So today was blazing hot day in NOVA...Actually one of the few days this summer I used my A/C...I have an '05 MCc and am usually topless. Anyways today was so hot I kept my top up and turned on the A/C but I noticed that while it felt cool it never felt cold...I'm gonna stop at sears auto or something on my way to work to see if it needs a recharge. In the event that's not the case what else could be causing this and about how much should I expect it to set me back? I will of course take it into my regular shop if its more then just a recharge but I just want to be prepared and tend to expect the worst. This summer I've spent about $1500 on repairs and I just might be tapped out until the end of the summer for any major fixes.

I recently had a new power steering fan installed and I did have a coolant leak that I fixed this past fall (thermostat and thermo gaskit replaced)

 

Matt

 

Just had it checked out doesn't need a recharge...aside from that I couldn't understand anything else the guy said aside when he pointed at the mini dealer across the street and motioned for me to go there. Guess I'll take it into my mechanic sometime soon...definitely can't afford a major repair this week maybe in 2 weeks. I'm kind of torn though cuz I'm starting to think that maybe I should get a new car. I'm at 96k and climbing and while I know that repairs are inevitable I'm just feeling a little beaten down now. Some people say 100k is a lot of miles but I've taken good care of my car and feel like I should get more out of it. I guess what will decide it for me is if this is one of $1000+ repairs if it is I'll save my money to put towards a down payment on a new car.

P.S. Some people say it's "just a car" but that just isn't I how I feel about Baxter. I'm just so attached to this car.

 

Check to be sure your low speed fan is coming on when you turn on the A/C. I found that when I replaced mine the A/C was significantly better. And on yours if it is out, you can replace the bad part with an external resister and be good to go without changing the whole fan.

BTW-We are all attached in some way to our cars. Artoo brings a smile to my face every time I go to work like no car I have ever had before.

Rich

 

About how much does that repair run...a fan does come on but it sounds loud...is that the fan

 

The low speed fan is hardly noticeable.....
It runs for longer periods of time....
The high speed fan is the same fan....it runs much faster, and louder, and does not run until the car is going to overheat! In many MINI's, the low speed fan fails, letting the car run hot...the AC runs poorly, due to reduced airflow...and the compressor sometimes fails due to the added stress of the heat.....
the car thinks the low speed is running....and it sees the tempture keep going up....so it turns on the high speed fan.....it runs for a minutes or two...cools the car enough so the low speed should be able to handle it.....but guess what no low speed....so the high speed is turned on and off........very loudly.....and the AC usually barely works...and the compressor fails in some situations...
The new fan, after-market is under $100 (TYC brand, fits perfectly).....Dealer fan closer to $300....plus install or DIY.

 

Tykoon,
I sure hope the news about a repair isn't to harsh. And I sure know that special feeling you've got for Baxter. I'd never have imagined just how attached to my little car I've become. I drove out to the MINI dealership just to figure the easiest way to get there. I saw lots of gorgeous MINI's but mine was better. True love

 

It cost me about $540 to have the fan replaced (OEM fan plus labor). So that's probably your worst case scenario. And I understand how you feel. I paid $2000 over the last month in repairs and was considering a new car, but I like Nigel way too much...

The dealership took over $1,200 from me and none of their fixes fixed what was actually wrong (which was the fan causing my car to overheat and the A/C compressor to almost conk out). The fan was the last thing to be replaced by in independent mechanic. I ended up paying $800, cause I also needed to have the A/C compressor recharged after the dealer just kept adding freon, which caused the pressure to skyrocket, and I also had an oil change while was there.

I was asking here about the whining noise I kept hearing, turns out it was the A/C compressor telling me the pressure was way too high. Since I had the fan replaced, the whining stopped, the A/C cools like crazy and I haven't heard the high speed fan come on once. So all's well again.

 

Zippy is correct in that if you hear the fan then it is the high speed. Low speed you have to look for.

