Radiator Fan | Smoke and Burnt Smell | 1998 MGM GS

[massacre]

Thanks for the confirmation, I knew there were a couple aero years that had both type fans. I know some of the mid 90s cobras also had trouble with their electric fans melting and I think their solution was a different AC condenser.

[VicCrownVic]

I definitely did not know that. I wouldn't be surprised if you could swap the later cars to that setup.

[sly]

Also:
To live in that Texas heat and not have problems is pretty good for Dorman part.

I do have that dual core F150 radiator in there and 24 plate trans cooler... so everything stays pretty cool without a lot of effort.

[_Hacksaw]

I'm back with all of this. I had to cancel my order with Rock Auto ( they still hit my card but we shall see...) and bought the VDO / CONTINENTAL OEM version and picked it up today using our now deserted subway system in warm sunny weather out here. Just perfect for car work. As for this plug in female connector that mates with the fan now. I can see a hole in the new assembly. Is this to allow a screwdriver in to 'release' this connector? I could not see one in the dark on the original the other night. I do *not* want it to break so maybe there is an easier way to do this.

Will I have to remove the radiator reservoir and just move it to the side ( I suspect so ) and how much of a struggle will that be with my car? I just pray that I do not have to disconnect it! So despite everything, things are looking good for tomorrow afternoon with this despite my terrible back and bad hands. I'm going out now to attempt to start my car and move it to the other side of the street as we have a monthly sweep zone in effect Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and I have to work around this. Dman broken City machines just blow more dust around, especially if one just washes their vehicle. But let me let that all go.

Out the door now to see if I can start my car w/o it going up in smoke and then make a quick move to the other side of my street. See what happens as I may have to just leave it right there where it is and pray it all just 'works' tomorrow.

Breaking News: I was able to start it but it starts to burn and I didn't want to push it, so work begins tomorrow where it's parked. It does have a small hole to get at that connector clip and I will use it then. My back is already killing me. This will be a painful experience so I need to use what pain medications I can locate here. That reservoir also has one ( 1 ) screw holding it in place, so no problem there also. Geez, this brings back all sorts of car memories, especially when I was able to remove the transmission on my old '68 Chevy Nova by myself and replace the broken throw-out bearing and clutch many years ago. Talk about pain and total anguish.

_Hacksaw

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"People who are evil attack others....rather than facing their own failures
-- M. Scott Peck MD., Psychiatrist and Author

[VicCrownVic]

If you just need to move across the street, unplugging the fan and moving the car is probably fine. Make sure it is running for the least amount of time possible. I've never removed the connector for the fan, but there usually is some sort of tab to be pressed to release the connector. I'd have to take a look at mine later to figure out the connector and that reservoir.

[_Hacksaw]

My *deepest* thanks! I'm just getting focused here as per the pain medications and my swollen hands and terrible back. It *never* occured to me that this connector and subsequent access port hole was a 'push-in' variety until I just read your post and examined the new fan in my apartment here. Geez, just one thing like that is so critical in lost time and frustration alone. I'm going to use a technique of slowing everything waaaaaaaaaaay down as in 'serious slow-motion' today as per the hot weather and sun exposure + my sore body. I did this once before the wild arthritis hit, out of nowhere, on my old 85' Dodge Diplomat and it's water pump. It's normally a totally hellish job, and I mean total hell with all power belts and brackets needing to be removed et more. Took 8 hours this way but I landed up feeling wonderful at the completion as per the total amount of energy spent. If all goes to hell, I can just disconnect that plug and move my car, or so I keep telling myself, as it's so simple. I have to think this through as we have this 2 day dance every month and I just hit it at the wrong time.

Now talk about added stress. My 1st younger brother ( the teacher in private schools ) across the Bay here, after breaking his neck at C-3 and C-4 and a 1.5 year recovery after several surgeries, went hiking ( not climbing ) up on this 4k mountain yesterday, slipped and fell in a 360 loop and fractured his lumbar spine after sliding some 30 feet. He's in super pain and brace ( no surgery required this time around ) and is being transferred to another hospital's ICU to look after him. This is very sobering or should be to all. Maybe *now* he will learn his lesson? Also maybe in time I will learn mine??!! Anyhow, off to look at that connector and see if I can move my car _first_ before the 'fuss and the feathers' fun and torment begin

_Hacksaw 1:44 pm. Pacific Time

[_Hacksaw]

The short story: After all of the f'ing struggle in the heat and dust, I went over to locate a neighbor to help me drop this VDO cooling fan in. We were just about to drop it in when both of us noticed that the lower side right bracket was malformed at the factory and had a full break around the entire damn thing. After much thought and discussion, I opted to abort the re-assembly and go through the BS of replacement and more trips to the store miles away with no car. So until I obtain another this project is on hold.

Now the good news: I disconnected the connector and started my car and was easily able to move it to the other side of the street for our sweep zone tomorrow. I'm heartbroken, sore all over, and low on pain meds, but this is really an easy job. Having said that 'defective' new parts send me directly to hell. It also ironically happens with new high priced RAM chips in computers to heart valves and hip replacement sockets etc.

Maybe tomorrow will be a better day. Damn *&*%$#@@$!

_Hacksaw | "Out in California, that disaster theme park itself..."

[VicCrownVic]

If it wasn't smoking like crazy with the fan disconnected, I think it's safe to say the new fan is the right decision since it smoked right away while connectoed.

Broken/defective new parts are a pain. Speaking of RAM, I've had that scenario happen. The first PC I built 17 or 18 years ago, I wanted to add more RAM shortly after the build only to find my PC crashing which it didn't do before that upgrade. Ran one stick at a time to figure it out. This also introduced me to memtest86 and a neat Linux kernel option that allowed me to use that RAM stick in Linux and block the bad parts. Neat but useless for Windows.

Got a bit tied up after work then forgot to check the connector on that fan (even though I was working on the car after dinner). Glad you got that connector figured out.

[Mainemantom]

I watched an Audi burn up because of one of those fans. It didn't take long for it to spread. The lesson is to disconnect and replace those right away at the first sign of odd noise, odor or smoking.

[_Hacksaw]

Well, this is turning into a project that will just have to run its course. Yes, to defective RAM chips. In windows you just boot to the BIOS and you can find the problem there and the rest is pulling one chip out testing it that way until 'bingo' you locate the DOA chip. Also an acknowledgement to the burning Audi I'm always listening for squeaks and the general feel of the car for anything unusual. Just changing the oil makes my car virtually lift off the ground from any stop sign and I am a very gentle driver, so despite the smoke and ash on my car from our months of smoke and fires out here, I can easily move my car tomorrow afternoon to avoid any 'Sweep Zone' tickets.

I did attempt to reorder this fan assembly with a $10 USD off discount code earlier this evening Pacific Time, only to discover that I was -- now get ready for this -- 1 cent or a penny off of the required amount for said discount. Talk about computers being computers I'm going to return and see if I can buy something additional like dielectric grease and see if that will push it over the 1 cent requirement to $115 USD. However this fan will be returned in person later in this drama. Best I rest as my back is killing me and tells me to stop, rest and heal.

The one powerful thing I myself am learning is simply to ask for help from neighbors. Very difficult for many of us men.

_Hacksaw | "When the Gods go after you....they know just where too strike."