Re: Milano/75 Engine Fan Question

[Nizam Zambri <nizam@domain.elided>]

John,

(these tests need to be done with the ignition switch in the "run" 
position, careful, I predict some sparks will brighten your day)

1.  Check the fuse on top of the two relays on the left side of the engine 
bay, beside the air box.  The radiator fan circuit carries a 30A fuse.  
They do get old, and eventually pop.

2.  Just as a test, swap the A/C compressor relay and the fan relay (I 
assume your A/C works - which implies that the relay works).  Be sure to 
keep the correct fuse in the correct circuit.  The fan will easily blow a 
15A fuse under certain heavy current-draw situations.

3.  Check the fan switch at the bottom of the radiator.  This might be 
hard to get to.  Once you find it, short the two wires together to see if 
the fan comes on.  If it does, you have a dead fan switch.  These are 
cheap and are easy to find.  In fact, I've had good luck using 1988 VW 
Jetta fan switches for my Milanos.  If this IS the case, make sure you buy 
the switch with the correct temperature range (stamped on the side of 
yours).

4.  Check the fan itself.  Put power and ground to the corresponding leads 
and the fan should come on.  Watch your fingers.  If you have a dead fan, 
drive down to Cupertino, I have an extra one ... warning; it is as old as 
yours so it may not have much of a life left but then again, my wife's 
Milano is still on the original fan and her Verde has 227,000 miles (I 
swapped mine for a 1995 164 fan, along with the shroud, quieter and draws 
less current).  You'll have to put it in yourself, though, and watch your 
fingers.

5.  If none of the above checks out bad, it's an obscure problem that you'
ll have to hunt down with a voltmeter.  I'm guessing it's either (1) or (3)
  since both have had history of failure on my car.  Oh, I have a spare fan 
switch too if you can't find one.

Nizam
just down the highway from John

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