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Topic: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6  (Read 9916 times)

Offline ASBug

  • Varnel, Ga
  • Joined: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 3032

Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« on: May 12, 2012, 08:04:47 AM »
Ok, I have had like no time to look into this untill last night, but here is the story:
My fans (radiator) are not kicking on.  I have checked the fuses all seem well (12V on fuse block on battery).  I went ahead and bought a new Strieble (sp.) big black relay for it and put it in - Nada. Pulled the plug off the the radiator switch to see which one I had, yea, I have a triangle one that no one stocks except the dealer... While I was there I thought I'd just check the power comming to the thermoswitch in the radiator = all are a strong grounds! All 3 wires are strong grounds. I was expecting to see 1 or two strong hot or ground and the other 1 or 2 dead waiting for the switch to trip to send a current through.  I unplugged the plug to do these tests at the plug tips.  Is this normal?
I am going to pull the plug at the fan motors and pig tail them to battery so that I can see if they have any internal shorts causing the other 2 wires to be a ground...
Other than that I am at a loss.
Also, AC isn't kicking on, and I was assuming that the fans not working was the culprit as well as the person I got if from swears the AC worked last summer and I believe him.
Any help is appreciated... (dubtech, Travis?)
Thanks,
KC

Offline Ret.Bugtech

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2012, 10:04:11 AM »
Buy a Bug. When the fan stops, put on a new belt.  No collage degree needed. ;D ;D

Offline travisyoung

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2012, 10:23:06 AM »
The fuse can short on top of the battery,  pull the 30 amp blade fuses out and make sure the contacts are not shorted or melted

Offline certdubtech

  • In the Garage...
  • Joined: May 2006
  • Posts: 3199

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2012, 06:42:42 AM »
I may be mis-understanding.... but you can disconnect the triangular connector at the radiator switch, and jump from two out of three leads... that will run the fans (assuming the module is okay)... one way should give you high speeds, one way low speeds.

I have actually had two occasions where the new fan control module have been bad... not just the aftermarket ones either....

Like Travis said, sometimes the aux. fuse panel will go bad, and the fuse get hot, but still appear to be good.  That's the number one culprit for the failed fans.

But, worst case scenario, I have seen both fans be dead.  Usually you ride around with one dead, and don't even notice, untill the second one craps out.

Offline ASBug

  • Varnel, Ga
  • Joined: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 3032

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2012, 12:11:05 PM »
Update:
I pulled off the fan plugs from the harness and jumped to battery, both fans work on both speeds when jumped to a battery with alligator clips.
I am going to order a radiator switch from ECS as that is the next suspect.
I checked the fuses on the battery box, and all seemed to be good, I pulled out the wrong one to look at... I'll check it out (the right one) tomorrow.
I still do not understand the total strong grounds at the wiring harness unpluged on all 3 wires going to the radiator switch. Just doesn't seem right.
I'll check the fuses again and return and report.

It takes 4 minutes at 3K rpm for the engine to budge off of 190* sitting still after driving and it up to temperature.  I need to get these fans working though...
KC

Offline ASBug

  • Varnel, Ga
  • Joined: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 3032

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2012, 12:13:59 PM »
I may be mis-understanding.... but you can disconnect the triangular connector at the radiator switch, and jump from two out of three leads... that will run the fans (assuming the module is okay)... one way should give you high speeds, one way low speeds.
That is what I would think as well, but when I pull the plug off the sensor, I put a volt meter on it and got nothing at any of the wires until I checked for ground, then I had 12.5V on all three wires as a ground....
 ???
KC

Offline travisyoung

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2012, 12:48:03 PM »
Do the fans come on with the Ac on?  I have never replaced a radiator switch,  also are the upper and lower radiator hoses getting hot?  There has to be coolant flowing for that switch to get hot

Offline ASBug

  • Varnel, Ga
  • Joined: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 3032

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2012, 02:11:00 PM »
No fans w/ AC, it is a climatronic so I cannot just push a button.  I have it all the way cold and the inner blower on all the way.
There seems to bee good flow through the radiator, hoses are hot...
TIA, KC

Offline travisyoung

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2012, 03:11:16 PM »
Check the connector at the fan module ,  I have seen wires pull loose from the connector ends

Offline dubtech

  • Hixson
  • Joined: Apr 2005
  • Posts: 251

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2012, 07:46:20 PM »
With Climatronic the A/C is on all the time, you have to hit the "Econ" button to turn it off.

I know this has been said before but check the fuse block on top of the battery.  Remove the 30 amp fuses and make sure that the connection isn't melted.  I've probably replaced 3 radiator fan switches in 10 years so I wouldn't jump to that conclusion.

Do this. Disconnect the fan switch on the radiator.  Turn the key on and the Climatronic off, then jump the connector.  You should get low speed and then high speed depending on which terminals you jump.  If that doesn't work then disconnect the fans and see if you're getting power to them when you jump the connector.  The low speed fans will work if the key is on or off and the high speed fans only work with the key on.  You should get battery voltage at the connector.

Also check the connector on the fan control module that has the small gauge wires on it and make sure that none of the wire terminals are off-center in the connector housing.

Last, make sure that you don't have coolant migration.  Remove the plug on the reservoir for the coolant level sensor and see if there's coolant in there.  If there's not, great.  If there is, then you may have a bigger problem.

Offline ASBug

  • Varnel, Ga
  • Joined: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 3032

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2012, 08:41:10 PM »
I'll pull the fuses again when I get home tonight.
I appreciate all the help.
I am unsure what you mean by the coolant reservoir sensor.  Where is that, in the ball?
KC

Offline ASBug

  • Varnel, Ga
  • Joined: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 3032

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2012, 01:37:24 PM »
OK, Pulled the fuse.  It was melted.  I had originally pulled the wrong fuse to check... LOL. Cleaned the terminal up and installed a new fuse and presto the compressor is turning, but still no fans.  Did this at lunch so no time to do the other stuff.
No Coolant Migration! ;D
I'll run it in econo mode to get home and then I'll run the diagnostics described above
Kc
« Last Edit: May 15, 2012, 01:47:10 PM by ASBug »

Offline dubtech

  • Hixson
  • Joined: Apr 2005
  • Posts: 251

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2012, 07:06:55 PM »
Replace the fuse block before you do anything else to it.  Since it's already melted in there it'll work for a while with the new fuse but it shouldn't be considered a permanent fix.

How long did you let it run with the A/C on?  The fans don't automatically come on when the A/C is on.  They're activated by the pressure switch for the A/C system through the fan control module.  So, if the system pressure didn't get high enough the fans won't come on.

Normally, when the pressure reaches a certain point the low speed fans come on to pull air across the condensor to reduce the system pressure.  If the pressure goes higher then the high speed fans kick in to move more air across the condensor.

It's a much better system that the single speed screamer fan my old GTI had on it and it couldn't even really keep everything cool.

Good news about the coolant migration though   ;D

Offline ASBug

  • Varnel, Ga
  • Joined: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 3032

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #13 on: May 15, 2012, 09:20:18 PM »
Fans are working! both are on on low when the AC is on. Pressures on the low side are ~45 - 55 psi when pumping.  I am not getting any cool air though. The system had pressure on it... Going to add a little more R134A and try it, if not I'll get it vaccumed out and have it recharged.

Thanks for all the help so far!
KC
« Last Edit: May 15, 2012, 09:22:09 PM by ASBug »

Offline travisyoung

Re: Fan / AC help 2000 GTI VR6

« Reply #14 on: May 16, 2012, 06:52:35 AM »
Your welcome,  replaced a ton of the fuse panels

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