As for the repair. At the dealer, around $600. But way, WAY out of line. I was hesitant but put a TYC from Rock Auto in and it looked like the OEM but was only $80 rather than $300. And it has a lifetime warranty. Someone who knows what he is doing should charge no more than two hours labor as the front end does have to go into service mode to get the fan replaced.

But you said you had an 05? That low speed can be brought back to life with an external resister with no fan replacement necessary.

Rich

PS-This is a job that is most definitely cheaper anywhere but the dealer.

 

Yup an '05 I'm gonna stop by my mechanic and ask about the install of the external resister. In the mean time I'm gonna motor with the a/c off I'm paranoid about causing further damage.

 

Your mechanic is not likely to know what to do without reading this thread.

Rich

 

I was looking on rock auto in the radiator section is this the TYC part you were referring to...

2005 MINI COOPER 1.6L 1600cc L4 FI [W10B16A] SOHC : Cooling System : Radiator Fan Assembly WikiPriceTYC Part # 621080 {#17101475577, MC3115102}
Base; (FROM 3/03) SINGLE; 17 11 7 541 092 [Wholesaler Closeout -- 30 Day Warranty] (Only 1 Remaining)

 

Another question...I haven't stopped at the mechanic yet to see if in fact it's that fan but I'm sure it must be no good...Today when I was driving I made sure to watch my temp gauge and it stayed in the middle or went up a little never below the middle and I think it's always in the middle never below. It never goes up to 250 but like I said it's usually in the middle.

 

I think that was the one I got....
Some sellers are offering a lifetime warranty....(e-bay)..I got mine one rock auto...took 2 days or so, regular shipping!!
So far my local mini guys has not had to replace any....so it may not have the same weakness as stock!!
For gauges....do you have the chrono (gauge pack) or the standard middle speedo+regular gauges....
The Optional gauge pack, the gauges work....on the stock, they seem to stay mostly in the middle......
With the car parked....turn on your AC....the low speed fan should run..continuously.
If the fan cycles on and off. (loudly)...then the resistor has failed..... if the car sits with the AC off, and it is allowed to get hot (normal operating temp) the fan should be on low, with the AC off, unless it is a very hot day....This seems to be the simplest way to test it. If the fan is cycling on and off...every 20 seconds to a minute or so, you have confirmation a second way.
IMO if you are paying by the hour to have the fan installed, the new fan should be the cheapest way....and if something goes wrong, you will not have to try to remember how it was wired, or why, or explain the odd wiring to the next guy....
The new resistor is an option....but since it does not fit on the fan, and must be remotely mounted, it is not ideal IMO.
TYC is a big company...they specialize in parts for the auto repair, and auto body trades.....so your local mechanic might have a source....just tell him the TYC fan is possibly better than the OEM for less than 1/3 the price.....he may be more willing to install the one you order for him, or may get it for you....expect to pay a small surcharge on the work done....since he is out the labor markup on the part!!
When ordering the fan, just get the correct one for the year car....
some folks will have a extra PS fan plug that is not used (on the new fans wiring harness) if the car has had the PS wiring harness mod to put it on a separate fuse...many cars do, some do not....when done. the dealer just cuts the plug off, and tapes the wires inside the harness, out of the way.I just left mine, and wire-tied it out of the way. the wiring change became standard on most MINI's sometime in 2005, but many older cars were re-wired/modded by the dealers for free!!

 

I have the chrono pack...I swung by my mechanic and told him that I suspected that the low speed on the fan wasn't functioning he popped the hood I'm not certain of te exact words or phrasing but the low speed fuse or relay was clicking on and off but the fan still sounded loud and fast. So I told him that in my research that it sounded like high speed and then actually I read him the post you left me about how it's supposed to function. When he looked up the cost of the part it was $280 so I really want the tyc cuz it's only $60...I just feel kinda weird about asking to bring my own parts. I do have 2 friends that work on cars and I think I'm gonna ask one of them to do it. I'll of course pay them labor but why pay over 500 when I can pay half that.

