I think my low speed fan is kaput. Am I correct in saying that it should run silently or with little sound? My high speed seems OK- considerable noise and air movement and the power steering fan is working.

I tried to test the low speed speed resistor as shown on YouTube, but it was a later setup with only the one connector. My 9/02 has two plugs- one identical to later models and a smaller plug with two very small pins. I couldn't get any ohm reading from either the low or high speed pins. Do I just do the same test and disregard the small connector? Should the test be done with the ignition on or the engine running? AC switched on?

One other question- Which fan to buy? I see TYC for $85, Genera for 125, Nissen at 202, and ECS has MINI for 304. Thoughts on quality, longevity?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

I can't help you with testing suggestions other than putting 12V (and ground) directly to the fan plug and seeing if the fan spins. I have the second-generation (2004 R53) cooling fan that has only one wiring plug/harness (3 wires) going to the fan, the low-speed wire going through the resistor circuit in the fan housing.

But if you're buying new, TYC seems to be a good choice. Most or all of the aftermarket brands are made by the same manufacturer and simply branded differently. From general Mini owners' experience, I don't think there have been any complaints about the less-expensive TYC.

Just remember that if your low-speed fan circuit isn't working, it's probably because the resistor is burned out. You can buy just a resistor repair "kit" for $40 (I think) and you'll keep your OEM fan, which seem to be almost bullet-proof.

 

There's a good fan assembly on RockAuto for $65 or so I've heard works well too.

 

I have an 02 and from what I've read you cant do the resistor repair on the older ones.

I thought if you put the ac on, the low speed fan is supposed to turn on. If your ac doesn't work, like on my car, just let it idle until it gets hot and the fan should turn on. If it goes right to high then you know it isn't working.

I purchased the tyc from rockauto for $77 and it plugged right in.

 

Thanks for the input. When I turn the AC on after driving for a few miles the AC works fine and in a minute or so the fan comes on with some force and whine. It cycles on and off about every 20-30 seconds, and just after it stops spinning it will kick in again. Am I correct that it means only the high speed is working? After 14 years it probably makes sense to get the new fan rather that doing the resistor replacement on the aging fan housing, so the TYC seems like a good choice. Shawnnn, did you install the fan without draining the radiator as it seems some people have done? How long did the R&R take you?

 

Like I said before, from what I've read on this website replacing the resistor is not even a choice on our 02 Mini's.

No need to drain the antifreeze. You just take off the top hose so very little water comes out.

Pretty simple once you figure out how to pull the fan off the radiator. Took me around an hour and a half maybe?



https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...placement.html

 

Thanks, guys. My TYC will be here Friday!

 

Did mine about a month ago. Piece of cake.

 

I did the whole fan on mine, but it was Genuine. I have not seen much issues with tyc one. When my fan went , it was the motor on the fan that locked and and rusted stuck. So I had to get a whole new fan / housing.

 

Hi,

I know this is an old thread, but I thought you'd be interested in what I found during testing my 2006 R53 (only has one 3-way connector to fan assembly).

My low-speed fan wasn't working, so I bypassed the relay.

Bypassing each relay (shorting pins 87 & 30) in turn showed the fan operated in both low-speed and high-speed modes (although of course now at the same speed).

I then ran up the engine to operating temperature and at exactly 105 celcius 221 F) the fan kicked in. I removed the low-speed relay and the fan kept running. Removing the high-speed relay, the fan stopped.

This leads me to think that the low-speed relay wasn't being triggered when it should.

Switching on the air-con resulted in the low-speed fan running as it should, however it kept running even when the aircon was turned off.

Is this normal behaviour?

Cheers,

Dave

 

OK, the Mini Cooper Coolant systems functions as follows; low speed fan switches on at 221 and the high speed switches on at 234. When the AC is on, the low speed switches on when the system pressure is at 116 PSI with the high speed switching on when the system pressure reaches 261 PSI. The high speed fan will run without the AC being on if the set point of 234 is reached. On the Gen1 car, you can bring up the coolant temperature inside the car (will read in Centigrade) with the set points being 105 and 112. The cut off is 7 F below the cut in.

Did you check out the Sticky on the AC Resistor in the Stock Problems/Issues section?

 

Thanks Whine not Walnuts,

I remember reading the 105 and 112 (221 and 233F) temperature before, but thought there must be a mistake.
I would have thought that the 1st stage fan would try to keep the engine at its optimum working temp, which is set by the thermostat at 91 (195F).
It's strange to me that the coolant temperature is allowed to get so high whilst idling in traffic whilst normal driving (with airflow through radiator, it is at about 91 (195F).
The coolant temperature is also kept at 91 (195F) whilst the AC is on due to the continuously running 1st stage fan
I would have thought that 105 would be the 2nd stage fan cut-in temp.

Cheers,

Dave

 

Any good "twisties" downunder?

To clarify, and per a friend that grew up in California and now lives in North Carolina, "canyon carving" is not the same as "twisties" as the twisties are roads where the the corners are closer together than canyons. My friend said that what we have along the Appalachians on the US east coast are "twisties" while the US west coast with the Western Cordillera are "canyons."

 

Just my 2 cents of USD which tends to be higher than the Monopoly money you guys use downunder.

I would not take the cited degrees too seriously. Mechanical and electromechanical devices these are and they are only accurate to a few degrees C. The mechanical thermostat does not all a sudden snaps open at the spec'ed temperature. The opening is rather gradual. There are also temperature gradience through out the coolant path.

 

[QUOTE=Whine not Walnuts;4382782]Any good "twisties" downunder?/QUOTE]

I'm on the West coast and the roads are mainly boring and straight.

 

That is why you have the bad ars Holdens. Too bad no more new ones. Need some dirt track setup too as 3/4 of the country is unpaved.

 

This was ages ago, but if you are still around, can you provide more details on how to do this...

Bypassing each relay (shorting pins 87 & 30) in turn showed the fan operated in both low-speed and high-speed modes (although of course now at the same speed).

Thank you!