Radiator Fan(s) question

[JCaruso]

I love just listening to my car idle (now that I've switched to Mobil 1 and eliminated lifter tick). When I get home, instead of cranking up some music on the stereo, I just pop the hood and listen to my engine.

(I know, sounds dumb, it's ok).

So, I notice while watching/listening to her idle, that as the engine heats up, the right hand radiator fan clicks on intermittently. The left hand fan (driver's side) has never come on.

So, is that normal, or is there something wrong with the car's cooling system?

When cruising, the water temp gauge never goes beyond slightly less than half way - very safe if the temp gauge is to be believed.

Just curious.

Thanks.

Caruso

 

[Sayajin]

Dont worry about it. Its not a problem. The fan on the driver side is for the AC system. Therefore it will almost never come on unless the engine is running incredibly hot, or the AC is turned on. As for the passanger side one working intermittently, it only comes on and stays on when the engine is hot. If you gave the car a hard run and then popped the hood you would see that it stays on.


-Sayajin

 

[JCaruso]

Originally posted by Sayajin
Dont worry about it. Its not a problem. The fan on the driver side is for the AC system. Therefore it will almost never come on unless the engine is running incredibly hot, or the AC is turned on. As for the passanger side one working intermittently, it only comes on and stays on when the engine is hot. If you gave the car a hard run and then popped the hood you would see that it stays on.


-Sayajin

Thanks. I suspected that things were working as designed - in some six years of ownership, one problem I haven't experienced ever is overheating. I'm used to hearing the fan come on when I'm sitting at idle in a line of traffic on a hot day - so it didn't surprise me to see it come on while I was standing there watching her idle with my hood up. What did surprise me was that only one of the two fans came on.

Your explanation makes sense. Thanks.

Caruso