Somewhat urgent problem

[hl2k3]

Hey guys, this is regarding my golf, I've already made a posting on vortex, but I need some ideas on this asap.

Heres the story thus far, last weekend I blew a hole in my rad (no idea how, but it was pretty big).

Buddy came down with a replacement rad from a earlier model, it didn't fit but it was secured and the hoses connected, fine.

Still leaked coolant, wasn't overheating tho, except once today, fan was VERY intermittant

Went to VW Dealership, they said, low speed fan - $419, new rad $190

I went to a scrapyard, got a lowspeed fan and a rad for $75, the rad may not be good but it looks alright, as I have no way of knowing, installed the PROPER rad + fan, connected and secured the hoses, etc etc...

its overheating now, but not loosing coolant, and the fan is dead, I'm wondering if the coolant spilled couldn't have shorted the fan, I got from Milton to Mavis Rd A&W (30ish km) and I was smoking from the hood with the temp gauge reading 130'c+

Any ideas on what I should try next? Appreciated!!!!!

Edit: the low fluid light has been going off all the time, despite the fact the thing is filled to the point of almost overflow

[Burrcold]

are you sure the fan was ever actually working? You said you didn't lose any coolant, so how would it have spilled and shorted the fan?

[Pineapple]

You can hose the fan down with water and it won't do a damn thing to it. Remember its in front and taking all the splash and rain.

Change your thermostat. Also check switch and wire for fan. I'll stay away from used rad. $190 for a new one is not bad.

You can check the fan by unplug it and connect 12V from the battery to it. Make sure non of your body part is in the way. Don't need to spin the fan up to full speed. As long as its start to rotate when it get power its working.

[hl2k3]

the original fan WAS working, and now its not, so I'm wondering if coolant fluid didn't get INTO the electrical, because when they took the original off, coolant went everywhere with the ellectrical connection off

I'll try the thermo and I was already going to test the wiring as it was a similar thought

[FlyCanadianGuy]

Get ready to replace a head gasket... Check for frothy white coolant. Whats the condition of the water pump? And do what Pineapple said, hook up 12V directly to fan leads and see if it will spin, dont assume things, just do it. If it works fine, run the engine, what till it starts to warm up and using a voltmeter check resistance or voltage leads going TO the fan. Dont let it overheat again though.

[hl2k3]

ok, I'm a dumbass, when I put the new rad on I didn't fill it first, because it didn't cross my mind (remember I'm noob @ fixing cars). But its ok it now has 6L+ of coolant and will have some more soon enough, the overheating is gone and the console bitching about the rad level has stopped, now to source the fan.

I put a voltmeter up to the leads on the connector, of the 3 leads that link up, I got

Gnd 6v 6v

Now this doesn't make sense, its receiving power both in completely off and car running states, but the fan is not moving?

I'm going to run a 12v lead to it in attempt to see if she spins

[Pineapple]

Next time, change thermostat also. Its a $10 part and you'll lose coolant changing it.

Make sure you put heat setting from cold to hot a few time while engine is running. This will open and close the water valve and move air out. Also check coolant level for a week or two.

[hl2k3]

I'll prolly drain it and do it properly since its 70% water right now (was loosing too much coolant)

the fan is still not running but I haven't tested it yet, will see about the thermo as this week is going to be open

[Pineapple]

Since you're at it, flush the system also.

[hl2k3]

whats the best way to flush the system?

I've never preformed a rad flush

[Pineapple]

Change engine coolant on a 2002 Corolla
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t44970.html