SOLVED - Horrible motor or fan noise(s) on returning home from short trip

[ciaranob]

I had minor custom PPF work done on my car whilst away on vacation last few weeks which was done immediately after a fairly big service visit to repair an internal (center console) fan and a LHS charge door actuator but also involved a full PCM software install to deal with screens blanking out.

Well after driving the car home from the Custom shop, I dealt with a bit of a PCM meltdown (would not boot home screen/spinning wheel of death) which successivePCM, car/phone reboots appears to have largely being fixed (other than wireless CarPlay), but literally my second trip since picking up the car to a local restaurant 4 miles from home and on return to my garage I heard this on exit!!!

Sounds horrible and yes literally that loud - to me sounds like a fan about to implode but could additionally/separatey be a motor issue - ether way pretty pissed to say the least as I now have to head back to the dealership and see if it can be replicated.

Anyone else heard similar noises from their front ends?

Sponsored

 

[MadsK]

It is probably road dirt stuck in the grille for the fan in the inner screen. if it is not cleaned, there is a risk of the fan getting stuck and having to be replaced

 

[cityhpper]

Some debris stuck in the LH cooling fan frame?

 

[ciaranob]

Thaks guys - first inspection (a bit cursory) did not see anything but need to dig a bit deeper.

Car driven 100% on highway/city street roads i.e. zero loose/off-road but of course doesn't stop dirt from wet streets etc getting in.

No sound on start up this AM but of course again need to get those fans spinning!

 

[ciaranob]

So I've noticed that the LHS cooling fan does move when pushed around but does not spin freely - by contrast if you use fingers/rod to push (gently) the fan blades of the RHS fan they move much more freely i.e. almost free spin.

I see no evidence at all at this stage (through the inner wheel shroud vent slots) of debris or dirt/objects in there obstructing the LHS fan blades - I'd have to take the shroud off which is a bit of a hassle - altn might just have the techs at the dealership look at it.

Suspecting possible signs of a fan motor issue i.e. about to freeze/seize but will prob take the lower half of the wheel well cover off before a dealership visit to see if anything obstructing the fan spin that I cannot see through the vent slots.

I replaced (myself) the entire right hand inner wheel well cover and an underside plastic cover piece after road debris literally cracked them up about 4 months or so ago - not a hard job and prior to replacement momentarily that RHS fan had its blades rubbing against the deformed plastic making a not too dissimilar noise - fortunately zero damage to the fan motor/blades and an easy DIY to get it back to new.

See that thread here:
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...plastic-on-underside-of-ct.12449/#post-233374

In this case though, as noted above there is either accumulated dirt not visible through the vent slot openings in the wheel well or the motor itself is suspect, as there is zero damage to the fan shroud/plastic bits below/ini front and all around it.

Fun fun!

 

[ciaranob]

SOLVED!

@MadsK
@cityhpper

Well sure enough after partially unscrewing the wheel well cover and inspecting the fan shroud and blades it was indeed being obstructed in some way - you could clearly feel resistance between the fan blades outer ring and the shroud it sat in.

I gently moved the blades back and forth for a while - almost gave up - when suddenly they just span freely and no noise/resistance other than the sound of something dropping out - used a flashlight and sure enough there they were, three rock chips that had gotten into the fan housing and one at least had wedged between the fan blades outer ring and the shroud cover, hence the horrible noise and rotating resistance.

I know many others have experienced this very same issue and it really is a huge design flaw not to have some sort of mesh to stop chips this size entering the fan housing and for such a critical part!

Mostly happy its resolved (for now!).

PS: and to be clear these chips were picked up from entirely dry city paved roads!

 

[Hirschaj]

SOLVED!

@MadsK
@cityhpper

Well sure enough after partially unscrewing the wheel well cover and inspecting the fan shroud and blades it was indeed being obstructed in some way - you could clearly feel resistance between the fan blades outer ring and the shroud it sat in.

I gently moved the blades back and forth for a while - almost gave up - when suddenly they just span freely and no noise/resistence other than the sound of something dropping out - used a flashlight and sure enough there they were, three rock chips that had gotten into the fan housing and one at least had wedged between the fan blades outer ring and the shroud cover, hence the horrible nose and resistance.

I know many others have experienced this very same issue and it really is a huge design flaw not to have some sort of mesh to stop chips this size entering the fan housing and for such a critical part!

Mostly happy its resolved (for now!).

PS: and to be clear these chips were picked up from entirely dry city paved roads!

Thanks for sharing. This is a ridiculous design flaw.

 

[ciaranob]

Thanks for sharing. This is a ridiculous design flaw.

Agreed - and whilst I was working the problem I realized how incredibly easy it would be to fix this from happening prob 99% of the time w/o having to cover up openings (restrict airflow) with wire mesh etc (as other forum mbrs have done).

You would simply need a 'lip' maybe 1 cm or less deep on each side of the Fan Shroud to completely cover the gap between shroud and fan blade outer ring i.e. the gap between them that traps dirt/rock chips and the issue would be gone!! Could even be removable if for any reason fan blades/ring needed replacement.

I should patent the damn design and sell it to Porsche !!

 

[CxM]

Thanks for sharing.
I've had that sound and it went away after driving a bit. Would it be possible to install mesh in there?

 

[TaycanCook]

Agreed - and whilst I was working the problem I realized how incredibly easy it would be to fix this from happening prob 99% of the time w/o having to cover up openings (restrict airflow) with wire mesh etc (as other forum mbrs have done).

You would simply need a 'lip' maybe 1 cm or less deep on each side of the Fan Shroud to completely cover the gap between shroud and fan blade outer ring i.e. the gap between them that traps dirt/rock chips and the issue would be gone!! Could even be removable if for any reason fan blades/ring needed replacement.

I should patent the damn design and sell it to Porsche !!

Glad you found the problem. Is it a design flaw? Or was it designed so that people bring it in for service??

 

[ciaranob]

Thanks for sharing.
I've had that sound and it went away after driving a bit. Would it be possible to install mesh in there?

I’d imagine most smaller debris might get spun out but of course the danger is that larger stuff would jam it up and conceivably burn out the fan motor never mind the impact of reduced coloring on batt if unnoticed whilst driving etc.!

There is a recent thread here somewhere where a mbr purchased custom fit mesh inserts (a German co. I think beginning with Z!) that effectively covers up the whole area in front of radiators in front left and right.

Personally don’t care for the look but no doubt effective - however would surely neg impact airflow too and in my extra hot climate this a non-starter for me.

I might seriously look into my idea of a ‘clip-on’ or removable lip to block chips entering the gap between shroud and fan ring as a more efficient fix if I can get it done.

 

[VA_CT]

Sorry

SOLVED!

@MadsK
@cityhpper

Well sure enough after partially unscrewing the wheel well cover and inspecting the fan shroud and blades it was indeed being obstructed in some way - you could clearly feel resistance between the fan blades outer ring and the shroud it sat in.

I gently moved the blades back and forth for a while - almost gave up - when suddenly they just span freely and no noise/resistance other than the sound of something dropping out - used a flashlight and sure enough there they were, three rock chips that had gotten into the fan housing and one at least had wedged between the fan blades outer ring and the shroud cover, hence the horrible noise and rotating resistance.

I know many others have experienced this very same issue and it really is a huge design flaw not to have some sort of mesh to stop chips this size entering the fan housing and for such a critical part!

Mostly happy its resolved (for now!).

PS: and to be clear these chips were picked up from entirely dry city paved roads!

Thanks for the update.

Sponsored