98 Chrylser Town and Country Overheating -Fan Relay/Fan Question

My 98 T&C has a problem with overheating... cooling fans not spinning.
Original issue was fans got stuck on and killed the battery. Changed
the cooling fan relay. Worked for 3 days or so. Cooling fan relay
went dead. Before replacing it, I tried to measure the voltage coming
from the computer. Big mistake, my meter was on amps and I blew the
fuses in it (not sure if any damage to the computer/ecu). Got another
cooling fan relay and replaced it. Worked for a week or so... then it
went dead. Fixed the meter and my fans operate at ~6.5 amps for the
driver side and ~9 amps for the pass side. Does anyone know what the
current draw should be for each of the fans on the vehicle? Normally I
would think they should be the same, but they are different part
numbers. Siemens part number PM9044 (for driver side), and PM9046 (for
pass side) or Visteon part number 130106 (for driver side), and 130104
(for pass side). Before I blow another cooling fan relay, thought I
should find out what the fan current should be... just in case the
load is too high and causing the modules to blow.

Any help or assistance would greatly be appreciate.

Thanks,

Brett

brett wrote:

> My 98 T&C has a problem with overheating... cooling fans not spinning.
> Original issue was fans got stuck on and killed the battery. Changed
> the cooling fan relay. Worked for 3 days or so. Cooling fan relay
> went dead. Before replacing it, I tried to measure the voltage coming
> from the computer. Big mistake, my meter was on amps and I blew the
> fuses in it (not sure if any damage to the computer/ecu). Got another
> cooling fan relay and replaced it. Worked for a week or so... then it
> went dead. Fixed the meter and my fans operate at ~6.5 amps for the
> driver side and ~9 amps for the pass side. Does anyone know what the
> current draw should be for each of the fans on the vehicle? Normally I
> would think they should be the same, but they are different part
> numbers. Siemens part number PM9044 (for driver side), and PM9046 (for
> pass side) or Visteon part number 130106 (for driver side), and 130104
> (for pass side). Before I blow another cooling fan relay, thought I
> should find out what the fan current should be... just in case the
> load is too high and causing the modules to blow.
>
> Any help or assistance would greatly be appreciate.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Brett
>

Ummm - you might simply go ahead and replace the fan motors and be done
with it.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

"brett" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> My 98 T&C has a problem with overheating... cooling fans not spinning.
> Original issue was fans got stuck on and killed the battery. Changed
> the cooling fan relay. Worked for 3 days or so. Cooling fan relay
> went dead. Before replacing it, I tried to measure the voltage coming
> from the computer. Big mistake, my meter was on amps and I blew the
> fuses in it (not sure if any damage to the computer/ecu). Got another
> cooling fan relay and replaced it. Worked for a week or so... then it
> went dead. Fixed the meter and my fans operate at ~6.5 amps for the
> driver side and ~9 amps for the pass side. Does anyone know what the
> current draw should be for each of the fans on the vehicle? Normally I
> would think they should be the same, but they are different part
> numbers. Siemens part number PM9044 (for driver side), and PM9046 (for
> pass side) or Visteon part number 130106 (for driver side), and 130104
> (for pass side). Before I blow another cooling fan relay, thought I
> should find out what the fan current should be... just in case the
> load is too high and causing the modules to blow.
>
> Any help or assistance would greatly be appreciate.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Brett
>
Brett, I don't have specs for the fan motor but a couple things to check
before you go and replace the fan motors.
The mounting surface is also used as a heat transfer so be sure it is clean
and tight when installing it. Apply a light film of dielectric grease to
the base of the relay if you have some. Verify ground (G102) Left frame rail
is not loose or corroded. This will cause the relay to overheat and fail
prematurely if it is not a good ground.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

"brett" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> My 98 T&C has a problem with overheating... cooling fans not spinning.
> Original issue was fans got stuck on and killed the battery. Changed
> the cooling fan relay. Worked for 3 days or so. Cooling fan relay
> went dead. Before replacing it, I tried to measure the voltage coming
> from the computer. Big mistake, my meter was on amps and I blew the
> fuses in it (not sure if any damage to the computer/ecu). Got another
> cooling fan relay and replaced it. Worked for a week or so... then it
> went dead. Fixed the meter and my fans operate at ~6.5 amps for the
> driver side and ~9 amps for the pass side. Does anyone know what the
> current draw should be for each of the fans on the vehicle? Normally I
> would think they should be the same, but they are different part
> numbers. Siemens part number PM9044 (for driver side), and PM9046 (for
> pass side) or Visteon part number 130106 (for driver side), and 130104
> (for pass side). Before I blow another cooling fan relay, thought I
> should find out what the fan current should be... just in case the
> load is too high and causing the modules to blow.
>
> Any help or assistance would greatly be appreciate.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Brett

Brett, I don't have specs for the fan motor but a couple things to check
before you go and replace the fan motors.
The mounting surface is also used as a heat transfer so be sure it is clean
and tight when installing it. Apply a light film of dielectric grease to
the base of the relay if you have some. Verify ground (G102) Left frame rail
is not loose or corroded. This will cause the relay to overheat and fail
prematurely if it is not a good ground.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

Glenn,

Great suggestions... I will make sure I add the grease and verify the
ground. Because the passenger side is running ~2.5-3.0amps higher than
the drivers side, I have disconnected the pass side and installed the
module. Only one day so far, but the module is still working. Does
anyone know if this 2.5-3.0amp higher load is normal?

Also, I was looking at the NHTSA site and found these 2 TSB's on rad
fan cooling:

Make : CHRYSLER Model : TOWN AND COUNTRY Year : 1998
Manufacturer : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION
Service Bulletin Num : 183397 Date of Bulletin: DEC 31, 1997
NHTSA Item Number: 600488
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
Summary:
SUBJECT REGARDING IMPROPER COOLING FAN RELAY ACTUATION. *YC

Make : CHRYSLER Model : TOWN AND COUNTRY Year : 1998
Manufacturer : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION
Service Bulletin Num : 9814 Date of Bulletin: MAR 18, 1998
NHTSA Item Number: 601253
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
Summary:
CONDITION WITH THE SOFTWARE WITHIN THE POWERTRAIN (PCM) MAY NOT OPERATE
THE SOLID STATE RELAY FOR THE RADIATOR FAN CORRECTLY. *YC

Is it possible that my problem is something from these? Could my PCM
be causing the issue at hand? Does anyone know what these TSB say?

The reason I ask is that on one site someone mentioned that either the
PCM or the Fan Relay Module needs to be programmed when one puts on a
new Fan Relay Module. Is this correct?

Thanks for your advice,
Brett