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Help diagnose Radiator fan issue

evident

evident

Lifer
1996 Camry LE (4 cyl)

My dad came home w/ a cracked radiator a week ago so I picked up a new one along w/ a new thermostat. spent a few hours replacing the old one w/ the new, and when burping the system, we quickly realize that the fan never turned on. as soon as the fluid seemed to get hot ( about 7-8 minutes after turning the car on) we heard an audible clicking noise coming from somewhere near the radiator and I think it's something related to turning on the fan.

This would explain why the radiator cracked in the first place. What would be the first step in determining whether the fan motor itself is dead, or if there's something else i should be looking at?
 
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Sounds like the fan relay is working, but the fan motor is not.

Generally, turning the A/C on forces the fan to run, so try that.
 
Clicking or a single click? A single click is the fan relay closing. Clicking could mean a bad relay or ground/power.
 
Your car uses a 30Amp Fusible Link between the battery and the Fan Relay .. it could be blown. You would need a test light or DVM to see if power is getting to the relay and through the relay. If it gets to the relay but not through it, probably a bad relay. If it does get through, check the wires to the fan motor and see if both +12VDC and Ground are present at the motor connection. If they are, you need a new fan motor.

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lsd said:
Clicking or a single click? A single click is the fan relay closing. Clicking could mean a bad relay or ground/power.
Click to expand...

each instance is a single click. car got hot, click. a few min later, a click again, and so on...
 
All that single click tells you is whatever is telling the fan to come on, is telling it to come on.
Read what I posted above. Even though the relay is clicking, does not mean that the contacts are actually making the circuit inside it. You need to check for +12VDC at the Fan Relay (it should be present at 2 lugs when the relay is not operated and at 3 when it is) .. my bet is either a bad relay, bad 30AMP fusible link or a bad fan motor. You can unplug at the fan and measure 12VDC between the 2 wires of the connector. If you have it, you need a new fan motor.
 
bruceb said:
All that single click tells you is whatever is telling the fan to come on, is telling it to come on.
Read what I posted above. Even though the relay is clicking, does not mean that the contacts are actually making the circuit inside it. You need to check for +12VDC at the Fan Relay (it should be present at 2 lugs when the relay is not operated and at 3 when it is) .. my bet is either a bad relay, bad 30AMP fusible link or a bad fan motor. You can unplug at the fan and measure 12VDC between the 2 wires of the connector. If you have it, you need a new fan motor.
Click to expand...

Thanks, will definitely be checking this out tomorrow night.
 
There is almost always more than one of the type of relay you need to test, assuming you know where the suspect relay is then take a good look at it and find another like it, probably right next to it, swap relays and observe.
 
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