I did read the "Help - My A/C Quit" post first, but my problem is not dealt with in the thread.

I noticed just yesterday the A/C compressor cycles on/off when my engine is at idle. I now presume it is from high pressure cut off due to inoperative cooling fan.

1) Fan does not turn on when A/C is on and engine idles.

2) Fan does not turn on when engine temperature gets WAY to high while engine idles.

But:
Cruising down the highway engine temperature is normal and A/C works great.

I have checked do far:
Fan Fuse OK
Fan Relay OK
Fan Relay Terminal Voltages OK

I have not yet checked:
Putting 12V to the fan to see if it runs. If it does not, problem solved, just replace fan motor.

If the fan DOES run after this last test, can anyone suggest what else I should look test? The high temperature switch couldn’t cause this, could it?

Thanks – Brad

2000 Cavalier
2.4L, 167,000 miles

I would check the connector to the cooling fan motor...

I applied 12V to the fan terminals and it did not run. So I am going on the assumption that the fan motor died.

Autozone has a Siemens / Radiator Fan Motor for $24 that I'll pick up tomorrow.

I'm guessing there are no tricks to removing the motor once you have the assembly off the radiator?

All tips and pointers will be welcomed.

Thanks!

The hardest part is getting the top fan mount up and over the top of the radiator. You will prob have to release the supports for the engine hood latch, and the radiator. Make sure you remove the fan motor and casing from underneath the vehicle, that is where you can best view the 3 supports and figure out the best way to drop down that unit. If you can change an alternator on a 2.4, you can change the rad fan motor. Don't forget it is a reverse thread on centre nut that holds the fan on the motor.

Well...I did it.

I had to remove the top bolts on the hood release and flex it back.

I had to remove the front bolt underneath the engine that holds the left support bar and pivot the bar out of the way.

Removing the intake air housing and ducting opened up a lot more room to work in.

The top cooling fan shroud was a bitch to remove, the aluminum evaporator coil housing is soft and kept bending.

Even after that the shroud was hard to remove while protecting the coil fins so that they did not bend.

I broke the lower shroud tab, the one that holds the bolt, which bummed me out. But, JB Weld fixed it back up and now it is probably stronger than before.

Putting the shroud back in was hard, had to finagle it for about forever, but finally got it up there, and finally got that top tab to engage the radiator.

Whew....I thought it would be easy to install the fan motor.

The good thing is that now the engine stays nice and cool and the fan cycles on/off like normal again.

Ehhhh...changing the radiator is not going o be fun....hope I don't need to do that....


Thanks for the tips on this project guys, they helped a lot.

-Brad


2000 Cavalier LS
2.4L
168,000 miles