RH fan not working on my F355

RH fan not working on my F355

Author
Discussion

ric p

Original Poster:

586 posts

271 months

Tuesday 10th July 2012
quotequote all
Just returned from the LM Classic with only the LH radiator fan cutting in. The RH one cools the radiator and oil cooler and is triggered by an engine sensor rather than a thermostat, as I understand it.
Have checked fuze and relay in the footwell and both are OK. However when I try to spin the fan by hand, it moves but will not spin freely. Thus suspect that the fan is u/s. Is there any way to prove this, ie disconnect the electrical plug at the bottom of the fan where it plugs into the loom and connect the fan direct to a 12v source?
If so, is there a non-OEM fix to save a few quid?
Thanks in advance.

TISPKJ

3,651 posts

209 months

Tuesday 10th July 2012
quotequote all
Hi Rick ? yes do exactly as you have suggested in order to test, keep your fingers out the way because they spin up pretty good.
My one kept blowing a fuse on that same side (OS or drivers side on RHD) for no real reason on the odd occasion and I was advised by TFC that this is a possible symptom ? of the motor on its way out.
I Had both rads recored as they were picked up as showing signs of corrosion on a service before I bought the car and I wanted more for cosmetic reasons as much as anything some new fans faced with the silly cost of new fans I did a bit of research via ferrarichat.com regards flow rate (CFM)
I bought 2 new fans from ebay uk for about £30 each from memory, have had them fitted for about 3 months without issue, car runs a bit cooler as well although this must be down to the new rads as opposed to the fans, have not had any scorching hot days to fully test.
I still have the original fans which I may get refurbed sometime but nothing wrong with the ebay jobs as far as I am concerned, I thought they were worth trying anyway at that money.
Will try and find a link, cant remember exact size now without checking invoice at home.
Regards

Cactussed

5,292 posts

215 months

Tuesday 10th July 2012
quotequote all
Paul, email you sent me. Link below. biggrin

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Electric-Radiator-Coo...

2 x 16" fans, 120w not 80w as the picture and spec is for 12" or 14"


TISPKJ

3,651 posts

209 months

Tuesday 10th July 2012
quotequote all
They are a bit lazy in so much as most of there items are using the same photo, its just size and spec that change, which was confusing.

I did use the 16" jobbies as you say 120w.

Picture below is not 16" fan but you get a 16" fan when you buy if you see what I mean.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Electric-Radia...

Edited by TISPKJ on Tuesday 10th July 11:36

ric p

Original Poster:

586 posts

271 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
A bit more investigation done and connecting the fan direct to 12v gets it working. Thus the issue is elsewhere, possibly the sender that triggers the RH fan. Anyone know where this is?

Edited by ric p on Wednesday 11th July 12:40

TISPKJ

3,651 posts

209 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
You do know they dont trigger at the same time dont you ? as far as I am aware NS is triggered by water temperature and OS by oil, or at least thats what it seemed.

sender for water is in the top NS rad

Cactussed

5,292 posts

215 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
That is spot on. RH fan is triggered by oil temp.
I forget where the sender is though, I seem to recall its at the botttom of the oil tank?

TISPKJ

3,651 posts

209 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
The OP same post on ferrarichat suggests that the senders we are talking about control the gauge on the dash AND an ecu that triggers the fans.

Jonty355

4,423 posts

215 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
TISPKJ said:
They are a bit lazy in so much as most of there items are using the same photo, its just size and spec that change, which was confusing.

I did use the 16" jobbies as you say 120w.

Picture below is not 16" fan but you get a 16" fan when you buy if you see what I mean.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Electric-Radia...

Edited by TISPKJ on Tuesday 10th July 11:36
Sorry to drag up an old thread, but having a problem with my drivers side fan. Fuse in the passenger footwell had blown so changed it but before running the car again I thought I'd check the fan itself and its well and truly stuck! Guessing seized?

There were 2 links posting on this thread as an optional replacement to a std Ferrari unit. Which one is it I need? 16" 120W?

How have you guyes got on with them? Do they work well and are they easy enough to fit onto the Ferrari radiator or is there some modifications required?

Cheers
Jonty

Cactussed

5,292 posts

215 months

Monday 8th July 2013
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Jonty

Before you get carried away, I would do a couple of things.
1. Remove the fan, free it up and then hit it with some contact cleaner and/or WD40. If you connect it direct to a 12v battery, it should then run. If not, you know its had it.
2. Replace the fuse.
3. Replace the relay.

