HELP: Just joined the 'no front fan' club, need advice

[mikeonb4c]

Out of the blue (as always with Bongos ) my front fan has gone dodgy. It seemed that it was dead on all settings when I went to use it this afternoon, although a little later I found the controller (but not the front fan) was working on setting 1. On setting 1 the aircon will work also, otherwise not. I had given the fan motor a strip, clean and oil a while back and have no reason to think it is duff. Its not the free-est running motor I've ever known, but seems OK and has always been much the same. I'm careful to check the drain doesn't block and drip water on it etc.

Anyway, I'll follow the factsheet(s) and investigate tomorrow. One minor detail is I can't find advice on which fuse controls the front fan. Can anyone advise which fuse it is. And what would make the fuse go?

I suppose the reason that the fan controller appears to work on setting 1 is that that has the extra function of enabling the aircon plus the supply to the rear fan controller switch. Rear fan works fine, and aircon too as long as front fan controller is at setting 1.

Anyone thoughts on this would be gratefully received?

Apologies if I'm slow to correspond lately. Our internet connection seems to be on the blink - sometimes just about OK, other times not. If it ain't one thing its another

Thanks chums

Mike

[missfixit70]

FAQ here may have some extra pointers too - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... 43&t=28727 Can't remember which fuses, but the fuse factsheet should enlighten you there are also some relays well buried underneath & behind the drivers side headlight ( I only discovered them when I stripped out under the bonnet when I took the rad etc out & waxoiled) a couple of which are for the fans/ac, not sure which specifically.
I would highly recommend opening out the hole in the bottom of the plastic fan casing directly under the motor (to let all the crud etc out) to at least 10mm, later models seem to have had this done anyway from the ones I've checked.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Mike
It's probably me being pernickety, but I never use the lower settings on cool or heat...winter time, forward motion keeps the cab warm, but in my experience, the resistors fail on most cars I've known...Bongo no exception...I pulled ours out and Tony resoldered it...same with the rear....the rear turned out to be the motor...they just fail for any old reason due to age...If they weren't so expensive , it would not be too much of a worry....wasn't someone looking into the use of a Peugeot fan motor????....don't know if anything came of it?
Cheers
Helen

[You've Been Bongod]

mike check your bulkhead channel isnt blocked under the bonnet

take the front cowerling off under the bonnet and see if you can turn the fan with your fingers (heaters and ignition off)

if so its the resister in which case if its the 5 pin 1 give me a pm as i have 1 for swaps

[mikeonb4c]

Thanks chums - a great help. I'll go looking for the FAQ and the fuses factsheet (its frustrating as the fan heater factsheets say 'first, check the fuse' but don't seem to say where it is ). I've checked the drainage channel (regularly!) and had the cowling off to check motor and whether it is turning freely (it is but there is a little stickiness, but its always had that, more or less). When I stripped it all down I did consider enlarging the casing hole underneath the motor using Kirstys advice, but I didn't find any crud in mine so felt on balance it probably came down to whether crap got in in the first place due to water ingress after a blocked windscreen draininage gully. Might revisit that one if I have the motor out again. I did clean and oil the motor bearings as part of the system service, though it felt much the same after as before!

I think Helen's point is one defo. worth thinking about. I had not stopped to think that running the blower on setting 1 puts the most load on the resistor. and I do run it on setting 1 a lot. Maybe need to rethink things.

Right, time to get outdoors and take a look. Thanks for the offer of purchasing your resistor YBB - if I find mine is u/s and can't be repaired I'll PM you. Not got much to swap but......

Love for Bongo not diminished. In fact I was wondering what chores to do today and that could keep me away from arguing teenagers who don't / won't do any

[mikeonb4c]

Well, its job done and it was (indeed!) a desoldered resistor. A few dabs with the soldering iron and normal service has been resumed. We'll wait and see for how long, but the solder may have been hanging on by a thread and waiting for this hot weather for it to be tipped over the edge. Since I serviced the fan and made it much more free flowing a few months back, then hopefully the resistor will enjoy a slightly cooler life. I think I'll try and stick to avoiding setting 1 henceforth too. I did ream out the gap between plastic cover and the face onto which the tabs are soldered, which will hopefully produce a slightly improved entry of air into the channel through which air flows past the solder points.

