how do I replace radiator fan

One of the fans on the radiator does not work. How do I replace it. Will I have to take the radiator out? This looks like a tough job. I could not see an easy way to remove either the radiator or the fans. It appears I will need to remove the front grill to get the radiator off and then I can get to the fan. Is that correct or is there an easier way????

is the fan on the front of the raditor???? or between rad. and engine??? x_raided27@hotmail.com

If yours is anything like my older Caravan- there's two screws that hold the top of the fan cage onto the radiator header and then just unplug the fan wires and lift it out. No messing with the grille or radiator.
Late model vans I'm not so sure...

is the fan on the front of the raditor???? or between rad. and engine??? x_raided27@hotmail.com

It is between the radiator and the engine. It is a 1996 Grand Caravan. There are two fans all in one plastic housing.

I have the same problem with my 98. I've located an aftermarket replacement but need to know if I can handle installation.

Thanks!

simple removal and installtion..... disconnect battery, unplug fan, remove a few srews from the top of the fan to raditor.... not the raditor to frame bolts..... remove them 2 bolts and plift the fan assembly straight out

disconnect wire from fan, and remove cross member above the radiator, along with plastic shroud. Then you can get to the clips and bolts that hold the plastic frame of the fans to the radiator. remove the two clips at the top. remove the bolts at the side. disconnect the top hose on the right side. the the bolts on the side are screwwed into clips. the clips must be removed. this is very hard to do because they are designed not to come off by accident. there is a small flange on the engine side of the clip that angles down into the bolt hole. if you use your bolt threads to grip it you can help pull it out as you try to pry the clip off. That maybe difficult to understand but the point is, the clip must be removed to pull the fan assembly out and you will need the clips for the new insall so do not break them or loses them. The wireing harnes will have to be removed from the old assembly and transferred to the new one. This was not an easy job but one that can be done by the home mechanic. I do have small hands and think it wold be very hard for someone with large hands. additional items may have to be remove to make room for your tools and hands.

If you need more info from me be sure to write to me directly at my email address because I am finished with this project and am not regularly checking this forum now. wmassoc@yahoo.com

disconnect the top hose on the right side. the the bolts on the side are screwwed into clips. the clips must be removed. this is very hard to do because they are designed not to come off by accident. The wireing harnes will have to be removed from the old assembly and transferred to the new one. This was not an easy job but one that can be done by the home mechanic.


Thanks for these instructions, much easier than what the Haynes book says to do. They have you jacking the car twice etc.

Just some notes on these parts, since I just did mine and it'll make things easier for others who run into these posts:

You can do it without disconnecting any hoses from the radiator. Get the resonator and filter boxes out etc, get everything loose, once you have the clips off you can shift it to the 'right' a bit (from looking at it from front while you're removing it, driver side direction). This will let you slide out the left side from behind the brackets. Work it side to side and you can get it out without disconnecting any liquid hoses.

Clips: From the top, take a normal size flat screwdriver and pry the clip out a bit. Then from the inner side, a 1/2" wide flat screwdriver can get under the clip. Just twist it back and forth, walking it toward the outside and the clips will pop off easily.

Sort of a bitch to get the harness off, the simple push through clips are only designed for one way. Take some flat pliers, push hard on the round side points, this will compress the accordian type 'teeth' on the clip while pulling from the other side by hand. Once they're smashed flat, then put the pliers beside the teeth and squeeze them small enough to get through the hole while pulling. If you don't compress them first, it's hard to get all of them small enough to get back through the hole at once. Messes it up a bit, but they're still useable. Take a small socket and put over them to push them back out, if you don't it's hard to push them through the new holes while they're still bunched up.

Get all the bolts lined up before tightening on the fan shroud. Had to take most back out because one wouldn't line up, the aftermarket shroud was slightly out of line.

Oh yeah the plug. Clean it a bit. There is a red locking tab, it slides back and forth 90 degrees to the long direction of the plugs. When you have it the right way, there is a flat tab at the top of the upper connector that you can then press to release the plug. Hard to figure it out the first time with all the dirt.

These were all the little sticking points, hopefully make it a bit easier for the next guy.. Took 3-4 hours, not really breaking my neck pace though. Probably only take 2 to do it again. Simple enough, just quite a few extra parts to take off for access, so plenty of bolts to get back on. Not bad at all for front wheel drive and a tight engine bay.

Alan

Had a similar problem (seized fan) with a 99 Grand Voyageur (3.8L, dual fans, replacement procedure pretty much as noted above) but lost the fan relay also. Was pissed off about the $100 relay so while it was apart, I added a 30 amp inline fuse for each fan. See details below.
History: When the bearings seized in one fan, the electrical load was enough to kill the relay but not the 30 amp main fan fuse - yippee - a $100 (Cdn) relay was way cheaper than a $5 cartridge fuse. Also - yippee - no service light or codes, nothing but a Check gauges light when the engine temp soared. 10 hours from home and no time for this crap. Stopped and got stuff to hot wire the fans to a temporary switch with an inline fuse and blew a 30 amp fuse discovering and unplugging the bad fan. One fan was enough for full summer heat if the A/C was off. More yippee, dealer only sells a whole assembly with 2 fans and a plastic cage for $540 (also Cdn $ complete with a lame excuse about most fans get replaced due to front smashes so the cage is busted also). I got a fan at a wrecker for $25 (wrecker had several relays but not the correct one hence full price - wonder how many different relays are really needed?). After replacing the relay and dead fan, discovered that with either fan unplugged the service engine light came on but cleared itself when the fan was plugged back in. Got the idea to add 20 amp inline fuses (sealed holders) in the hot wire right at each fan. Works so far, 5 months and a few heavy rains. So hopefully if another fan seizes, it should blow one $0.50 fuse, save the $100 relay (and - yippee - the $5 main fan fuse) and it should raise a service engine light to alert the situation. The fans are exposed to the slop and gunk coming thru the rad and obviously don't last as long as the vehicle. How hard would it have been to design extra fuses into the van in the first place? That plus if the fan motors were sold individually things would be just about OK. If you're still with me, apologies for the tirade, this whole thing pissed me off. Otherwise, the van has been good, reliable and solid.