Fan Motor Running after turning off engine
 

Is it normal for what sounds like a fan motor to keep running for 10+ minutes after turning off the engine? It is a very loud whirring sound, and shuts off on its own after about 10-15 minutes. I'm in Houston, TX and the weather has been very hot (100 F) could it just be a cooling fan for the A/C?

Just had head gaskets, heater coil and O2 sensor replaced a week ago.

2004 Disco SE7
86,000 miles

The same electric fan does three things: cools condenser when AC is on and ignition is on; provides extra engine cooling when coolant hits 212 F when engine is running (AC or not), and cools down engine compartment when coolant is hot AND fuel temperature is above a certain point. That last one runs for 10 minutes or so after vehicle shutoff. This is from memory for a D1, the D2 may be slightly different. The RAVE manual will have a decription, but it will most likely be in the electrical troubleshooting guide. I would vote it "normal" for any location with those kinds of temps. Just for reference - how much did those three items cost?

its normal in houston texas where rain is a fleeting memory.

Thanks guys - yeah, it's hot and dry. Feels like Phoenix. I assumed it was cooling things down and probably normal, but wanted a 2nd opinion. Total cost of the work, including new header = $5,500

You still have a problem, even at 100 degrees, the engine should not get so hot as to keep the fan on. Your engine is running to warm and should be checked for a bad viscus clutch, bad t/stat and a plugged up radiator.
I have had my Disco run in death Valley for hours at a time, with the a/c on and never had the problem you are experiencing.
Get it back to your mechanic, have them use a scanner to track your engines operating temp, in town, you should not be over 200 degrees and on the road 215 is starting to push it.

Checked the RAVE -

after engine shutdown. When this occurs, the

fans are turned on for approximately 10 minutes

after the engine is shut off.

Mike is, as usual, on the mark. Engine temp of 110 degrees C would be needed to cause this, and that is 230 F. No need to be running at that temp, may indicate radiator that is partially blocked, visocus clutch for fan weak, etc. While the guages (and I use that term to refer to the idiot light with a pointer, not a linear reliable measuring device) may say normal, a scanner will tell the tale on vehicle that can provide real time data. And engine temp might be high without the fuel temp getting there, so you could have a problem and not get the after run fans.

My D1 did this before I serviced the radiator and fan clutch. Does not do it now, and we are 100+ around here as well. With a scanner I run 187 - 189 on the road at 55 mph. I'll be watching for that after run fan now as an indicator of problems, no matter what that "guage" tells me.

Thanks for the info Mike and Buzz. When temperatures her in Missouri were in excess of 100* the other week, my fan ran more or less continually while driving (A/C on) but turned off as soon as I shut the vehicle off. I'm glad to hear that NOT running after engine shut off is normal as long as engine temperatures are below a certain point. I was wondering if something was wrong, and hadn't consulted RAVE yet.

Mike, thanks for the advice. I will back to them tomorrow to check out the issues you listed. I'll post back with what they say.

You can check your visous clutch with two fingers, TRUCK NOT RUNNING. Just try to spin the fan. Should be stiff to turn when cold. When warmed up, turn off truck, and try to spin again. Should turn more, but not a full revolution. Clutch that leaks out fluid can "free wheel" when warm. So it does not cool nearly enough. Look at the technical section, there is a write up on a cChevy fan clutch ($49).

Mike and Buzz - thanks for the advice.

I took it to the mechanic who did the work. Turns out the water pump was leaking at the weep hole. They had presure tested the system, but the problem started occuring very soon after I picked it up. They are replacing the pump - no charge. Glad I checked in here.

2004 Disco SE7
86k