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2014 Engine cooling radiator fan motor 16363-21060 failed.

Discussion in 'Prius c Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by luis perez, May 10, 2023.

  1. luis perez

    luis perez Junior Member

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    Hello!

    I am in the middle of replacing the 16363-21060 motor for the radiator fan for a 2014 C one, it's a bit tricky because the A/C radiator shares the same plastic base at the bottom that also supports the radiator for the engine.
    If you pull up the engine radiator, the A/C radiator also comes along. Also the A/C radiator metal tubing interferes with pulling up the assembly composed of the fan & engine radiator if you simply move the A/C radiator forward.
    I think two people are needed to ensure that you do not mangle any fins. I winded up taking the bumper so I could have room to maneuver.
    The videos I saw just do not show having to do any of this =) When you work with the A/C radiator, avoid stressing the metal tubing for the refrigerant. If something breaks or leaks it will not be easy to service that system. Just finding the ND 11 POE oil for that system will be a challenge.

    Anyway, my question is: By any chance does anybody know the torque for the 10mm nut that holds the fan to the motor? It looks just like the nut used to connect the copper bus bars to the NiMH batteries. It looks like 5N·m may be good?
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Haven't got a Prius c, but just triaging:

    1. "10 mm nut" is the socket size required for that nut? If so, it's likely an M6 nut.

    2. For an M6 nut, "5 Nm" sounds low. According to the site linked below, 5 Nm converts to ~3.7 foot-pounds. I think your logic is that it looks like a bus bar nut, therefore...? Considering it's holding a fan, and in the absence of any Repair Manual on-hand, maybe 8 ft/lb.

    https://www.omnicalculator.com/conversion/nm-to-ft-lb

    Torque Specifications
     
  3. luis perez

    luis perez Junior Member

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    Considering it's holding a fan, and in the absence of any Repair Manual on-hand, maybe 8 ft/lb.

    THANK YOU!!!!
     
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  4. luis perez

    luis perez Junior Member

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    Just wanted to do an update

    * Took apart the fan motor and the carbon brushes where completely worn out @ 47K miles. For the same part number there is at least another variation than has a plastic cap as a vent at the bottom. If less than 50K is the expected life of these motors, I think at some point in the future will go ahead and replace the brushes for about $10.00 & keep my original motor as a spare part. I am motivated to do that because the copper commutator was not so worn out, I think it can run handle another set of brushes. If I get really perfectionist, commutators are being sold at ebay for about $8.00 ... =)
    * You can test this particular motor by simply connecting to 12V, polarity for testing purposes does not matter. If you must follow polarity, blue is (+), black is (-)
    * The used motor I received from eBay had a resistance of 0.57 Ohms, measured with a Fluke 87. Did spin the motor very, very slowly and it always settled back to that value. Warning: It does have permanent magnets, spinning the motor too fast can fry the Ohmmeter.
    * The only way I noticed something was wrong was when the A/C quit cooling. I have no idea for how may days wife drove with a failed fan while assuming the problem was isolated to the A/C. The dashboard and MFD, etc, looked just the same. I as thinking the car leaked the refrigerant because I did hear the A/C compressor start then stop, and it kept repeating that. The fan at slow speed is very quiet.
    * In my 2014 the radiator fan always spins slow when the A/C compressor spins, temp does not matter. if temp raises then speed changes. That is now a test point for me in the future. I took me a while to notice that while I tested items.
    * I can now notice that the engine "shivers" a bit every time it starts after sitting for a while, I am now praying that I do not have to change the head gasket.
    * Moral of the story: Every once in a while start the A/C, lift hood and look lol. Take pictures of the coolant level to kind of keep track how that changes AND YES, monitor water temperatures, a poster recommended a "P10 Head Up Display OBD2 Car Speed Projector". That gadget will get you that reading among other items. I just ordered one of those.
    * In my opinion, minimalist style displays where temps are omitted just don't cut it.

