A friend of mine has a 1995 SL1 and recently BOTH the AC AND the Radiator Fan quit working at the same time. The Radiator fan won't even come on when driving the car. It will actually overheat. I think it may be the Fan itself, but not really sure. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

Check to be sure there isn't anything stuffed into the fan blades preventing it from spinning freely then check all the fuses carefully for a blown fuse.


1-The engine coolant temperature sensor (ECTS) may be faulty if it is original. Its a known issue of the plastic sensor cracking leading to erratic engine running, overheating, etc.. Read this; http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24003and http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37884. After this, if the fan doesn't run at the proper temperature then proceed with the next step. You may have to replace the overflow coolant cap if fluids boils out the container after replacing the coolant sensor.


2-Locate the radiator fan relay, remove it and short socket pins 30 & 87 thatshould power the fan immediately. Don't remember if the ignition should be left ON so leave the ignition ON. If the fan does run then the relay is faulty. If the fan doesn't run you can try wiring the fan directly to the battery from the fan connector to eliminate the wiring. If the fan still doesn't turn the fan failed. Replace it.


3-The a/c being unable to run is atotally separate issue and may be due to a leak that inevitably occurs in the majority of our cars. It may be from a simple leak from a loose service valve to a crack in the aluminum anywhere in the system requiring a thorough visual inspection before attempting to refill with store kits. Here's a primer for the minimum info necessary to work on a/c related problems; http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80107and if you insist in using the DIY refill kits at least use only the ones with dye to be able to locate the source of the leak from the dye leaving markers where the refrigerant leaks out. Don't use leak sealer unless you're willing to pay for more repairs that leak sealer will cause.Edited by: ducky

 

the two are related, when my fan motor died, the AC condenser got too hot, so the head pressure on the compressor got too high, so the compressor high pressure switch tripped the AC compressor and after, when I fixed the fan, the compressor was making bad noise and the clutch slipped, so I had to replace the compressor.