I think my fan is not the most free running motor I've ever met but without comparing directly with others its hard to be sure whether it is within acceptable norms. Time will tell whether more substantial action has to be taken.

What a fantastic help the accumulated knowledge (and the efforts of those who organise it) on BF is

Mike O'Happy-Bunny

PS - now to get on the case with our dodgy internet connection. I'm confident that will be a lot less fun and the outcome a lot less certain (hours on helplines where they try and suggest its something in the house and they want you to move your PC to the main house connection, take the router out of circuit, then do standard tests at three different times of day - anyone been there?)

[helen&tony]

Hi Mike
RESULT
May your cooler cool
Cheers
Helen

[mikeonb4c]

Hi Mike
RESULT
May your cooler cool
Cheers
Helen

Every time I've fixed something, its because the whole knowledgebase of this club has been behind it. To be able to go straight to something and fix it like that is cooler than cool.

I like your point about these things giving up with age too. My incident puts a slight question mark above whether it is only very seized fans that cuase resistors to desolder. It will be interesting to see how long the resoldering lasts (if it doesn't then I think I must assume the fan is drawing too much current and overloading it i.e. fan needs freeing beter than at present, or replacing).

PS - strange - my inernet is slightly better now, but the hissing on the phone line has got worse - bizarre!

[helen&tony]

Hi
Mike
We have odd i/net problems here, too...now that your Bongo fan works, it's cooling the i/net
We had problems with our wi-fi the other week, phoned the ISP, and they said it was due to tree trimming work that one out....the best one was when they were installing....bearing in mind they say it's wi-fi....they couldn't get it here because it was too cold to dig .....must be underground radio waves in pipes
Cheers
Helen

[mikeonb4c]

Hi
Mike
We have odd i/net problems here, too...now that your Bongo fan works, it's cooling the i/net
We had problems with our wi-fi the other week, phoned the ISP, and they said it was due to tree trimming work that one out....the best one was when they were installing....bearing in mind they say it's wi-fi....they couldn't get it here because it was too cold to dig .....must be underground radio waves in pipes
Cheers
Helen

Luckily the phones I bought recently off ebay have a loudspeaker function, or else I'd have earache after waiting on the line (and be broke except I used the Say No to 0870 alternative number) for over an hour to speak to someone. Instead, I'm clattering away on here

[amizup]

Hello,

I too have a intermittent front fan problem, in fact at the moment it just will not run. I would like to check the fuses, if only I knew which ones and where? I have checked the fuse block on the inside on the drivers side below the steering wheel, and the block on in the center under the bonnet. Are there others I should be looking for?
I would also like to check the resistor, but again which one(s) and where?
BTW my rear heater fan works perfectly, so its just the front one.

I have tried to access the fact sheets here http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/membersonly/factsheets, bit I keep getting a pop up box "Authorisation required". Can someone help please by either advising the location of the fuses/resistors or providing me with the fact_sheets.

Many thanks

[francophile1947]

Welcome to the madhouse You need to be a club member (not just a forum member) to access the Fact Sheets.

[brorabongo]

HI and welcome amizup.

Some reading for you, if you have a spare 5 minutes...sorry I mean hours.
In amongst this lot you may find your answer.

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... mit=Search

All the best.............. and thats from someone who has replaced the resistor once for a second hand one, repaired the s/h one at least twice (easy fix with a soldering iron). Replaced the fan motor once, again for a s/h one and repaired it twice...currently waiting to get hold of another motor (s/h again). I think our problem is due to "lack of use"....of the fan only.....can't see our bongo ever suffering from lack of use.