[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Mine has started making a ungodly amount of noise that’s loud and embarrassing. I dose not seem to be very efficient in its design in that it is far from and only partially blows on the pump, not to mention it doesn’t blow that hard anyways. I was thinking of just unplugging it until I have an extra 130 bucks to replace it. [/SIZE][/FONT]

 

Two bolts and one connector. Safely remove it, and blow some WD-40 into the area behind the fan shoud to clean out the sand and grit. Keep doing it until you can spin it freely.

If you have acess to high pressure air that will help to expel any stubborn deposits. Re-install and double check the fuse for that fan on occasion.

If your PS pump circuit board gets too hot you will have a hefty bill to pay down the road. While this is an efficient design to keep power to our wheels it has it's drawbacks.

I make a habit of checking the PS fan every time the oil is changed.....

 

How necessary would you say the power steering pump fan is?


Absolutely necessary. It's a good fire preventer when it's working. As GR says, it's easy to remove and clean.

...Les

 

Grey Raven, thanks for the tip!

When I cleaned my fan, I removed it from the mounting bracket. I spliced a small PC fan (e.g. CPU fan) power connector to one of the standard molex computer power supply adapters. I then attached the connector to an old PC AT power supply. An old model railroad DC unit with accessory leads will work, too.

Insert the CPU fan connector end into the power socket of the power steering fan. You may have to temporarily bend the pins inward with a small flathead screwdriver to get it to fit. Turn the power supply on and hold the fan in your hand. It won't jerk too hard when you do so. Spray the WD40 liberally into the vent holes. Turn it off and let it soak for a minute or two. Spin the fan back-and-forth by hand to see if you can feel some of the grit inside it (I could with mine). Then apply power again and spray some more WD40 (as needed).

I will definitely make this part of my routine checkup. My old '02 MCS had one of the Cobalt aluminum engine shields bolted to the bottom. I have not installed it yet on my '06 MCS, but I'm betting this would cut down on how much water and dirt gets into the fan.

Hope this helps.