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Icebox500
Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2021
Posts: 262
Location: Louisiana
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 Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2025 12:45 pm Post subject: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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Noticed today that my gauge was running higher than usual. Felt like maybe my low speed fan wasn’t kicking on. Could hear high speed kick on and off occasionally in city driving.
Is it correct that, the low speed should _always_ kick on if the AC is running?
I haven’t had a chance to pull the grill off and do a test by shorting the connector but did run the van with AC and the fan did not kick on.
Got coolant. Have a good radiator. Oil is right. Engine is healthy. No liquids being lost. Suspect the fan currently.
Thanks
_________________
87 Westy 2WD “Van Geaux”
FAS 2.0 Gas GENV (10/2025)
AZ Transaxle + Peloquin Manual Transmission
GW lift springs, solar, Burley front & rear disc, etc...
New Orleans, LA (previously CO, WA, and CA)
Past
87, 90 Westys
64, 65 splittys + various air cooled |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 7300
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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SCM
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011
Posts: 3478
Location: Bozeman MT
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| Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2025 1:48 pm Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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| Icebox500 wrote: |
Suspect the fan currently.
Thanks |
Would the slow speed fan come on with the AC even if the fan switch that's screwed into the radiator is faulty?
When I first got my van only the high speed fan would turn on because the switch was either bad or the wrong version (I forget). However, my AC has worked.
I'm not sure but it might just be the switch and not the fan. Someone will correct me if that's wrong.
_________________
'91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine |
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Icebox500
Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2021
Posts: 262
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2025 1:52 pm Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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Thanks!
_________________
87 Westy 2WD “Van Geaux”
FAS 2.0 Gas GENV (10/2025)
AZ Transaxle + Peloquin Manual Transmission
GW lift springs, solar, Burley front & rear disc, etc...
New Orleans, LA (previously CO, WA, and CA)
Past
87, 90 Westys
64, 65 splittys + various air cooled |
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Icebox500
Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2021
Posts: 262
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2025 1:53 pm Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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Not sure I follow, nor have I done any digging in yet.
I will be poking at the system and testing it on Monday. Everything works great until it did’t, lol. I’m curious about the resistor.
James
| SCM wrote: |
| Icebox500 wrote: |
Suspect the fan currently.
Thanks |
Would the slow speed fan come on with the AC even if the fan switch that's screwed into the radiator is faulty?
When I first got my van only the high speed fan would turn on because the switch was either bad or the wrong version (I forget). However, my AC has worked.
I'm not sure but it might just be the switch and not the fan. Someone will correct me if that's wrong. |
_________________
87 Westy 2WD “Van Geaux”
FAS 2.0 Gas GENV (10/2025)
AZ Transaxle + Peloquin Manual Transmission
GW lift springs, solar, Burley front & rear disc, etc...
New Orleans, LA (previously CO, WA, and CA)
Past
87, 90 Westys
64, 65 splittys + various air cooled |
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| Back to top |
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 19079
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2025 3:06 pm Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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I believe an 87 with factory air had a 3 speed radiator fan. Low, medium and no mistaking high.
Depending on how yours is wired might affect operation. Ours is configured to mimic factory ac fan operation.
Compressor engaged. Rad fan low
AC high pressure point reached. Rad Fan medium.
Coolant temp turns radiator fan on medium.
Coolant temp if exceeds desired coolant temp. Radiator fan on high. The factory also disabled the compressor when radiator fan was on high. This is for a 3 speed radiator fan.
There are earlier vanagons with 2 speed radiator fans. |
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SCM
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011
Posts: 3478
Location: Bozeman MT
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| Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2025 7:03 pm Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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| Icebox500 wrote: |
| Not sure I followquote] |
my apologies for the missing word I meant to type.
My AC has never worked so that’s out of the equation for my personal experience. But, when my fan was only running on high speed it was due to a faulty fan switch-the one that screws into the radiator.
_________________
'91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine |
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syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12410
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2025 8:16 pm Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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You need to short the wires going to the radiator fan switch to test for resistor function, that tests high and low. If it passes that test then it is likely the radiator fan switch that is bad.
