible to remove the three bolts and remove the motor and fan
> from the shroud without removing the fan blades?
>
> Thanks again,
> Ryan
>
>
> On Thu, Jul 23, 2020 at 3:14 PM Ryan Cresawn <jrcresawn@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I will inspect the mounting bolts and confirm that the fan spins
> > without scraping the inside of the shroud. If the fan is not scraping
> > anything then the bearings are my next suspect and that might require
> > replacing the motor. I will investigate this weekend and provide an
> update.
> >
> > Thanks for the replies.
> > Ryan
> >
> > On Thu, Jul 23, 2020 at 11:42 AM Raimund Feussner <ray@v6bus.de> wrote:
> >
> >> I had the fan moving in its shroud. The three nuts that hold it in
> >> place came loose (just one, and just a bit).
> >> Turned out there is a little play in its seating, so the fan wings
> >> touched the (slightly dented) shroud.
> >> It repaired itself after a while, I guess the wings wore off enough
> >> to not scratch on the shroud...
> >>
> >> The bearings should of course be checked. I think you can feel/test
> >> it while the fan is still in its original place. Bridge the radiator
> >> temp switch to turn fan on, then you´ll hear the cause.
> >>
> >> Raimund
> >>
> >>
> >> Am 23.07.2020 um 20:34 schrieb Richard Smith (Smirby):
> >> > Those fans aren’t too expensive, or difficult to replace. I’d
> >> > suggest
> >> removing it and if it sounds like it is bearings (“grumbles" when it
> >> spins), then you could replace it or have it rebuilt.
> >> >
> >> > https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fw
> >> > ww.thesamba.com%2Fvw%2Fforum%2Fviewtopic.php%3Fp%3D8509946&amp;data
> >> > =02%7C01%7C%7C11c003d905684231cb3f08d830e289c9%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb4
> >> > 35aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637313096812503804&amp;sdata=6o8S3OK5extkc
> >> > vRMNtTE48piWUaFHL0HmJGn2gOUMqk%3D&amp;reserved=0 <
> >> https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww
> >> .thesamba.com%2Fvw%2Fforum%2Fviewtopic.php%3Fp%3D8509946&amp;data=02%
> >> 7C01%7C%7C11c003d905684231cb3f08d830e289c9%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaa
> >> aaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637313096812503804&amp;sdata=6o8S3OK5extkcvRMNtTE4
> >> 8piWUaFHL0HmJGn2gOUMqk%3D&amp;reserved=0>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww
> >> .thesamba.com%2Fvw%2Fforum%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ft%3D596575%26highlight%3
> >> Dradiator&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C11c003d905684231cb3f08d830e289c9%7C84
> >> df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637313096812503804&amp;sdata
> >> =KLC708gS8tn%2B%2BvavocrTZhacfzPTYEILZMmwwCkDVyo%3D&amp;reserved=0
> >> <
> >> https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww
> >> .thesamba.com%2Fvw%2Fforum%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ft%3D596575%26highlight%3
> >> Dradiator&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C11c003d905684231cb3f08d830e289c9%7C84
> >> df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637313096812503804&amp;sdata
> >> =KLC708gS8tn%2B%2BvavocrTZhacfzPTYEILZMmwwCkDVyo%3D&amp;reserved=0
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Bus Depot has the later model fan, with A/C, here:
> >> https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww
> >> .busdepot.com%2F251959455m&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C11c003d905684231cb3f
> >> 08d830e289c9%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C63731309681
> >> 2503804&amp;sdata=Gjr%2BeefQA%2FJ0Cmh7wC369OYIsRrjJLET6%2BmvPRvNXrI%3
> >> D&amp;reserved=0
> >> <https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fww
> >> w.busdepot.com%2F251959455m&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C11c003d905684231cb3
> >> f08d830e289c9%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C6373130968
> >> 12503804&amp;sdata=Gjr%2BeefQA%2FJ0Cmh7wC369OYIsRrjJLET6%2BmvPRvNXrI%
> >> 3D&amp;reserved=0>
> >> >
> >> > Maybe “not too expensive” is a bit of a stretch, given that $200
> >> > for
> >> parts and 2-4h labour could easily turn into a $500 bill. But in the
> >> grand scheme of things it is probably worth doing, especially if it
> >> keeps your van on the road, and the engine and passengers cool.
> >> >
> >> > While it is coming out, you could check for the simplest / cheaper
> >> possibility - that the fan is hitting on a shroud or other material.
> >> Just spin it by hand - when the motor is completely cooled off, so it
> >> doesn’t come on and nip off a finger - and see if it seems to be
> >> catching on something.
> >> >
> >> > …r
> >> >
> >> >> On Jul 23, 2020, at 11:14 AM, Ryan Cresawn <jrcresawn@GMAIL.COM>
> >> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> Over the past two weeks my wife and I drove from Arizona to
> >> >> Indiana and back in our 1991 Vanagon GL Westfalia Camper. It was
> >> >> roughly 4,000
> >> miles of
> >> >> driving. The engine is the original 2.1 liter with 177,000 miles
> >> >> on
> >> it. The
> >> >> factory air conditioner works and was used during much of the drive.
> >> During
> >> >> the first half of the drive we noticed that the radiator fan began
> >> >> to
> >> make
> >> >> a grinding noise. The noise is most obvious with the air
> >> >> conditioner
> >> off
> >> >> while stuck in stop-and-go traffic. This results in periodic
> >> >> cycling
> >> of the
> >> >> fan from off to on. The grinding noise lets me know that the fan
> >> >> is rotating but the sound is unfamiliar and our opinion signals a
> problem.
> >> >> Based on the GoWesty article titled "Cooling System in Vanagons:
> >> Explained"
> >> >> I am convinced I have a 450-watt radiator fan motor that operates
> >> >> at
> >> three
> >> >> speeds. I believe the grinding noise is most obvious at the
> >> >> slowest fan speed. And finally, here is the question. What action
> >> >> should I
> >> take, if
> >> >> any, to address the grinding noise I hear from my radiator fan?
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks,
> >> >> Ryan
> >>
> >
>