 

If you are going to diy it, or have a friend help/do it...
Find the thread, I think it is called "a girls guide to putting the car in service mode" or something very close.....it will give you some great tips on dropping the bumper+bumper cover, and speed things up. There is also a diy or two around....showing you how to leave the ac connected, and just unbolt it, and swing it out of the way, etc...print up some useful pages, get a 12 pack, some pizza, and an afternoon, and you have saved $500+
I did mine...would have been eassier with help, so you should be able to do it easy!!

 

Here is the link to the (excellent!) service mode DYI. Got my fan today (10 days after ordering ) Will probably put it in this weekend - and prepare myself to do it again when this doesn't fix my recalcitrant AC.

 

To be sure it's the fan, turn the A/C on with the bonnet open. You should see the fan blades moving. Low speed clicks on almost immediately after turning on the A/C. If it's not running, it's the low speed fan issue. I actually first noticed it in the winter when I was sitting in traffic. Since the A/C wasn't driving the fan to turn on, my coolant temperature would rise (not on OEM gauge, I have a Scangauge displaying actual coolant temp).

Just make sure the fan is bad. The reason I say this is because the MINI's A/C really doesn't do well in 95+ degree weather. I have to be moving with the recirculate on to get nice cold air out the vents and even that is sometimes not enough since I don't have tint. I've had my A/C vacuumed and recharged with little difference.

 

I have a 2005 MC and am wondering wether the FAN cylces are set differently for the MC and the MCS..

Here's how mine is..When my A/C is turned on, the fan does NOT come on continuously. So I pulled the connector and checked BOTH fan power wires for signal. There was no voltage at either wire with the A/C switch ON.
Applied power to both fan wires and FAN 1 came on as did FAN 2. As per everything I've read, the fan seems to be functioning properly BUT will not come on continuously with A/C interior switch on.

When the compressor cycles on, the FAN 1 is powered up but only as long as the compressor cycles. The P/S fan comes on at same time. Removed FAN 2 relay to confirm FAN 1 was running and in fact it was. Removed FAN1 relay and fan turned off (P/S continued to run during cycle).

Can this be programmed by MINI to do this or is there something else shorted? Or is it normal for the MC to NOT run continously due to a less amount of heat undoor hodd without the supercharger? I have not read anything on a MC having a low speed fan on continous with A/C swicth ON (only MCS).

Something else I found weird.....
The compressor only cycles for about 30 seconds (which seemed short) so I checked the A/C freon pressures (I have a set of gauges). I found low side pressure at 30psi and High side cycles between 110-155psi (both within normal range). I figured I'd evacuate and recharge system (I also have a machine). Sucked it all out and ran leak check and vacuum test and held (-30psi Vac) (normal) recharged it to .9 lbs (per spec), and got A/C to cycle at an extended period (a minute plus) but after driving for 20 minutes, dropped back into it's short cycle but pressures remained the same...

A/C clutch bad? But my guess would be that the high side pressure getting too high at highway speed and since there's no fan at rest, compressor short cycles.

Brings me back to the question....Is the low speed fan1 supposed to run on the base cars? Does someone have a 12/2004 or later production 2005 they can check for me?..

Thanks..

 

SOLVED IT!...

Called a BMW tech I'm fairly friendly with and he said, even though spec is usually spec, there is a tolerance on pressures by as much as 0.5 bar, especially on A/C systems. SO...I evacuated and recharged the A/C system until the high side pressure read 8.5 bar (125psi) (instead of spec of 8.0 bar/ 116 psi) at it's low side of cycle and 155/160psi on the high side of cycle and low and behold...A/C fan came on and stayed on!!.. never once did 2nd stage fan come on, but was too cold outside to get engine temp above 90c (194F)..Evacuated and measured charge and was 1.2 lbs (instead of .91+/- 0.2 lbs) of freon. System continued to cycle now but will report pressures come springtime to make sure slight overcharge does not effect anything else and pressures are not way ut of whack..

FYI for those troubleshooting this weird problem and "think" you may have a 1st stage fan out, check your A/C charge..