1993 Dodge Grand Caravan – Overheated Engine Blew Plastic Radiator
Reader Question: I have a 1993 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.3L with 245,000+ miles on it and well maintained. My (replacement) radiator fan burned up/shorted out big time. Magnets came loose and spun with the armature.
I overheated the engine and blew my plastic radiator! I replaced the radiator/replaced the fan completely. Started van, warmed it up but no fan. I clicked the AC on to start the fan with the compressor, eh…nothing.
I checked all the relays (5) on fender by the battery. I switched them around since I do not know if one is for the fan and AC still no results. Two of them killed the engine upon removal…LOL!
Is there a fuse center that I do not know about?
Should I reset the brain? I cannot find a 40A fuse for the fan anywhere! I am trying to gotta keep er going.
By the way, the AC is completely new, even the hoses work(ed) great!
Now, I know the burnt fan motor has blown something. However, I do not know what it is.
Please help.
Thanks,
DeWayne
Hey DeWayne,
You should have a gray wire with an orange fusible link behind the battery area. You can usually feel these fuse links with your hand to tell if they have burnt up, the fuse link orange part will feel rubbery and softer than the rest of the wire. Start with that first, since the fan motor burnt up the fuse link probably did as well.
It also looks like there are 3 relays for the cooling fan, 1 Low speed relay and 2 high-speed relays and a radiator fan switch that is located in the high-pressure hose for the AC. It looks like two of these relays are on the right fender, and the other one is on the left fender.
You might want to check the fuse link first and follow the circuit around from there.
Blessings,
Austin Davis
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Great stuff Austin. Dodge would of helped future car sales if they would of just built in a fuse box. The one I am working on blew other links next to it also, because of the heat of the one controlling the fan melting. There is also damage to the many other links there too.
God bless.
Thanks Terry, yep….wiring can get very hot and do lots of damage.
God Bless you too!
Apparently a common issue that has vexed many foxes, I thank you for the helpful hints as to the an area to look at. On the 93 model I was working on, the damaged wiring was not easily apparent. From the battery at the positive terminal there is a wire that is connected to a single plug, which on the other side is spliced and splits into a series of wires that provide hot feeds. You may need to unwrap and cut away shrouds, tape and heat shrink to expose any offending wires and take them back to a point where they are good and not burnt out. If the wires are cooked, brittle or appear in any way unsound do not attempt to splice into them, replace the wire or wires from the connecting points. I was fortunate in that the three wires I found faulty went to the internal fuse box. I just used the same rated wire and color.
Thank you!
You helped me find my issues.
I have found many wires bare in the burned area leading to the grey wire on the relay.