I have a 97 Accord with about 185,000 miles. I recently turned on the A/C and heard a very loud rattling/clicking noise. Upon further investigation, it appears to be coming from the A/C condenser fan. I can't see any foreign objects that might be lodged against the fan. It's a very loud noise and only when the fan is on. Could the fan be loose? Is it the condenser motor? Is this something I can fix without having to deal with discharging/charging the A/C? If so, what parts do I need and is it as straightforward as it looks (2 bolts on top and 1 on bottom) to remove the fan assembly. Thanks for your help.

 

yup that fan is probably toast. and it is just as easy as it looks. one plug, three screws and it comes right out. no need to mess with the a/c at all. and the fan separates from the actually motor. that usually how the auto stores have it. just the motor, and then you attach your old fan and then wire it up.

 

OK,

So the clicking is coming from the motor and I can use the old fan blade and housing assembly? That gounds easy enough. Thanks for the help and if anyone has any other tips, thanks for those too. This site is great.

 

Before buying a new motor, I'd find the real location of the noise. Reach in & spin the fan blades (engine cold so it can't start up suddenly). Sometimes the shroud around the fan gets warped & the blades hit something. Then you need the shroud instead of a new motor...

Push/pull the fan in & out from its motor. If the motor shaft actually moves, then you need a new motor. If the motor isn't held into its mount, then you have to figure out what's broken.