    Yes, Toyota does not recommend rebuilding fan motors lol, but keeping in mind the myriad of past issues I've had with the C, that It seems that fan motors last less than 50K, that selling it is just morally icky AND that just I need to keep that Aqua running, well: $10 in brushes plus a drop of red line oil in the fan motor bearings should keep all OK for another 50K when the time comes.
     
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  5. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    Yep, cheap fans. My buddy was about to replace the compressor on his wife's CR-V. The A/C wasn't blowing cold. I told him to let me take a look at it; probably just low on R134. Popped the hood and both fans were dead. My buddy said, the car just isn't warm enough to turn-on the fans. I told him no; the A/C over-rides the thermostatic sensors - so he owes me a case of beer. I drank a six pack:ROFLMAO:, watching the temperature gauge go pass the half way point; before he would admit he was wrong.
    I made him stick his hand down the hot radiator side to disconnect the fan power wires - to jump directly to the battery. That proved conclusively the fans were dead:whistle:. My friend asked me why didn't we test it like this in the first place? I said, well for two reasons: 1. you wouldn't have let me drink six cans of beer. 2. You didn't believe me. The cost was only $85 for the pair of fans; and another case of beer :D

    The CR-V had 180K miles and no telling how long those fans were dead. That's what I like about Honda's and Toyota's, the motors are so efficient, those electric fans really don't get a work-out.
    I had an old Civic in high school with a bad thermostatic relay. Drove it around for 2-years and had to flip on the A/C when the engine got hot. I couldn't afford the cost of that part.:(
     
    #5 BiomedO1, May 14, 2023
    Last edited: May 14, 2023
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  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    what’s the miles on it? Have EGR components and intake manifold ever been cleaned.
     
  7. Sonic_TH

    Sonic_TH Active Member

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    Weird to see that yours failed so soon. My Prius C has almost 140,000 miles with still the original radiator fan, engine coolant pump, inverter coolant pump.
     
  8. luis perez

    luis perez Junior Member

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    [QUOTE="...ever been cleaned.....[/QUOTE]

    47342 miles....Nope.... I am not looking forward to that.... =)

    I am keeping an eye con coolant level. will wait a week before establishing a baseline and see what's next.

    If the car drinks coolant, well,
    * need to check the heat exchanger in the exhaust pipe
    * Try to get a camera and look inside the cylinders
    * Get holy water
     
  9. luis perez

    luis perez Junior Member

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    [QUOTE="...has almost 140,000 miles ......[/QUOTE]

    My 2009 has 0 problems with the engine cooling system .. albeit it did had an issue with the aux brake pump & hybrid water pump, both items where replaced by me. The hybrid battery was replaced last year just in case, it was working and it just had stared to leak.
     
  10. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Once you get above 25 the fans aren't needed.
     
  11. luis perez

    luis perez Junior Member

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    I think that is a good number because it seems that for the 2014 I have 27mph is a high efficiency point, it hits 60mpg for a couple of miles at a time
     
  12. luis perez

    luis perez Junior Member

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    Hello!

    By any chance can you suggest a guide to clean up those components?
    Good news: The coolant level remains stable...

    As always, any suggestions are very much welcomed!
     
  13. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    That is like asking Mendel "is the pope catholic?"

    IMG_2074.png
     
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  14. luis perez

    luis perez Junior Member

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    lol.... yup... I think I need plenty rest and sleep lol afterwards time to read =)

    THANK YOU ALL!

    PS I just checked coolant level, it did drop by almost an inch, adding up the engine tremble, I think I may be looking at at a head gasket replacement.

    A picture is emerging: At about 30K I replaced the spark plugs, the center electrode was gone so I tough that was the problem. The car stopped shaking for a while. I think it was low on coolant and I did not notice but the computer did, so it kept running the fan a high speeds to keep the engine cool. Carbon brushes gave out quickly. As I think about it, the fan motor failure is a blessing otherwise I may have never noticed anything: Dashboard never showed or has showed anything. At least the car is not burning oil.

    Once more I thank everyone