Cash for Clunkers

Tara Hornor
Written byTara HornorUpdated - October 19, 2023
Tara Hornor
Tara Hornor
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Tara Hornor is an experienced writer and entrepreneur with over two decades of experien... | See full bio

John Rush
Edited and Fact-Checked byJohn RushEditor
John Rush
John Rush
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With over four decades of experience, John Rush is a highly accomplished business owner... | See full bio

What is the car radiator fan function? 

Basically, a radiator fan blows cooler air through the radiator to lower the coolant temperature and cool off the heat from the car engine. Obviously, when the engine is running, it produces heat. That heat must be dispersed so that the engine will not experience any form of overheating or become too hot.

The overheating of an engine is clearly not a good thing and repairs can quickly become quite expensive! It is way cheaper to address a failing radiator fan than delay and face much bigger issues. Check out AutoBarn.com Special Offers for current deals on needed parts for the repairs. When the vehicle is moving at high enough speeds, the flow of air through the grille is enough to cool down the engine. How does a radiator fan work in the process? When the car or truck is moving at a slower speed, though, the radiator fan must kick on to help keep the engine cool since not enough air is flowing through the grille to the engine.

In the past, engine-driven fans were very popular. Yet, this type of fan had one very significant flaw. When the fans are needed the most, they tend to slow down. This is true because the fan drops its rotation speed when the car or truck is stationary or begins to slow down. Eventually, this paved the way for the existence of an electric cooling radiator as a better replacement for engine-driven fans.

What are the types of car radiator fans?

Generally, the radiator fan does not work by itself. These fans are known to be an important component of an overall cooling system of a specific vehicle. For a car or truck to really work smoothly, all of the parts must be working correctly and without flaws. There are different kinds of radiator fans: electric and manual.

Electric fans are used to help with engine performance and help create less emissions. They use a computer sensor that detects when they need to turn on to cool down the engine. Manual fans are connected to the engine drive pulleys. When the engine is operating at higher temperatures, a thermo fan clutch senses the radiator heat and engages the radiator fan.

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Learn how a radiator fan works from Cash For Clunkers

Where is the car radiator fan located?

The car radiator fan is found between the engine and the radiator, although some radiator fans are found at the front or anterior part of the radiator.

Electric fans are found in the front part of the radiator and are also referred to as “pusher fans”. These pusher fans receive the air which comes through the grille area. Eventually, they push that cooler air over the radiator area.

The fans which are found in the rear or at the back are referred to as “puller fans”. They serve to pull the air from the grille. It then draws the air over the radiator.

Will the thermostat affect the car radiator fan?

The thermostat found in the cooling system will control many of the electric fans. When a certain preset temperature has been reached by the car engine, the radiator fan will begin to cool the engine. The fan will turn off eventually if the temperature goes below the preset engine temperature.

In this article, we have learned about the basic things and information about radiator fans, their location, and how a radiator fan works. Stick around to read other related articles to radiator fans in our cash for cars blog.

If you want to know more about cars and their main systems or components, please stick around to know more about Cash for Clunkers. We also offer services related to buying used or junk cars. Should you be interested in used cars and making money from them, please visit call now or get an instant quote from Cash for Clunkers now!

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