Reason being that the relay and then fuse may have blown, causing the fan to stop and then, not having run for a long time, it may just have siezed up a bit due to all the gunk it gets hit with through the rads.

Once you've done this, start the car and run it up to temperature and see what happens.

Just my 2c.

Jonty355

4,423 posts

215 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
Cheers,

Have replaced the fuse so will test to see if it does change things on the way home from work but had planned on getting into it and seeing if I could free it up with a bit of WD40.

Failing that I'll give one of those fans a go. At £21 its worth a try. The ampage is lower than required, and after looking on one of the US sites as you suggested then it would appear the originals were race-spec fans not designed for coping with wet weather or dirt on roads!

As long as the air flow is above 2000cfm it should be fine. Will get my hands dirty one night this week and report back!

johnnyreggae

2,951 posts

162 months

Monday 8th July 2013
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Don't forget they operate off different triggers so just because one is running it does not mean the other should be too

Jonty355

4,423 posts

215 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
johnnyreggae said:
Don't forget they operate off different triggers so just because one is running it does not mean the other should be too
Yeah I know. The oil and water get pretty hot before I either switch it off or manage to start moving again.

The fuse had also blown for the R/H fan. Have replaced the fuse and sprayed a load of WD on it in the car park. Will see if it makes it comes on at all on my way home from work. If not then I'll have a tinker with it during the week.

TISPKJ

3,651 posts

209 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
Hi Jonty, I got your PM and replied, call me if you need to.

For the thread I see above mine were indeed the 16" 120w from memory, I just wanted the most powerfull just in case.
I sold the car to Redwedge on here before any proper heat testing (you know those 2 days we call summer)so he can answer if he had any problems with them.
I did my rads which made a huge difference to temperature, and the fans just looked a bit grubby and the blowing fuse issue. To my mind for £60 it was worth a gamble, if they didnt do the job I was going to get my original motors refurbed (still have them and they seem silly money even used on ebay if anyone wants to buy a set)
Worth a try in my book.

TISPKJ

3,651 posts

209 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
Jonty355 said:
Yeah I know. The oil and water get pretty hot before I either switch it off or manage to start moving again.

The fuse had also blown for the R/H fan. Have replaced the fuse and sprayed a load of WD on it in the car park. Will see if it makes it comes on at all on my way home from work. If not then I'll have a tinker with it during the week.
Where do your gauges sit under normal running conditions ?

Jonty355

4,423 posts

215 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
Hi Paul, got your reply thanks. Have ordered one of those fans so if I get into difficulties fitting I'll give you a call.

I had both radiators refurbed last year as they both blew on seperate occaisions. I'd hoped they were going to make it until the start of this year when the car was due its combelt but neither made it!

The temperature when driving is pretty low, around the first thick mark (150ish??)
However when stuck in traffic it will rise to the 190 where the L?H fan kicks in, but then it'll steadily creep up above that. So far its never got high enough that I've had to kill the car to prevent overheating as I've managed to start moving again in time. Also whacking the heaters on full can help to a certain extent. Before it used to just get to the 190 mark and stay there on the fans.

I've ordered one of those fans, they've currently got a sale on so 1x is just £21 +p&p. May just switch it for the new one anyway as reading more into the originals, the design of them is heavily floored!

TISPKJ

3,651 posts

209 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
I mailed Redwedge so he can hopefully give some feedback later.
Im a bit OCD but for £21 would want to balance the car up in my little head.

My gauges used to sit dead centre which I was told is correct, after the new rads they sat considerably lower regardless of fans.

Jonty355

4,423 posts

215 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
Had messaged Rewedge also to see how they'd got on.

Can see what you mean with OCD, but then they're on different circuits and have different sets of jobs, so they're already unbalanced.... but now you've mentioned it my right eye is twitching at the thought of them not matching up!!!!


TISPKJ

3,651 posts

209 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
every time you open the engine bay you will see that tatty old fan on the near side :-)

Jonty355

4,423 posts

215 months

Monday 8th July 2013
quotequote all
Give it a few weeks and that new fan will look just as dirtty and tatty as the original one! Mines an all weather 355.... despite being a spider..... that leaks...... quite a lot actually!

Still love it though!