bad radiator fan [video]

tberger06

Registered User
While I was driving to work today, I noticed my car was shaking more than normal. I parked and the entire car would rumble/shake at a steady speed regardless of engine rpm...so it couldn't be the engine causing it. I popped the hood and heard a rubbing/scraping sound, and it turns out the culprit was the radiator fan. You can see it wobbling a bit and rubbing on the shroud or something. Then it got really bad as I was recording this video.

It seems there is a lot of play between the fan and the fan motor. When I turn the fan by hand, it takes a bit of effort to turn...at least it seems like it should spin easier. Should I get a new fan? New fan motor? Both? Where's the best place to buy them? Thanks.
 
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Wow your timing couldn't have been any better shooting the vid. 1 of 2 possibilities :
1. The motor bearings failed.
2. The fan blade /motor shaft interference fit wore out.
My bet is #2
Piece of cake to fix. Pretty sure a lot of assemblies are still out there.

JJ
 
3. The retainer that keeps the fan on the shaft went away.

R & R the fan assembly and checks things out in any case. Whatever the issue, it should be evident once you get the whole thing out of the car.
 
uh how do I take the fan blades off?? I removed the retainer clip but this is all the farther it will go. Using a BFH didn't help.
 
Push it back on and then use a file/sandpaper to dress/clearance the end of the shaft until you can remove the fan.
 
After expending way too much effort to finally get the fan blades off...I've determined the motor was starting to grenade its internals. Lots of black dust/powder, some of the magnets had chunks broken off, and the shaft had a lot of play.

Now the question is should I get a replacement motor (e9sf-8k621-ba) or get a new assembly? Are there any good aftermarket radiator fans/motors or is the stock fan & motor good enough?
 
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I put the fan & shroud back in the car today and didn't run into any issues. Everything fits, connects up, and works properly. The car is running like a champ.
 
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