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OVERHEATED - and fan never went on

5K views 37 replies 16 participants last post by  Tollmandot 
#1 ·
Today, I heard chimes and then saw the dashboard warning light that my SSR was overheating. Then I looked at the gage. Sure enough, it was buried at 260.

However, I then popped my hood and saw that the fan on the radiator was just sitting there. It never even went on.

The fan is obviously busted, but has anyone else had this happen? Can anybody tell me what it probably is and how to fix it? I'd rather fix it myself if I can. I hate bringing it to the dealer, as I usually do a better job myself.

Fuse, fan motor, short????????

Any and all help is much appreciated.
 
#3 ·
If I hit the fan with a wrench or give it a push start with my finger - the fan starts. Otherwise, nothing.

Any tips Jim G?

Is it:

A bad fan motor?
A short in the electrical harness?
A bad relay?

Has anyone found an aftermarket heavy duty or high performance replacement fan. If so, please post the link. Thanks!
 
#4 ·
matjow: The fan motor has failed. The reason it starts with a "push start" is that an electrinc motor needs the most power to just get started. Once started, it will keep going. Elecric motors generally don't fail while running. It's on startup.

I have been looking into aftermarket engine cooling fans, but have had to focus most of my time on getting an new job, so limited time has been available.

I HAVE learned that the CFM ratings available within even the exact same diameter fans varies dramatically ( up to 3 times the CFM or more from same physical diameter and depth). We want high CFM so we can create more flow through that radiator AND push more hot air out of the underhood area faster (with higher CFM, you not only move more air IN but you also pressurize a bit to force more OUT. Regrettably, I do not know the CFM rating for the stock fan, Whatever it is, we want to double or triple it.

The second big essential is duty cycle. I wouldn't buy a fan with less than a 100% duty cycle rating. That means that it can run ALL the time if necessary (which in the case of an SSR in a hot climate IS the work environment for the fan!).

The third thing is 2-speed capability. This is not essential, but it would be very nice. The reason is that an electric fan is much better than a mechanical fan in one important way: it consumes less power in total, as it is not physically tied to match the current rpm of the engine like a mechanicla fan is.

However, since we are going to be increasing CFM, we are also going to be increasing power draw (more amps). On my regeared SSR, where the engine is spinning 22% faster on average, there is no issue with the alternator being able to keep up. In fact, I have excess capacity that the fan can use part of. But, on a stock setup, that higher amp fan is a bigger drain on the alternator and battery, so having a 2-speed is nice. With a 2-speed, the higher speed, which pulls more power, only comes on when actually needed. Sometimes the slower speed is all that will be required.

Also, the SSR is setup for 2-speed fan. If we install a single speed fan, I think that the PCM is going to detect the fact that the 2nd speed has not responded when commanded to, and may wear out the relay TRYING to get the 2nd speed started. I am not sure of this, but why gamble?

Let's find a fan that is:

- From a reputable supplier
- 100% duty cycle
- 2 to 3 times the CFM rating of the one we have (how do we find out what we have?)
- 2 speed
- Fits in terms of size without interference with anything else
- Installs EASILY rather than being an epic

OR

a dual fan capability with all the above features (that would theoretically cover a broader portion of the radiator AND since electric motors seldom fail together, when one fails, the other would still provide some cooling (maybe even a much as the stock fan does today!)

But, with my current job hunt and book writing responsibilities, someone else needs to do some searching.

Jim G
 
#5 ·
matjow said:
Today, I heard chimes and then saw the dashboard warning light that my SSR was overheating. Then I looked at the gage. Sure enough, it was buried at 260.

However, I then popped my hood and saw that the fan on the radiator was just sitting there. It never even went on.

The fan is obviously busted, but has anyone else had this happen? Can anybody tell me what it probably is and how to fix it? I'd rather fix it myself if I can. I hate bringing it to the dealer, as I usually do a better job myself.

Fuse, fan motor, short????????

Any and all help is much appreciated.
Same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago but the temp never hit 260...shut it down at about 240 and rising :mad . Fan motor was out, had to order and replace, took one full week to get it back...THEN check engine light was on...back into shop, wire not connected...back out the same day. Keeping my fingers crossed and waiting for some of the guys "in the know" to come up with a surefired fix :thumbs
 
#8 ·
T-Stat

Well, until I can find the time to get the fan replaced, I dropped-in a 160 degree t-stat. Runs cooler already. Stays right around 200.
 
#10 ·
I'm glad you asked!

Jim G, I'm glad you asked. Because I did not think it would fit either.

I purchased a 160 degree T-Stat for my 2004 SSR and, after I took the housing off, I discovered it would not fit. Then I got my 2005 SSR. I was told that the T-Stat housing on the new 6.0L LS2 is the same as on the old 5.7L LS1. So, I purchased a 160 degree T-Stat for the 5.7L LS1, which you can find anywhere and everywhere. And, it is a perfect fit and match.

However, I do not know of anybody that makes one to fit the 2003 and 2004 SSR with the 5.3L.

But, check-out the links below if anybody wants to get one for their 2005 LS2 SSR:

http://www.afterthoughtsauto.com/gto-c5-thermostat.html

http://www.lingenfelter.com/store/ln1001.html

http://www.pfyc.com/store/merchant....t_Code=GN3016&Category_Code=VTNEW&AFFIL=yfeed

http://www.lmperformance.com/4408/4.html

:seeya
 
#14 ·
Fan

JimGnitecki said:
matjow: The fan motor has failed. The reason it starts with a "push start" is that an electrinc motor needs the most power to just get started. Once started, it will keep going. Elecric motors generally don't fail while running. It's on startup.

