Radiator/Condenser fan replacement

[ji126652]

Seems like both fans crapped out and aren't running (Subaru Legacy 2012 2.5i, 104k miles). I will do diagnostics soon to see what's up, but in the meantime had a question about removing the fans.

 

Just looking in, it looks like I can take out the air intake snorkle, take out the coolant reservoir, and basically have enough room to take the condenser fan shroud, then pull out slightly/move over the radiator fan shroud (since the upper radiator hose is in the way.)

 

Why then do most videos/the service manual drain the coolant, remove hoses, and pull the two fan units from the bottom (or from the top, removing the upper hose, as per the service manual, see attached)?

 

Is there something I'm missing here? This looks nothing as bad as say, a spark plug change (which didn't require me to do anything difficult really...)

[Humble Rumble]

Not sure on the removal question, but the first thing I'd recommend doing is checking all of the plugs on the fan control module (right under the intake snorkel, attached to the corner of the fanshroud). Both of my fans quite working last year, and I tried. EVERYTHING. possible to get them running, and all it ended up being was some corrosion on one of the contacts of the main fan control plug. I scrapped the corrosion off, and they instantly started working again.

 

this thing

[ji126652]

Not sure on the removal question, but the first thing I'd recommend doing is checking all of the plugs on the fan control module (right under the intake snorkel, attached to the corner of the fanshroud). Both of my fans quite working last year, and I tried. EVERYTHING. possible to get them running, and all it ended up being was some corrosion on one of the contacts of the main fan control plug. I scrapped the corrosion off, and they instantly started working again.

 

this thing

 

Thanks! I'll try that! I live in Albany NY, so the corrosion thing is definite possible!

[Humble Rumble]

Wait wait, you have a 2.5i. The radiator setup is different, that part is for a 3.6R. On the 2.5i, the fan motors are arranged differently, but still worth checking for plug corrosion.

 

[ji126652]

Wait wait, you have a 2.5i. The radiator setup is different, that part is for a 3.6R. On the 2.5i, the fan motors are arranged differently, but still worth checking for plug corrosion.

 

 

 

Yea that makes more sense. No reason not to just unplug the damn thing and look and clean it a bit...

[silverton]

You're far less likely to damage the radiator when you remove all of the things.

[ji126652]

You're far less likely to damage the radiator when you remove all of the things.

 

This makes sense, particularly since on the 3.6R the shroud is one unit as displayed in the picture, which looks annoying (= as you say, might damage the radiator) to take out without removing the upper hoses.