Xantia Cooling Fan Replacement

Post by **xantia_v6** » 22 May 2008, 07:16

I know its been done before, but I need to type a few words as therapy for bruised forearms and knuckles.

One of the fan motors on my Xantia V6 died (actually the one which I lubricated last year). I think it must be the brushes, because it would kick into life if the fan blades were pushed axially back.

So off to the Citroen service web site and find that several models of Xantia (with A/C) share the same fan motor as the V6. My car does not have the cold climate pack, and seems to have the 250W, rather than the 200W fans. Curious that the 1.8 needs the same cooling as the hot climate 3.0.

Then down to the pick-your-own scrapyard (Autos and Sons, Bluntisham Cambs) to remove the fans from a 1.8i. They have about 4 Mk1 Xantias and a Mk2 that have been sitting there for at least a year.

I practiced my techniques for knuckle skinning on a 1.8i. The car was sitting on the ground with the front bumper on, so the keyhole technique was used through the gap between the bumper and radiator fan..

I managed to remove both fans by removing the fan blades (Left hand thread posidrive screw), unclipping the radiator, loosening the plastic brackets that hold the A/C condensor, and bending the A/C condensor back as far as it would go.

Then the choice of 10mm socket is important, because the nuts that hold the motors are recessed by about 8 - 12mm into the frame, but there is very little little clearance behing the frame, especially on the RH motor.

Then back home for the same surgery on my car, but with the complications that the radiator on the V6 will only move back about 20mm at the top (even with removing the air filter box and lifting that damned LHM pipe above the radiator) and not at all at the bottom. I was also being a bit more careful with my A/C condensor.

I was only replacing the LH fan, so only removed the top LH mounting braket on the A/C condensor (try to avoid the rear part of the bracket falling out of the condensor after the screws are removed, it is a pig to get back into position).

I needed to make a special tool for the 10mm nuts, which comprises a 10mm socket with 6mm hex male drive that came from a 100 piece screwdiver bit set, which I shortened by about 3mm at the socket end, and about 8mm at the drive end, so that it could just be driven with a rachet box spanner.

The rest, as they say, is history.

lexi · Post by **lexi** » 22 May 2008, 09:30

Excellent mate! You`ll be able to get a job as a Gynaocologist now

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 22 May 2008, 21:21

this is the perfect tool for the job > http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp ... ir=catalog

Well worth the £31, no need to remove the condensor etc.

Post by **xantia_v6** » 22 May 2008, 21:39

this is the perfect tool for the job

Have you actually tried to remove a fan motor with that spanner? I don't think that you would get it onto the nuts without moving the condensor. BTW I really do like that design of spanner, and have some for working on my Jags, but not metric sizes.

I did buy a low profile 10mm ratchet socket for doing the Xantia fans, which (after moving the condensor about 10mm) was almost ideal, but it was not deep enough to reach a couple of the nuts in their recesses.

Post by **CitroJim** » 11 Oct 2008, 21:49

I replaced a fan motor on my Activa today. It was the cause of my intermittent operation of the fans and I noticed that when they did run they ran slowly and if they did not start, just a tiny poke of the blades on the duff fan would start it up.

I managed to replace the motor without touching the rads except unclipping the top of the coolant rad just so the AC Condenser could be pushed just a tad forward.

I made a "special tool" to get at the fan motor fixing nuts by grinding flats on the end of a little 10mm socket (a really baby one) so that a 12mm OE spanner could fit it. This little socket poked out of the nut recesses on the fan housing only by about 3mm, just enough to get the 12mm spanner on to it.

It was still a task, mainly done by feel, a bit like a Gynaecologist decorating his hall through the letterbox

Using this socket, it was barely necesary to push the AC Condenser back hardly at all. A bit of Blu-Tac was needed to hold the nuts to the socket to get them back on.

Before I installed my replacement motor I tested it on the bench across a little 12V battery. It started with a fair kick and ran fast. I tested the duff motor and it often needed a spin to get it started and then it ran weakly and slowly.

Curiosity got the better of me and I carefully unstaked the joints and opened the duff motor up. It was full of carbon dust and the brushes were very worn. It is like a mini starter motor in that it has four brushes.

I reckon with care, the motor can be opened and the brushes replaced if suitable replacements could be found.

I guess as one fan has died, the other one cannot be far behind it although for the moment, both are performing well and running much faster than before

addo · Post by **addo** » 11 Oct 2008, 21:53

Re-brushing of the fan is common here, due to the cost/scarcity of OEM motors. It's been covered on AussieFrogs, and by my local CCC.

I think at present the "hit pick" for brushes is those to suit a Ryobi power drill. We've a tech day today, so I'll ask and post back. Mine are needing work; they're horribly squealy!

Regards, Adam.

exect · Post by **exect** » 11 Oct 2008, 22:14

Hi,
You cant beat a small 10mm socket held with small locking pliers.
Regards
Exect

marsalek · Post by **marsalek** » 12 Oct 2008, 10:58

An idea from our german colleagues:

Other helpful images related to this topic are there
http://www.citroeny.cz/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12235

Karel