IIRC you short the outer 2 and the high speed turns on, short one of the outer contacts to the inner turns on the low, one outer/inner combination will do nothing. |
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Icebox500
Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2021
Posts: 262
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 8:27 am Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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Thanks all, very helpful and in line with what I’d read. Easy enough to test and something I can jump Monday.
If I have more questions and/or resolve the issue, I will post here!
_________________
87 Westy 2WD “Van Geaux”
FAS 2.0 Gas GENV (10/2025)
AZ Transaxle + Peloquin Manual Transmission
GW lift springs, solar, Burley front & rear disc, etc...
New Orleans, LA (previously CO, WA, and CA)
Past
87, 90 Westys
64, 65 splittys + various air cooled |
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Icebox500
Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2021
Posts: 262
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2025 10:35 am Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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Pulled the old resistor finally (was too dang cold and windy yesterday). Ran some DMM tests - don't know the exact test or spec but got OL across any combination of connection testing.
Ordered a new one. Let's see what happens next!
She looks pretty tired.
_________________
87 Westy 2WD “Van Geaux”
FAS 2.0 Gas GENV (10/2025)
AZ Transaxle + Peloquin Manual Transmission
GW lift springs, solar, Burley front & rear disc, etc...
New Orleans, LA (previously CO, WA, and CA)
Past
87, 90 Westys
64, 65 splittys + various air cooled |
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| Back to top |
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dobryan 
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 17298
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2025 11:01 am Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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Did you run this test?
| syncrodoka wrote: |
You need to short the wires going to the radiator fan switch to test for resistor function, that tests high and low. If it passes that test then it is likely the radiator fan switch that is bad.
IIRC you short the outer 2 and the high speed turns on, short one of the outer contacts to the inner turns on the low, one outer/inner combination will do nothing. |
I had your same issue and when I jumped the fan switch the fan operated fine so the resistor was OK. A new fan switch and all is well.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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Icebox500
Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2021
Posts: 262
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2025 11:38 am Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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Sometimes I’m not as smart as I think I am so check my thinking here. I did jump the wires in various combinations, and I was not able to force the fan to come on. Prior to removing the resistor I was getting a high fan when driving. I did not get the low fan when I turned on the AC.
| dobryan wrote: |
Did you run this test?
| syncrodoka wrote: |
You need to short the wires going to the radiator fan switch to test for resistor function, that tests high and low. If it passes that test then it is likely the radiator fan switch that is bad.
IIRC you short the outer 2 and the high speed turns on, short one of the outer contacts to the inner turns on the low, one outer/inner combination will do nothing. |
I had your same issue and when I jumped the fan switch the fan operated fine so the resistor was OK. A new fan switch and all is well. |
_________________
87 Westy 2WD “Van Geaux”
FAS 2.0 Gas GENV (10/2025)
AZ Transaxle + Peloquin Manual Transmission
GW lift springs, solar, Burley front & rear disc, etc...
New Orleans, LA (previously CO, WA, and CA)
Past
87, 90 Westys
64, 65 splittys + various air cooled |
|
| Back to top |
|
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 17298
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2025 12:14 pm Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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If you have a three speed system IIRC the fan comes on medium with A/C. Not controlled by the fan switch.
The fan switch mounted on the lower drivers side of the radiator turns the fan on low somewhere about 195 and on high maybe 207 or so.
If you jumped the fan switch properly and only got high speed then I'd replace the resistor.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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| Back to top |
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Icebox500
Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2021
Posts: 262
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2025 12:24 pm Post subject: Re: Check assumption about radiator fan test |
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Right on, thanks Dave. Part ordered.
_________________
87 Westy 2WD “Van Geaux”
FAS 2.0 Gas GENV (10/2025)
AZ Transaxle + Peloquin Manual Transmission
GW lift springs, solar, Burley front & rear disc, etc...
New Orleans, LA (previously CO, WA, and CA)
Past
87, 90 Westys
64, 65 splittys + various air cooled |
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| Back to top |
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