The car in question is a 1991 9000 CSE 2.3T with ACC.

The problem is this: When the car reaches the temperature to start the cooling fan, the fuse blows (no. 8 (30 Amp)) about half a second after the fan starts turning. ie. the fan becomes energised at the correct time, but immediately blows the fuse! If you fit another fuse while the temperature is still above the 'fan cutting in' temp, it will blow it aswell.

Within the last six months the car has had a new thermostatic switch fitted to the radiator (this was due to corrosion of the terminals), and a new thermostat fitted to the engine. The normal running temperature is good (half way up the gauge) and the thermostatic switch is obviously OK otherwise the fan would never energise.

What can I do to fix this problem??

Any help / suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Angus M Smith

Angus,
Most likely cause imo is the cooling fan itself, drawing too much current. I don't know if it can be taken apart and repaired ( could be bearings seizing ) or if needs replacing. I'm not an expert on this so don't spend lots of money based on my suggestion, but that's where I would be looking.

Harvey

Angus, Harvey sounds spot on with that reply, try turning the fan by hand(Usual warning about fan starting on its own, do it with cold engine) and see if there is any apreciable resistance. If not, check the wiring, it may have chafed through somewhere and be shorting to earth.

Angus

You may have seen that I have got Howe Engineering to sort my car out - a 1992 9000 CSE 2.3T Auto with ACC. As well as the timing and balance chains the slow speed radiator fan (and delay timer controlled fan after engine switch off)is being fixed. According to Stuart Howe they have come across several of this vintage whose wiring looms (I think he is refering to the bit that goes under the radiator to the thermostatic switch) have been streched on installation, and have subsequently failed - broken wires, shorts etc. This may be an area to look at. It took them a long time to find the problem on the first of these.

I will let you know what they found on mine when I get the car back on Friday. It will probably mean that I have had a new radiator switch fitted last month for no reason (oh well the old one is a spare now!)

HTH

Gavin