I have been looking into aftermarket engine cooling fans, but have had to focus most of my time on getting an new job, so limited time has been available.

I HAVE learned that the CFM ratings available within even the exact same diameter fans varies dramatically ( up to 3 times the CFM or more from same physical diameter and depth). We want high CFM so we can create more flow through that radiator AND push more hot air out of the underhood area faster (with higher CFM, you not only move more air IN but you also pressurize a bit to force more OUT. Regrettably, I do not know the CFM rating for the stock fan, Whatever it is, we want to double or triple it.

The second big essential is duty cycle. I wouldn't buy a fan with less than a 100% duty cycle rating. That means that it can run ALL the time if necessary (which in the case of an SSR in a hot climate IS the work environment for the fan!).

The third thing is 2-speed capability. This is not essential, but it would be very nice. The reason is that an electric fan is much better than a mechanical fan in one important way: it consumes less power in total, as it is not physically tied to match the current rpm of the engine like a mechanicla fan is.

However, since we are going to be increasing CFM, we are also going to be increasing power draw (more amps). On my regeared SSR, where the engine is spinning 22% faster on average, there is no issue with the alternator being able to keep up. In fact, I have excess capacity that the fan can use part of. But, on a stock setup, that higher amp fan is a bigger drain on the alternator and battery, so having a 2-speed is nice. With a 2-speed, the higher speed, which pulls more power, only comes on when actually needed. Sometimes the slower speed is all that will be required.

Also, the SSR is setup for 2-speed fan. If we install a single speed fan, I think that the PCM is going to detect the fact that the 2nd speed has not responded when commanded to, and may wear out the relay TRYING to get the 2nd speed started. I am not sure of this, but why gamble?

Let's find a fan that is:

- From a reputable supplier
- 100% duty cycle
- 2 to 3 times the CFM rating of the one we have (how do we find out what we have?)
- 2 speed
- Fits in terms of size without interference with anything else
- Installs EASILY rather than being an epic

OR

a dual fan capability with all the above features (that would theoretically cover a broader portion of the radiator AND since electric motors seldom fail together, when one fails, the other would still provide some cooling (maybe even a much as the stock fan does today!)

But, with my current job hunt and book writing responsibilities, someone else needs to do some searching.

Jim G
Jim:

Do you think the 2 speeds on the fan are controlled by the fan or by the amperage supplied by the PCM. If the PCM then wouldn't it make sense that a good single speed fan would work just as well?

Steve
 
#15 ·
ampmop: Yes, the 160 degree thermostat versus the stock one will require some changes, but I think he was looking for immediate overheating relief.


Rainwater: I have not found the control info for the cooling fan, but it would NOT be based on amps supplied by the PCM. The PCM does not actually supply power to any device that needs appreciable power, only control signals. These control signals trigger relays, which turn on and turn off the larger amperage needed to operate devices that draw more than nominal power.

The PCM is set up to trigger the 2 different fan speeds at two different temperatures. If the low speed gets triggered and running, and later the high speed gets triggered but does not respond, I suspect the PCM will keep "trying" and will kill the relay doing so. I base this on the fact that the mechanic in Santa Fe reported that when my fan failed, he could hear the relay clicking repeatedly in a vain effort to start up the fan.

I am not smart enough to know what would happen if the turn on temperature for BOTH low and high speed was set to the same value. MIGHT work with a single speed fan, but I really don't know. We need a Chevy electrical technician.

But a two speed is desirable anyway in order to not consume more power than necessary for the temperature conditions, and to keep the noise down until the higher speed is really needed.

Jim G
 
#16 ·
Running a Higher CFM Fan

If the installation of a higher CFM fan can improve cooling this easily, why did the GM engineers opt not to do this? They've had 3 years now to make this improvement from the factory, and have chosen not to do it for some reason. What could that reason (or reasons) be? I wouldn't think it was just a noise issue. Could it be emissions-related, perhaps like the higher t-stat rating? Hm-m-m-m-m-m...... :confused

I would like for my '03 to run cooler, but I'm always the skeptic on stuff like this!
 
#17 ·
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Peaches, that answer is easy. If you build it as cheap as you can and sell it for as much as you can get - you make more money. 9 times out of 10, $money$ is the answer.
 
#18 ·
Still seems to me that the relay's control the amperage to control the speed of the fan... I doubt the fan has any speed control other than energy supplied to it. If that were true then one merely needs to run a single speed fan relying upon the relays to control the speed. If anyone knows of a true 2 speed fan that will provide increased air flow and easy installation, we all need to know about it...
 
#23 ·
JimGnitecki said:
Gary's 04:

1. I cannot remember if Boosted's is an 03/04 or 05

2. SOMEONE posted that they did a 160 degree thermostat install but DID have to modify somehting to do so.

Jim G
Jim G. --- Boosted's was an 04 ( if I remember correctly)He said that the 04 160 stat dropped right in and if you installed the 160 in an 03 you had to provide a housing. Another Fanatic installed a 180 in an 04 but had to grind around the stat's edge to fit. Boosted's comments were in a thread on 6-13-05. I saved the thread (hard copy) but I'm presently on vacation and my hard copies are still at my construction jobsite in Kentucky.
 
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