Dunasso

At what temperature should the oil cooler fan come on?

I left the car running this morning for a bit longer than I normally do. When I returned I noticed that the oil temp guage was a bit over half way. I don't remember it ever being that high before. The fan was not running and I know that I've heard it running before.

I took the car out and everything cooled back down soon after. It never got up to that point again but the car din't sit anymore with the engine running.

Later this evening I checked the fuses (OK). Switched out the relay with the A/C relay (identical) and the A/C fan still worked (ruling out falty relay). I pulled back the inner fender lining, unplugged the fan, and connected it to direct current (it woked fine in both directions of polarity).

Could it be the temp sensor?
Anyone know how it can be checked? Or should I just replace it and see what happens?

Duncan

J Henry

From my memory the 1st stage of the fan will come on just above the half way mark on the gauge & the 2nd stage will operate just before the gauge goes into the red. Can't remember what the temp values are.
For what it's worth, I didn't like my engine to be running that hot when in traffic so I had the dealer install a switch so that I could manually turn the fan on whenever i wanted to. Works a treat when in traffic!

mojorizing

Hi Duncan,

I like your avatar...oh, and the p car is sweet too!

What follows is from Adrain's book:
Sequence of events
1) engine is running and oil thermostat eventually opens approx. 8 to 9 o'clock on the guage. The oil flows forward to the cooler.
2) Sensor in oil cooler turns on fan on low speed when guage reads 9 to 10 o'clock. If guage then goes to the 11 o'clock position, fan runs on high speed.
3) Based on the trouble shooting section, if you disconnect the oil temp sensor leads at the cooler (open circuit), the fan should run at low speed. If you then jump the leads (short circuit) of the sensor the fan will run at high speed.

Given all this I would check that the thermostat has indeed opened to send hot oil forward .

later, Kevin

Dunasso

Thanks Kevin,

Beleive me...it was hot. I dont think I have experienced a thermo valve prob. However, I did unplug the thermo switch at the fan and nothin happened. I have yet to attempt a jumper lead across the terminals. Maybe I can try that sometime tomorrow.

Duncan

DarrylH

The CCU should recognise that as open circuit and switch on the fan at high speed, I think, but it can take a minute or so to react. Have you jumpered the low speed side at the relay terminals to make sure the fan runs at low speed? If not, try that first, it may be the ballast resistor is toast and the high speed is all that's working, and it doesn't come on until about 10 or 10:30 o'clock. If the low speed side is working, and the fan doesn't start at about 9:30, your temp sensor may be dead.

LouZ

Darryl

Adrian's book identifies the jumpers for testing the hi-speed, do you know the jumpers for the low speed side?

DarrylH

High speed jumper 3 to 5 - (30) to (87), low speed jumper 3 to 7 - (30) to (87c). Terminals are live even with ignition off...Good idea to have an inline fuse in the jumper wire...Prob'ly neurotic but hey, it's the car that made me that way...

N51

Thanks to Randall, everything you need to know is here:http://p-car.com/diy/fan/#Troubleshooting

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N