Loud noise from Cooling Fan?

[rhallman]

Wanted to check with others to see if anyone has replaced a bad cooling fan before? I am noticing that when the oil gets to around 200 deg on hot days Im hearing a loud noise (Bearing?) from the fan area. Also when I increase RPM it also gets louder. Also most like it follows with the oil pressure. When the car is cool, I dont hear the noise...or at least its not bad.

Any thoughts? Sound like the fan assembly? Dont think its the power steering pump.

Thanks...Rich

 

[Thom]

Maybe it is one of the other belt-driven devices that is making noise when it heats up from the hot air coming from the radiator and oil cooler.

Take the serpentine belt off , and wiggle and rotate each pulley by hand. Don't forget the tensioner. You might find the noise is something else.

FYI, if you work on your fan, my 2006 service manual has the following:

"CAUTION: There is an external ground wire connected to the hydraulic fan drive located at the electrical connector on the fan assembly. This ground wire MUST remain connected at all times. Failure to ensure ground wire is connected when engine is operating can cause severe damage to the PCM."

 

[Thom]

One thing else...I believe the fan speed is independent of the engine speed, as the fan speed is controlled by an electronic signal that modulates the power steering pressure to the fan motor. Since your noise increases when you rev the motor, the noise is probably coming from something driven by the serpentine belt.

 

[Viper Specialty]

Fan speed is PWM controlled, however, as engine RPM increases, so will fan speed, in certain circumstances. The fan duty is backed off at higher RPMs, but the response is not entirely cancelling at all RPM ranges and fan duty demands.

 

[Shandon]

Your power steering pump (runs the fan) is either low on fluid or going bad. IMO I have replaced mine twice maybe three times (as most anyone who owns a Gen3). It's only heard when the fan runs and since that follows rpm speed (heat temps) to some degree it will rise with rpm. First mine would start making sounds then eventually fluid would be found under the car then failure. You can test this by letting the car get hot with the hood open and have someone turn the wheel when the fan kicks on high. Try to time the test so that the fan is blowing full force when the wheels are turned (puts the most stress on the pump). If you hear the sound oscillating with the turn of the wheel then your pump is starting to go. If not then maybe the fan really is bad. I havnt heard of the actual fan unit going bad but its possible.

 

[VIPER R]

When the engine is cold and no noise, turn on the air conditioning, and see if the fan kicks on and you get the noise. Probably an out of balance fan.

 

[rhallman]

Shandon....

I think you may be on to something. I did notice when I was getting the noise when I was turning a sharp turn it almost felt like I lost the PS at one point. Ill go out and check the fluid level in the PS unit.

Thanks!

 

[willworkforvipers]

Did you ever figure this problem out. My car is making a supercharger type noise while its not supercharged. My power steering fluid was low and i filled it back up and then the sound wasnt as bad but it still whines. I wonder if the powersteering pump is going bad and how long it will last making that noise like that. Im driving to ohio tomorrow so hopefully it stays good all the way there and back home.