The purpose of the Fan is to cool machinery within your equipment. Fans can be found within the engine, in flywheels, and near belts and shafts. A damaged fan can impair the cooling systems in your equipment, potentially leading to damage to more expensive, less easily replaced parts from overheating. Replacing a Fan in larger equipment can require extensive disassembly, so if you choose to do this repair yourself make sure to note the configuration and reassemble the unit exactly as it was.