944s2 radiator fan fun
02-29-2012, 01:19 PM
#16
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
It appears the fans only come on when the gauge in the car is just below the upper white line, and when the do come on they sound like they're spinning at slow speed. Once they do come on they have no trouble knocking the temp down the just above the lower white line. It is pretty cold right now here in MN, so that might change once it gets a bit warmer. The radiator was replaced back in 96 according the receipts I have, though that was 12 years before I had bought the car. Don't have an IR thermometer so I can't check the external temps. Not sure on the water pump, it was replaced back in 04 and has about 12000 miles on it. I know when I replaced the thermostat, the old one was installed oddly. The gasket wasn't seated around the thermostat, I believe it was just squeezed in between the thermostat and the combination of shims and c-clip. When I installed the new one I seated the larger o-ring around the edge of the thermostat.
When at cruising speed the temp sits between the lower white mark and the middle of the gauge, I've never had it climb to the upper line while at speed.
When at cruising speed the temp sits between the lower white mark and the middle of the gauge, I've never had it climb to the upper line while at speed.
02-29-2012, 01:41 PM
#17
Three Wheelin'
Verify the low speed operation of the fans using the steps above. If they are both working, i would install the 85/93 temp thermo switch. The low speed will run a lot unless you change the thermostat to an 80 or lower.
It does not sound like you have a severe problem, it just runs warmer than you are comfortable with. I totally understand that!
It does not sound like you have a severe problem, it just runs warmer than you are comfortable with. I totally understand that!
02-29-2012, 02:00 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
It appears the fans only come on when the gauge in the car is just below the upper white line, and when the do come on they sound like they're spinning at slow speed. Once they do come on they have no trouble knocking the temp down the just above the lower white line. It is pretty cold right now here in MN, so that might change once it gets a bit warmer. The radiator was replaced back in 96 according the receipts I have, though that was 12 years before I had bought the car. Don't have an IR thermometer so I can't check the external temps. Not sure on the water pump, it was replaced back in 04 and has about 12000 miles on it. I know when I replaced the thermostat, the old one was installed oddly. The gasket wasn't seated around the thermostat, I believe it was just squeezed in between the thermostat and the combination of shims and c-clip. When I installed the new one I seated the larger o-ring around the edge of the thermostat.
When at cruising speed the temp sits between the lower white mark and the middle of the gauge, I've never had it climb to the upper line while at speed.
When at cruising speed the temp sits between the lower white mark and the middle of the gauge, I've never had it climb to the upper line while at speed.
Oddly, there is a place in my commute where there is an extended stretch slightly uphill, speed limit 40, where if I hold 4th, it gradually rises to the point the fans are about to come on, but if I lug it in 5th, it stays cool even if it's 95 outside.
08-07-2015, 03:02 AM
#19
Wind
Quote:This all sounds real normal to me. In 90+ weather if I'm moving at >30 mph, not holding a low gear unnecessarily, it runs just above the 1st white line. Stop at a light, it gradually creeps up.
Oddly, there is a place in my commute where there is an extended stretch slightly uphill, speed limit 40, where if I hold 4th, it gradually rises to the point the fans are about to come on, but if I lug it in 5th, it stays cool even if it's 95 outside.
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Just picked up an S2 last year and changed thermoswitch as fans were not coming on when parked after a hot ride. I noticed some coolant dribbles every morning on garage floor after driving on hot days. That is fixed now with the new switch. Had a 944 for 15 years prior and 924 for the past 25 years so very familiar with that perpetuated design flaw.
Oddly I have a similar stretch in my commute and if AC is on and I charge uphill in 3rd or 4th at about 40 mine hits the upper white line or just a hair under it as well. There's a stop sign atop the hill and as soon as I go from it down the next hill, the guage goes to just a hair above the lower line or possibly in the middle. This is only at 90+ degrees or worse 90+ humidity. I'm thinking it's scary but may be normal too. 944 and 924 did similar things but not as high on the lines at same location.
Nobody has really posted any yay or nay to the quote above so here is one yay.
Here's the kicker. Turn AC and thus the fans off and try the same hill. I get temp stuck on the lower line. Same hill same 40mph same 90+ degrees.
Somewhere I tripped across a post that said these 924/944 models have trouble breathing at above 35mph if AC and thus fans are on high because the spinning fans actually impede airflow through radiator to the engine. They like to cool with the wind. Seemed like an interesting theory. I decided to experiment with this on my daily commutes and sure enough..... turn fans/AC off when going faster than 35 on uphill climbs and you will see amazing results with temp guage. As soon as you stop turn fans back on- AC switch and guage cools quickly to lower white line.
Of course this will make your finger hurt from clicking the switch so many times. So just drive it like it's meant to be driven hard, crank up the AC, and don't worry about the guage when it's 90+ outside.
Oddly, there is a place in my commute where there is an extended stretch slightly uphill, speed limit 40, where if I hold 4th, it gradually rises to the point the fans are about to come on, but if I lug it in 5th, it stays cool even if it's 95 outside.
------------
Just picked up an S2 last year and changed thermoswitch as fans were not coming on when parked after a hot ride. I noticed some coolant dribbles every morning on garage floor after driving on hot days. That is fixed now with the new switch. Had a 944 for 15 years prior and 924 for the past 25 years so very familiar with that perpetuated design flaw.
Oddly I have a similar stretch in my commute and if AC is on and I charge uphill in 3rd or 4th at about 40 mine hits the upper white line or just a hair under it as well. There's a stop sign atop the hill and as soon as I go from it down the next hill, the guage goes to just a hair above the lower line or possibly in the middle. This is only at 90+ degrees or worse 90+ humidity. I'm thinking it's scary but may be normal too. 944 and 924 did similar things but not as high on the lines at same location.
Nobody has really posted any yay or nay to the quote above so here is one yay.
Here's the kicker. Turn AC and thus the fans off and try the same hill. I get temp stuck on the lower line. Same hill same 40mph same 90+ degrees.
Somewhere I tripped across a post that said these 924/944 models have trouble breathing at above 35mph if AC and thus fans are on high because the spinning fans actually impede airflow through radiator to the engine. They like to cool with the wind. Seemed like an interesting theory. I decided to experiment with this on my daily commutes and sure enough..... turn fans/AC off when going faster than 35 on uphill climbs and you will see amazing results with temp guage. As soon as you stop turn fans back on- AC switch and guage cools quickly to lower white line.
Of course this will make your finger hurt from clicking the switch so many times. So just drive it like it's meant to be driven hard, crank up the AC, and don't worry about the guage when it's 90+ outside.
