Thread: Help, 3.2l petrol. Engine refuses to crank

So the starter motor and the thermo fan seem to have been on a timer to wear out at the same time! Temp gauge went high yesterday so I did some searching on the net and found that the i6 thermo fan is a known problem.
Long story short, headlights, bumper, radiator all out or moved just to get the thermo fan off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and yes that is the way LR do it....stuupid design....
Pulled the fan motor apart *it is not serviceable* and found that the carbon brushes, just like in the starter motor were worn out completely.
Not happy Jan.

I am going to try and source some brushes from somewhere and attempt a rebuild before spending $600odd on a new one.

Originally Posted by Richard93Vogue

.........I am going to try and source some brushes from somewhere and attempt a rebuild before spending $600odd on a new one.

Sounds like you're having a bad week.

I don't blame you for trying with a new pair of brushes though, I did exactly that with the ABS pump motor in SWMBO's Merc ML. MBAU wanted $2200 for a whole new ABS pump, but I paid $16 for a new set of brushes, and an hour or two of my own labour. Still going strong 3 years later.

Thermo fan motor is now 'reconditioned' and reinstalled and has so far been ok ie around the block twice! Thing is it seems to run all the time...but I have the A/C is on all the time too.

Should have taken some pictures I suppose, but I didn't....to get the thermo out you do have to undress the car from the front...bumper bar, headlights, plastic air dam things, then undo the radiator mounts and gently move the radiator back just enough to squeeze the fan out being very careful as the radiator is all ally and plastic and seems very thin!

I skimmed the armatuer and modified a set of brushes out of something else. Now all back in and working, probably a little noisyer than a new one but definately cheaper! Hopefully it will last a goodly while.