With your help I was able to find the problem that was causing a horrible screeching from the hood of my car. It was the AC radiator fan. My car is arround 10 years old and tha fan does turn but the noise (as suggested by you guys) is likely to be due to something like lack of lubrication or something in the motor or whatever but it needs to be looked at. I want to remove it and take a look at the motor itself to see if I can fix it. The fan is held in by 3 screws that bolt onto the rad. One is very easy to get at, the second has a hose going into the rad and an inlet rubber thing over it but with a long allan key I can get to it... just... the third is on the bottom and it will be tricky to ge to because I can't see it but there is nothing obstructing it. However, the electrical connection. I have no idea how to disconnect it. Can somebody help? I tried finding a haynes manual (ebook) and can't find one :S

Thanks, hope you guys can help.

Update: I've worked it out!

However! I have found another problem which would explain why my coolant levels drop so fast, there is a leak in the rad, a tiny one in the bottom. Guess that needs to be replaced :S

If the leak is on the left hand side (looking in direction of the car) then id check its not from the cooling fan switch and running down.

It is from the left, I will check if it's from the switch tomorrow, it's getting dark and overcast I can't see much. The motor seems to need lubrication on the bearings but it looks like I need to remove the fan to get to it. The fan is attached the the shaft of the motor without any screws, I have no idea how it's attached. Any help or where I should look?

Just an update, I've included a couple of pics so you can see what I have:

Just an update, I've included a couple of pics so you can see what I have:

Had a similar prob on my Octy , it will seize eventually , and i ended up getting a complete new fan and motor unit , as i do not think they are supplied as seperate items , Try GSF or Euro car parts about £70 fotr the octy , complete and then fit back .

Looks like I can buy one from euro car parts for £50, not bad. Thanks guys. Now I need to identify where the leak is coming from, is it the rad or that temp sensor thingy :S

Oh, one more question, if I drive without the fan installed for a bit while I wait till the new one is delivered, it won't short circuit anything will it? The fan hardly ever comes on even when it was working and it's cold now so no idea why it's needed (again, just while i wait for a new one) my only concern is - nothing is plugged into the socket that the fan goes into.

It's not leaking from the temp sensor, it appears to be leaking from the bottom left (looking in same direction as car) from the mesh, there is a wet patch. The coolant is leaking very slowly, the entire summer I had to top up on coolant every 2 weeks so I'm thinking is it worth getting a new rad or just keep adding water to the system?

Right, Purchased a new rad and fan+motor, £100 for the pair, will be here tomorrow and then I start fitting it!

Right, Purchased a new rad and fan+motor, £100 for the pair, will be here tomorrow and then I start fitting it!

Hello mate, been a little while since you posted this, but I was wondering if you could tell me the part number of the A/C cooling fan. I'm assuming, like mine you've got the dual fan setup, where the smaller one runs just for the air-con.

Mine is completely missing this 2nd smaller fan you see and I can't find a part number anywhere. Help!!!

Right, Purchased a new rad and fan+motor, £100 for the pair, will be here tomorrow and then I start fitting it!

Hello mate, been a little while since you posted this, but I was wondering if you could tell me the part number of the A/C cooling fan. I'm assuming, like mine you've got the dual fan setup, where the smaller one runs just for the air-con.

Mine is completely missing this 2nd smaller fan you see and I can't find a part number anywhere. Help!!!