Iltis fan problem

[foxhound_69]

Hi there, my 2 radiator fan stop! The one on the passenger side never worked but know the other one stoped! I tried disconnecting thermo switches and putting wire together... Nothing happened now I'm planning to check the fuse but I don't know where it is... Where can I get one too? Is there something I can try? Help me please!! I wanna be back on the road real soon...

Thanks

David

[Marc Montgomery]

they are designed to come on a different temperatures. d/habitude cote chauffeur, it will come on first...and passenger side only if rad temp rises beyond what the first fan can cool, ie when idling for a long time. It is possible that passenger side didnt work (didnt come on) because your fluid temp never got hot enough?

these sensors do occassonally fail, there are similar commercial VW-Audi replacements..not exactly like the mil unit, but can be used.. Stuart knows more about this.

[rob love]

Actually both thermostatic switches are identical, it is their positioning that makes them come on at different times. But if you have joined the wires and the fans did not start, then you either have bad fans or no voltage. Check for power at the switches, one side of each should be hot. Jump the wires and then see if there is power to the fans. If so, then your fans are at fault. They did tend to seize up occasionally.

No fuses on an Iltis, it is all circuit breakers located behind the dash to the leftof the steering wheel.

[foxhound_69]

Will try that!

Thanks

[Matthew Reid]

The fans motors can be rebuilt, The brushes are huge in these things and should last for 100 years. There is a radial ball bearing (front) and a bushing back to support the armature. The bushing is an oilite bushing and should give no trouble but should be oiled once a decade or so.

Both the front bearings were shot in my 85 Iltis the primary one was not far from seizing right up. You can not really tell the condition of the bearings with the fan blades on the motor. So check to see if the fans turn freely first. If not then the bearing is toast.


The bearings are a standard size and were an on the shelf stock item at the local Commercial Solutions (bearing dealer). The Bearing is held in place by a cover plate that is held in place by 4 small spot welds.

Remove the fan from the motor (This is most easily done if the motor is left in the fan shroud) Be sure to fold back the tab on the keeper. This keeper does double duty it prevents the nut from backing off and locks the fan to the armature.

Do not be to worried if you mess this little guy up it is a standard item used on Mercedes Cars with a condenser rad fan in front of the rad through all the 1980's. (sorry do not have a Mercedes part number), In fact the fan motor on the Iltis is the same basic Bosch condenser fan motor as used on the Mercedes in the 1980's.

Check how freely the armature shaft turns, It should turn freely with no binding or roughness. If it does not turn freely the bearing is shot.


Remove the motor form the fan shroud. Remove the 4 nuts that hold the motor together, and pull the motor apart.
If the cover plate stays on the armature you will have to press it off.

Give the motor a good wash out with brake clean or the like to rid it off of all the carbon dust from the brushes and old grease in the back bushing.

On the cover plate drill out the spot welds on bearing retention plate from the back side (motor side) with a drill bit ( I do not recall the size off hand) that will allow you to install a 6/32 machine screw through the hole.
Drill out all 4 spot weld and remove the cover. The bearing should just tap out of the motor cover plate.

Press in the new bearing in to the cover plate.

You will have to bolt the bearing retaining plate back on with some 6/32 machine screws. You may have to grind the heads down a bit if you are not using low profile slot drive pan head screws. It is advisable to test assemble the motor and the fan to insure you have clearance to the back of the fan from the head of the screws.
Bolt the retaining plate on with the screws with nuts on the back side of the plate (motor side). Loctite the nuts in place with permanent loctite (after you have checked for clearance to the back of the fan).

With a hack saw cut the screws off flush with the nuts.

Lube the back bushing with some synthetic grease or synthetic oil. (this will last longer than conventional lubricants)

Then reassemble the rest in reverse of disassembly.

Note: be sure to orient the cover plate key way notch to the tab in the fan case when reassembling.

You now have a rebuilt rad fan motor that will operate as good as new.


Matthew

[Matthew Reid]

Will Do Stuart.


Matthew

[foxhound_69]

Now my passenger side works and I didn't do something special, just give my iltis a ride yesterday...

Thanks guys for your input

Dave