Radiator Fan Smoking...OH NO..!!

[solaris=amazing]

1995 ford thunderbird 4.6 V8 127K miles

Today, after a quick drive to the store and back, i noticed a smell. I get home, pop the hood...SMOKE.. White smoke (looks steamy) is coming directly from the middle of the fan, AND the fan IS NOT turning, even with the a/c on. The radiator is really really hot. The car has enough anti-freeze, and the anti-freeze holder is not hot, just slightly warm.

This, i believe is a direct effect from driving with a f**ked up mass air flow sensor. I asked my mechanic if i can drive the car with the maf sensor the way it is until i get my new one (this thursday), he said it's ok but will stall out on you.

Now, i should have NOT driven this car at all damnit. I remember like 2 days ago i smelt a funny smell, but thought nothing of it..TODAY, smoke smoke.. Anyway, what do you think the problem is on this car..? I think it's probably the thermostat not coming on..

BTW, the smell is like burning plastic/electrical, and my temp guage was rising alittle. No white smoke from my exhaust. No leaking antifreeze or broken hoses either.

[public]

Pressure test the radiator. A little antifreeze can create a LOT of steam. It may have sprayed into the fan motor causing a short. It may be just a burnt fan motor. Nothing serious either way, and it had nothing to do with the bad MAF Sensor. You did nothing wrong. Good Luck.

[solaris=amazing]

Thanks alot public, i looked over every nook and cranny, no spillage of any anti-freeze. I think it's coming from the actual motor of the fan blade, that would explain the plastic/ELECTRICAL type smell it was giving off.

Another thing, like 2 hours before this happened, i just got my mufflers cut off at a shop(all cats still on), and they welded on chrome straightpipes for me. Could that have ANYTHING to do with it..?

PS, the car was sounding so good man, nice rumble to it.. Then i see smoke, there goes my saturday:-(

[solaris=amazing]

Just went outside to check something. I started her up, turned on the a/c, and still the fan doesn't move. When i turned the engine off, i heard a hissing sound, like air escaping somewhere on the passenger side of the radiator.

Can't pin point it though. Is there any caps that need tightening, like the cap on a tire valve..? Maybe if i tighten it everything will be ok..?

Sorry guys, i'm clueless, and it kills me to have my car sit in the backyard till monday for my mechanic.

[public]

Your pipes had nothing to do with this. The noise you are hearing is the R-134a in the A/C system this is a normal noise. You just never had your head in there before listening. I think your fan motor is bad.

[solaris=amazing]

public, dude, your replys are so refreshing, seriously thanks. Your right about the ac noise being normal-did some reading on that.

It has to be the motor in the fan, i just hope my mechanic doesn't think otherwise and say IT THE COMPLETE RADIATOR, just for some extra $$$.

I think he'll be honest, been using him for like 2 years, and he knows i aint a "complete" retard when it comes to cars.

[public]

Originally Posted by solaris=amazing

public, dude, your replys are so refreshing, seriously thanks. Your right about the ac noise being normal-did some reading on that.

It has to be the motor in the fan, i just hope my mechanic doesn't think otherwise and say IT THE COMPLETE RADIATOR, just for some extra $$$.

I think he'll be honest, been using him for like 2 years, and he knows i aint a "complete" retard when it comes to cars.

Yeah, You can go to several websites to get an idea about the price of a replacement unit. www.autozone.com is a pretty good one. A mechanic will usually go with a factory part or something like NAPA. www.napaonline.com

[solaris=amazing]

Thanks man, you've been a big help.

As soon as you said "fan motor", i did my research and thats what it is.

[public]

Cool. Glad I could help.

[solaris=amazing]

$260 from a ford dealer-brand new fan/fan motor and housing. Perfect now.

[-Jayson-]

wow this has been a great help to me. I had the EXACT same thing happen to me today. I was driving and i started to smell something like burning plastic, so i pulled over and popped the hood, engine still running and at first i didnt see anything. Then i saw a small amount of white smoke/steam come from the radiator, i couldnt pinpoint the exact location, but it came in puffs a few times then it went away and i never saw it again. I had the heater on high, but the radiator fan was not spinning, should it have been? Im gonna try the AC tomarrow morning.

[fopu]

I had the same problem with one of the cars I had and I fixed it myself. I paid $11 at a junk yard for a radiator fan and it took me a few minutes to put it on. They go bad in extremely rare situations so this is why I didn't want to pay more for a new one.

[solaris=amazing]

Hey Jayson, the radiator fan should go on as soon as you turn on the A/C, if it doesn't, it's toast :-(

[public]

You can usually get just the motor at any parts store for less than the dealer. $260 isn't bad for the whole unit, but if you only need the motor it is easy to change.

[psychorallyfreak]

$260 for new? Whoa.
First mistake (to me), you went to the dealer. INSTANTLY, you paid too much already.
I would've just gotten a new motor, too...
But, to each his own.