Fan Relay Help

[jerseyjoe]

My drivers side cooling fan does not come on when the pass side does. Have checked fuses and now looking at relay, does anyone know witch ones i need to check. Can't find a relay chart.

Car is a 97 ,986.

Thanks !

Joe

poozerj@yahoo.com

[Tool Pants]

There are 2 relays for each fan, high and low speed. I have them marked in pairs for each side of the car, but the wiring diagram does not say which pair is for what side. All 4 of them are identical so you can start swaping to see if that is the problem.

There is also a ballast resistor for each fan. If that goes bad then the one fan on that resistor will not work.

[mikey99n]

Hi,

Does the cooling fan remain off at all times?

If the cooling fan is on at first and then off or off at first and then on, it's probably the resistor.

Since the cooling fans in the front has two speeds, high and low and the resistor controls that.

The resistor going bad is a fairly common problem since if you drive over a puddle of water, that water splashing up can take it out. (happened to me).

If this is the case, bring it to a porsche tech, the guy who did my car did it for 50 bucks.

- Mike

[adsach]

jersey joe

Just to double check. Are you talking about fan sounds up near the radiators or a fan sound from the air scoops leading to the engine compartment?

[jerseyjoe]

I am talking about the fans under the bumper ,the fan on the right side in the motor compartment works. The fan on the drivers side does not come on when the fan on the pass side does. Where is this resistor located ?

Thanks for your help !!

[mikey99n]

Jersey Joe,

Start your car and listen to it...when the first fan comes on, on the left side, that's the low speed. Then wait awhile and you should hair an increase in speed of the left fan, and if the right side still doesn't come on then, it's probably something else.

Anyways, to access all the wiring for the radiator fan, you have to remove your right front wheel and then take out the plastic panel behind it (real easy to do).

Then up at the front, you'll see the wires for the radiator fan, which consisters of like 3 parts or so and one of those parts is the resistor (you'd have to pull it out since the entire apparatus is wrapped around the front bumper). It is most likely that one of these 3 parts is the problem.

- mike

[jerseyjoe]

Ok, now on this resistor. Where is it? What does it look like?

Can i swap them to see if my problem swaps sides?

[PTEC]

Ok, now on this resistor. Where is it? What does it look like?

Can i swap them to see if my problem swaps sides?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The resistor is a small capsule like tube(maybe 3-4 inches long) that has a few green and black wires running into it (I cant remember exactly). Its pretty easy to find if you look up from underneath at the area behind the radiators.

[Tool Pants]

????

[jerseyjoe]

Do you have any test specs for it?

[Jenno]

I had a similar problem and it was the resistor

[jerseyjoe]

Problem solved ! it was the resistor. it would allow the high speed side to work but failed on the low speed.

Real e-z to fix. Had the bumper off to clean the rads out anyway.

Part cost $25 from Sunset Imports.

Any questions let me know,

Thanks for all who replyed ! :cheers:

Edited December 7, 2004 by jerseyjoe