Keep your eye on your temp guage

[CREWZIN]

Just a warning to all. Keep your eye on your temp guage, especially during slow traffic.

I was caught up in heavy traffic in Orlando Friday night and heard a chime from the dashboard. The water light was lit and the temperature was on it's way to the top. Took the first exit and as soon as I got going, the temperature started to fall as outside air was getting to the radiator. My fan burned out and as long as I kept going, it ran fine. In fact, I made it home (about 80 miles) later without any problem as long as I kept moving. Managed to get home and put 12V right to the fan...nothing. Went to the Chrysler dealer Monday morning and was told that there's a National Back Order of over 300 fans. That means there's over 300 other people that need a fan for the PT Cruiser. I found a dealer in Texas on-line that had a good price ($200 vs $287 list) and it should be here on Thursday or Friday.

[gonzomania]

Thanks for the info. Glad to see you saved some money. How bad was the fan removal job? Keep us posted.

[CREWZIN]

Gonz,

Fan removal isn't too bad. I did try and take it out the bottom at first, but that didn't work. It comes out the top pretty easy after the top radiator hose and front brackets are out of the way. The hardest part was 2 bolts on the front brace that hold a cross member attached to the frame. There's only about 1 1/2 inches of play between the bolts and frame so little by little they have to be backed out. This allows the radiator itself to come forward giving enough space to lift the fan housing out.

[kevinl1058]

Crewzin,
I was experiencing the same problem only at low idle. Also check your low idle fan relay as well. The cruisers have two realys for fan operation low idle and high idle relays. I you weren't having a problem while driving your were most likely running at a higher RPM curve in which opens the high idle relay allowing the fan to kick in. I would go ahead and relace the low idle relay and throw in another 195 thermostat as well just to be safe. Kev

[CREWZIN]

Kevin,

Your probably right. I had both relays out today and visited the Chrysler dealer, I was also asking about the 02 sensor since I have 71K on the clock. A tech happened to be there in the parts department and sort of chuckled when I was telling the parts guy about my fan. I asked and he said he knows PT fans don't last a lifetime because he had replaced a couple of them. He said I would get a trouble code if the 02 sensor goes bad so save my money ($100 for the 02 sensor) and said relays are probably good but no way of testing them out of the car, so I put them back in. Relays are $18 each. I might go ahead and replace them both just for the heck of it.

[purple04]

Relays can be tested out of the car! There is a procedure in the service manual, and it's pretty standard. His comment indicates he uses a scan tool to switch the relays while connected. This is a better test because it tests the relay, connections and circuits.

[Hill Cruiser]

Thanks Crewzin, my fan is very loud when I turn off the engine. It sounds like a turbine coming to a stop. Is this common or a sign of a pending problem? Of course my bumper to bumper warranty just expired!

[CREWZIN]

quote:Originally posted by Hill Cruiser

Thanks Crewzin, my fan is very loud when I turn off the engine. It sounds like a turbine coming to a stop. Is this common or a sign of a pending problem? Of course my bumper to bumper warranty just expired!

I never heard any noise from mine but lets put it this way; First, there's the national back-order of over 300 fans from Chrysler dealers all over the country. Second, there was a mechanic in the parts department listening to me tell my story to the parts guy and he was shaking his head. When I asked him why, he said he'd replaced two fans during the last month on PT Cruisers, but he did praise the rest of the car...if that counts. Is your going, I can't say, just keep an close eye on the temp guage, especially when your going slow.

Purple04: I not taking any chances. I went over this morning and got two new relays ($14.42 ea). Just in case there was a problem with one of them, I'm covered.

[Espresso]

Crewzin. Did you think of using an aftermarket fan, like a SPAL or Flex-a-lite? They are a considerable amount cheaper than factory & cool much better. Granted you have to fabricate brackets to mount to the radiator, but from all the fans I ever put on that is no more than $10 in materials.
The stock fan is what 14"?
A SPAL HI-po 14" is $135 & flows 1720 CFM @ 16amps.
If you or anyone is interested here is the part number( you can copy it into Google.com) SPAL 30102042

[CREWZIN]

quote:Originally posted by Espresso

Crewzin. Did you think of using an aftermarket fan, like a SPAL or Flex-a-lite?

No, didn't think of that...just wanted to get back on the road ASAP and I'd worry about the aftermarket not hooking up right to the electrics and sensors of the PT. It needs a 2 speed or varible motor and it's 16 inch. Just took the motor out of the fan now at a suggestion on another forum. Going tomorrow to a motor repair shop just to see if they could have repaired it.