Please help me verify proper radiator & A/C fan(s) operation

[deckeda]

I tried searching "fan" but of course this forum doesn't permit searching for three-letter words, and for example "radiator" doesn't really describe the issue...


My passenger-side fan squeals like a pig but currently still works. I guess the motor bearing is going bad so I'll replace the fan. I've seen new replacements for about $30 or so, although I wouldn't be opposed to putting in a used one from a junked car either. Honda wants over $150 just for the fan motor.

And if anyone has an experience with the circa $30 aftermarket replacement fan assemblies please speak up. This is a daily driver in stop-and-go traffic --- can't afford to put shit parts in the car.


I noticed today in a parking lot, the driver's side fan not running yet I had the A/C going. Isn't that one in fact referred to as the "A/C fan"?

Shouldn't both fans always run whenever the A/C is on?

Also, when I shut the car off, about a minute later I hear one or both of them run for a few minutes and then stop. That's normal, yes?

OK --- I can temporarily rig some wires from the driver's side fan to the battery to verify if that fan works. If it then does, does that mean I have a relay out? However, for some reason I was under the impression there would be only ONE fan relay, and as stated above the passenger-side fan seems to work fine, except for the squealing of course.

Sounds like I need to replace both fans??

[xaxis360]

Someone put a siemons aftermarket radiator fan in my car before I bought it and it seems to be working okay. It was spliced into the existing harness from the old fan. It looks like it was put in a while ago too but I haven't had any problems with it. My condensor fan was dead when I bought the car tho so I just replaced it with an OEM motor ($120).

-edit-
As far as the fan coming on after the car is off, that is entirely normal for our cars in the summer. Only the main fan is used as to not drain the battery.

I'm really anti-aftermarket so I would have prolly paid too much for a Honda motor, but I have been surprised with the aftermarket one.

[deckeda]

Thanks for the insight. Based on several new aftermarket fans being available on eBay, I imagine I should be able to get something similar locally. As long as it has a warranty I guess it can't be too bad.

BTW, nice CB7 you have, xaxis360. I tend to prefer biege or tan-colored leather...

As mine is racking up the miles I often wonder what I'd replace it with if it got totalled, and if I could fine a clean '93 SE that would be my first choice in a CB7 for sure. I keep telling myself that any decent EX would suffice, but like you I'm spoiled by my SE (a '91, silver, blk leather).

Thanks again.

[deckeda]

I noticed today in a parking lot, the driver's side fan not running yet I had the A/C going. Isn't that one in fact referred to as the "A/C fan"?

Shouldn't both fans always run whenever the A/C is on? ... etc...

Mini-update:
The driver's-side fan motor seems OK. I ran some wires straight to the battery and it spins up that way. Now for troubleshooting & verification. Ugh.

I learned that each fan has its own circuit. Each has its own temp switch located near the ECU temp switch and temp gauge sending unit near the distributer-side of the cyl. head.

So I guess that means the driver's side (aka the condenser fan) doesn't always stay on whenever the A/C is on...

My Haynes says to check the switch's operation with a meter as the car warms up or whatever ... I dunno. And then there's a relay.

[RustBucket93]

Stupid question, but..did you check the fuse? My a/c fan was not working, and it never dawned on me to check the fuse. Well, I did check it today, and the fuse was MISSING. PO (my brother) must have taken it out for some reason. It was in the fuse panel under the hood, labeled "cooling fan". There are 3, 20amp fuses, its the one on the left I believe.

[xaxis360]

Thanks for the insight. Based on several new aftermarket fans being available on eBay, I imagine I should be able to get something similar locally. As long as it has a warranty I guess it can't be too bad.

BTW, nice CB7 you have, xaxis360. I tend to prefer biege or tan-colored leather...

As mine is racking up the miles I often wonder what I'd replace it with if it got totalled, and if I could fine a clean '93 SE that would be my first choice in a CB7 for sure. I keep telling myself that any decent EX would suffice, but like you I'm spoiled by my SE (a '91, silver, blk leather).

Thanks again.

I actually bought a 93 SE in March and I love it. I found it from an older guy in Ft. Myers, Florida who was the second owner. The leather is mint and there is.... NO RUST!!!!! Its the Cashmere Silver Metallic color. I was looking for the Geneva Green SE but they are SUPER hard to find and are almost always junked... The auto trans still works good too. I plan on doing an H22A swap and keeping an automatic. see ya.

[deckeda]

Haven't checked the fuse yet --- need to find it --- found the one for the "radiator fan" but didn't see the other one. Will look closer again. Will also check its temp switch and relay as necessary.

Saw the wiring diagram for all of this. The A/C cars' diagram is like 3 times as complicated as the non-A/C cars. Sigh.

But I've so far been sidetracked working on replacing the radiator fan motor. Got it all out and of course the screws holding the motor on, and the fan blade, were all six kinds of rusted and squirting WD-40 had no effect. I guess that's what 231,xxx miles will do to a car

Wound up drilling out the screws (!) That's when I noticed the new hardware that came with the new motor didn't include lock washers or even regular washers. Home Depot to the rescue. Also coated the screws and nuts with some goopey stuff made for protecting threads and such from corrosion in case I ever need to cash in the motor's lifetime warrantee.