My 1993 Saturn's Cooling Fan Won't Work

The cooling fan that sits against the rear of your Saturn's radiator is responsible for cooling your car's coolant during engine operation. As the fan ages, its ability to properly reduce the antifreeze's coolant's decreases. As a result, your Saturn's engine may operate at higher temperatures than it designed to accommodate. This often leads to radiator or hose ruptures. You can fix the cooling fan on your 1993 Saturn right at home. With a ratchet wrench and a few other tools, the job should take 35 to 45 minutes to complete.

Instructions

1

Raise and support the hood. Identify the negative lead attached to the battery. The lead should have a small subtraction (-) symbol right next to it. Loosen and remove the bolt securing it in place with a socket wrench. Position the lead away from its contact on the battery.

2

Locate the cooling fan. On the front of the engine compartment, across from the engine, sits a large, round plastic part. This is the cooling fan's shroud. The cooling fan attaches to the front of the shroud. At the center of the shroud, you should see the round, bottom of the cooling fan motor.

3

Unplug the wiring harness that attaches to the bottom of the cooling fan motor. The wiring harness may have a small safety clip holding its connection in place. Lift the small clip up either by hand or with a small flat-head screwdriver while unplugging the harness. Tuck the harness plug out of your immediate work area.

4

Locate the cooling fan shroud's two securing bolts. The bolts sit on the outer edges of the shroud. Remove both of the bolts with a socket wrench and put them in a safe place.

5

Grasp the cooling fan shroud with both hands. Rotate the shroud counterclockwise to the 6 o'clock position. Carefully lift the shroud out of the engine compartment and set it fan-up on a flat working surface.

6

Remove the bolt at the center of the cooling fan with a socket wrench. Grasp the fan and slide it off the shaft of the motor.

7

Remove the small bolts holding the fan motor to the cooling fan shroud with the socket wrench. Lift the old motor out of the shroud and install the new fan motor in its place. Use the small bolts that you removed from the old motor to secure the new motor in place. Tighten the bolts until snug only with your socket wrench to avoid stripping threads.

8

Mount the new cooling fan blades onto the motor's shaft. Tighten the blade's securing bolt to 31 inch-lbs. with a 1/4-inch-drive torque wrench.

9

Lift the shroud and fan assembly off the working space and rotate it once more counterclockwise into the 6 o'clock position. Lower the shroud back down into place. Carefully rotate the shroud back into its original 12 o'clock position against the radiator.

10

Thread each of the cooling fan shroud's bolts by hand to assure they thread properly. Reset your 1/4-inch-drive torque wrench to 53 inch-lbs. and secure the two bolts back in place.

11

Plug the cooling fan wiring harness back up to the new fan motor. You won't need any tools to do this. Simply push the plug onto its connection until it clicks into place.

12

Connect the negative battery lead back to its post. Tighten and secure the lead's bolt in place with the socket wrench. Remove all tools from the engine compartment and lower the hood.