Scavenger Fan

Nibs · Post by **Nibs** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:37 pm

Hi all, can anybody help? Scavenger fan not working and have tried the overide trick with the paperclip as suggested in previous posts. The hold light flashes but the fan wont kick in, does anyone know where i should check next
Cheers Paul

paul9 · Post by **paul9** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 7:26 pm

when i checked mine,i found i didn't need to put a paper clip across plug,it just started to work after about 30 seconds

dreamwarrioruk · Post by **dreamwarrioruk** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:03 pm

try checking connections at the fan itself, hard to get too, never tried.
also undo the main plug going into the head find it below the scavenger plug.this will also kick in the main radiators fans.unplug that one and the scavenger fan and they may come on.mine worked like this when we had problems.

Nibs · Post by **Nibs** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:21 pm

Thanks for replies chaps, will check out connections at the fan itself, let you know results.
Paul

Nibs · Post by **Nibs** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:32 pm

Hi, dreamwarrioruk, undid connection to the fan itself cleaned the contact and put back together. Pulled off the sensor to the rear of handbrake shoved in paperclip and hey presto the fan worked. To stop it pulled paperclip and pushed connector back on to sensor. At least i know the fan works, but any idea how often it will kick in as today its been blisteringly hot and have checked but not found it on?
cheers Paul

paul9 · Post by **paul9** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:49 pm

never known mine to work,even though i know it does,was thinking of putting a manual switch on it,so i could turn it on/off when i wanted

dreamwarrioruk · Post by **dreamwarrioruk** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:56 pm

never heard ours work. is your handbrake area getting very hot. if not then take it as read that its working correct. only comes on if the engine bay gets really hot. might feel it come on when in stationary traffic mid summer when there isnt much air flow through to the engines. in the two years wheve had ours ive never heard the scavenger fan come on and ive only heard the radiator fans kick in once. that was lately with a coolant problem. sometimes the fan will kick in if you leave the bongo for a few minutes after a hard/long run. turn the ignigtion on and it may come on but cant guarentee it will.
i would avoid putting it on a manual switch for two reason. the engines dont work as efficient when they are cooler so fuel consumption will increase, might not be much but their not too good for fuel economy at best of times. if you foget to turn off the fans then the drain would flatten your battery and they dont like being drained flat and recharged over and over again. also it may upset the other fans if you directly control it. best leave alone imho

paul9 · Post by **paul9** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:42 pm

think i will just leave it,after all what i never had, i won't miss

Nibs · Post by **Nibs** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 9:20 pm

Thanks for replies, happy enough to see that it works, and as the old saying goes "IF IT AINT BROKE" Cheers Paul

helen&tony · Post by **helen&tony** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:34 am

Hi,
I notice from this thread that there is some kind of sensor for the scavenger fan.We were doing a “mini service” yesterday, and looked from the passenger side engine hatch, and couldn’t see anything that fits the description. Perhaps someone would be kind enough to tell us where it is and what it looks like so we can play with it and check the fan.
Cheers
Helen

RobnKathryn · Post by **RobnKathryn** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:38 am

Hi Helen & Tony

There is a sensor for the scavenger fan which is positioned next the handbrake lever. Just remove centre console and you'll see an electrical connector next the the handbrake lever, there is a temperature sensor which pokes through into the engine bay from this position. When a certain engine bay temp. is reached, the fan should switch on.

You can check the fan operation by 'shorting' the contacts in the connector after you've removed it. This checks that the fan is working but doesn't confirm that the temp. sensor is working because you are bypassing this component. I don't think there's much you can do to maintain or check the temp sensor other than a clean if you can reach it.
If it doesn't work it'll be case of replacement. On mine, and I think, quite a few others...the scavenger fan seems to operate quite randomly!

If your hand brake is getting hot, it's probably not cutting in when it should. In hot weather, try turning the engine off after a run, and turn the aircon off, then turn the ignition back on....the fan will usually cut in then.

Rob

helen&tony · Post by **helen&tony** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:39 am

Hi Rob’n’kathryn
Thanks for that, we’ll give it a go and report back. I don’t think the handbrake gets extraordinarily hot except when you park, which is obviously heat rising, and as it was about 40c. here yesterday, it’s worth checking out, but I will say that the water temp gauge is always registering normal.
Cheers
Helen

helen&tony · Post by **helen&tony** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 3:52 pm

Hi
Just checked my scavenger fan, and it’s 100% operative. To allay anyone else’s fears, the handbrake and ashtray areas get ferociously hot when parked over here, and I keep some old foreign coins and bits in the armrest box, and they are too hot to touch after the vehicle has stood for a while, but turn on the ignition, wait a minute or two, and the fan comes on….open the engine bay quickly, and you will feel it.
Cheers, and thanks for the advice
Helen