Every now and then, I think maybe only when it's been warm out (which it hasn't been much since I bought the car) I hear an electric, sort of revved-up sound coming from the engine compartment. When I turn the engine off, it slowly comes to a halt. Not exactly grinds to a halt, but definitely winds down somewhat noisily. Fan bearing? Just regular fan noises? Sorry if this is one of those super common Subaru problems, but I never know quite what to search under..

'87 carbed GL Wagon

 

Thanks!

Howdy MT

 

If it has AC in may have a mechanical viscous clutch fan.

If the coupling is going south while you stay north -

it could come apart.

The result could be it throwing itself into the rad.

Bad juju this.

 

If it's the electric fan - test by turning the ignition to ON

(not start)

while the winding down is happening, if it's the electric the noise will change.

 

Dry bearing in the fan can cause an overload and burn out a fuse or the thermo switch.

Thanks Skip. So I should see what happens if I don't turn the car ignition completely off...listen for changes? I have AC but the previous owner told me he disabled it...not completely sure how. I know in my Toyota I could just take the belt off, but Subarus have a lot of other things run off that belt, so that's not it.. Anyway, that gives me some things to check out, thanks.

Also stick your head under the hood (with the car off) and make sure all the fan blades are accounted for. A broken blade can make a loud fan too.

 

 

nipper

heck, when it makes the noise, pop the hood and see if you can identify where it's coming from.

 

 

I had the bearing in the electric fan go out on one of my '88s. I had it manually switched, so it was pretty obvious where the noise was coming from. and it was a pretty loud shreaking sound that would go away once it had been run awhile.

Ok, this is not a loud crazy noise, it's just more noisy than (I think) it should be, and only happened once in a great while before the last few days when it really started heating up.

I checked under the hood and it seems to be coming from the fan. The pitch does change when I turn the engine off but leave the aux on. Does this just mean a new bearing in the fan?

Ok if I'm replacing a bearing in the engine fan...is that it? I just order a bearing and replace it? Or are there some things I need to replace while I'm at it?

which fan is making the noise, the electric fan or the one on the water pump shaft, turned by a belt?

 

If it is the electric fan, you would probably be best suited by going to a junkyard and picking up an electric fan out of a subaru there... any ea82 electric fan should work.

 

If its the "clutch fan," the one mounted on the water pump shaft and turned by the belt on the crankshaft, then you need to replace your "fan clutch." this is a thermally activated clutch, that will grip the fan blade and force it to spin when the engine is hot, but when it is cold it allows the shaft to spin without turning the fan blade.

 

Replacing the clutch fan isn't typically a major job to do, but I have never done it on a soob. I know removing the fan blade (which is normally the difficult half of the job) is not too difficult if you have fairly small hands, or a long 10 mm wrench or two. I would advise breaking the bolts loose before loosening the belts at all, that way the belts help hold the pulley immobile. The shaft has flat spots on it for you to slip a crescent wrench or something like an 18 or 17 mm wrench onto, to hold it in place when you re assemble.

eletric fans you'll have to figure out the bearing part number or size. easiest way is to take the bearing to a bearing supply store as most people just replace the fan when the bearing dies so you might have trouble finding the part number/size without removing it first.

Ok, I think it's the electric fan...When I turn the engine off but leave the auxilary power on, the noise continues, but the pitch changes..Skip mentioned that meant electric fan. It really only does it when it's hot out.

Maybe I'll check new prices & some junkyards for the whole fan assembly. Thanks a lot!

Ok, I think it's the electric fan...When I turn the engine off but leave the auxilary power on, the noise continues, but the pitch changes..Skip mentioned that meant electric fan. It really only does it when it's hot out.

Maybe I'll check new prices & some junkyards for the whole fan assembly. Thanks a lot!

 

Well, I cant see it being the clutch fan if it continues after the engine stops running, but stick your head under the hood with the key on, engine off and that will answer that question beyond doubt.. I got lucky with an inexpensive fan, I hope you do too.

Well, I cant see it being the clutch fan if it continues after the engine stops running, but stick your head under the hood with the key on, engine off and that will answer that question beyond doubt.. I got lucky with an inexpensive fan, I hope you do too.

 

 

Found a $25 electric fan assembly at the junkyard (Subaru wanted $200 just for the fan motor!). Somebody had cut the wires and spliced them, so I had to do the same, but it works, and no noise.

Found a $25 electric fan assembly at the junkyard (Subaru wanted $200 just for the fan motor!). Somebody had cut the wires and spliced them, so I had to do the same, but it works, and no noise.

Woot! Woot, I say!!

 

Congrats on the fix, nice aint it? Thanks for the update.

 

I got a nice OEM fan to replace an aftermarket one my brother had put on, and along with it came a brand new radiator with brand new subaru clutch fan shroud.. The rad said nothing about being a subaru part, and it seemed different.. but someone went and put a brand new shroud on it, so I figured why not snag the extra clean paint.. once I cleaned the shroud of the new-to-me electric fan up, the front clip looked like a different car!

It's cool when things work out so well.

Thank god for junkyards.