97 Miata drivers radiator fan

[zukitek]

I put in a new radiator today and discovered the drivers side cooling fan is dead. Does anyone have a good working drivers side fan laying around I could buy? Text me at 2oh54two214one7 if you got one.

[JohnW8]

Dead dead? Or just not working?

[rodhx]

Did you try it with the a/c on? One of them only comes on normally when the a/c is engaged.

[JohnW8]

Drivers side come on with fan/temperature switch in the rear water neck. Passenger side comes on with a/c, if I remember correctly.

[zukitek]

actually both of them should operate when the ac is on . There was power and ground but no operation. I replaced the motor and all is well.

[rodhx]

right, both on with ac, only one on normally without ac. Couldn't remember which was which, so that's why I asked.

[zukitek]

exactly. The left fan not working is why I kept having trouble with the ac belt slipping at idle . It was building compressor head pressure and slipping the belt at idle in traffic. Now its good there but I am still smelling coolant. I think I either have a leak at the firewall side of the engine or a heater core leak. I hooked my pressure tester to the radiator saturday and the top radiator tank split . I guess the pressure test caused the radiator to go ahead and give up the ghost. The original reason for the pressure test is still there. I dont see puddles but I smell coolant. Its driving me nuts.

[JohnW8]

I had a coolant smell but no puddles as well. It turned out to be a tiny crack in the water neck.

[zukitek]

I totally hope its not the heater core . That's a 5 hour project. Are there any common leaks on 97 1.8 engines?

[engled]

The pipes going to the heater core crush and dis-form very easily, you might check the hose clamps there.

[JohnW8]

All those little hoses around the water neck and throttle body get crusty with age and can weep

[zukitek]

my pressure tester found another inequity . the heater hose to the back of the head is swollen like a snake that just ate a rat. Gonna replace that but its not leaking . No coolant in the floor...just frustrating that I cant find it

[JohnW8]

Radiator cap? Leaking under pressure into the overflow tank? That's open to the atmosphere where you could smell it.

Maybe?

[zukitek]

could be . Im going to go test that now.

[chuck schultz]

Radiator cap?

This was my problem. It was only overheating and dumping into the overflow when on track, but I was getting some odor, occasionally, otherwise. I think it was opening with only about 6 pounds of pressure.