I'm having an issue with a slightly older condensing unit, that just started presenting this particular issue.

It's hot, so the a/c runs constantly, during the day. Recently, I walked over a vent, and noticed it was blowing hot air, so I went outside and found the compressor was running, but the fan was not. I stuck a stick in it and turned it, which it moved freely, so it's not locked up. I shut off the main breaker, next to the unit and checked all the wires, and they look OK. After a couple minutes, I flipped the breaker back on, and the fan kicked on, with the compressor.

I'm leaning toward the fan, and here's why:

There is only 1 capacitor, running to the fan and the compressor. If that cap were bad, wouldn't the compressor fail to start, too? The compressor has not failed to start, yet... where's some wood to knock on?. but I don't know if it's got a thermal shutoff, and I don't want to ruin it.

I caught the fan in fail mode, and found that it has a bad spot in the motor. It will start to turn, then lock up. When I push it with a stick, it makes a couple revolutions, then freezes. Bad fan.