10 o'clock oil temps - oil cooler fan/thermostat (fixed)
 

Update: I've fixed the problem - both the oil thermostat insert and oil ballast resistor were bad. Enjoy the thread below as I reached new highs and lows in my efforts to diagnose and fix the problem myself. I also gathered TONS of useful information through a through RL search.

Just the other day my oil temp jumped from its usual spot on the dial, 8:30-9 o’ clock, to 10 o’clock. As an extra precaution, I opened the engine lid and stuck a big floor fan in the bay to help cool things down when I got home.

Ok, looks like I have a thermostat issue to solve? I’ve never touched any of the parts involved (except the oil drain plug) and the systems mostly just work with me being oblivious to it all (fans turning on and off)…now it’s time to learn lots of NEW stuff, and prove my metal...hope I’m not crying by the end of this…

I really need your help on this one. I’m hoping to drive up to VIR in the car this weekend and watch the races. I hope to order parts tonight (extra parts if necessary) to hopefully solve the problem?

What I know:
• Engine oil temp normally runs below 9 o’ clock
• Changed the oil about 300 miles ago, could I have tweaked the thermostat while opening the oil drain plug?
• #2 fuse in the trunk is fine
• Switched the R04 and R14 relays (have not turned on the car yet)
• Still very confused as to how to up do a relay jump? Would any decent auto parts store be able to create one for me?
• I haven’t checked the front fender temp (to see it if was hot or not)
• The temp. did not climb past the 248 mark – No warning light also, so HIGH speed fan is working!

What I’ve done:
• In combing over tons to RL threads I’ve come to the conclusion that the low speed fan is not coming on and I need a new oil cooler ballast resistor AND (maybe) RO4 relay? I know it could also be the thermostat or a larger problem with the oil cooler fan, but this seems like a good place to start.
• Parts ordered overnight (resistor and relay)

What I’m planning on doing next:
• This afternoon will be the first time I can drive the car again (assuming it’s safe to get it up to temperature? I’m pretty sure the temp will go back up to 10’o clock again).
• I’ll check the front fender for heat (assuming it will be cold/warm).
• Check to see if the switched relays (RO4 and R14) effect the A/C fan operation? Switched relays, and no high speed A/C fan movement means oil cooler relay is bad? I’m assuming the relay jumper trick allows for the same thing to happen, but A/C will automatically work on low speed instead?

I’m in no-man’s-land right now, so thanks in advance for any additional support or help?! As a LAST resort...will EASY driving (25 miles) to my shop be ok?

As a side note: Thanks dfinnegon for the very helpful threads/post you have created on this subject!

Same thing happened to me last fall, it was running at 10 o'clock (nearing red). I'm a mechanical moron so I didn't (don't) have the "know how to fix" cars so I took it to the shop after I checked that the front fender was ice cold. It was the thermostat I believe, it was replaced and now it runs no more then 9 o'clock.

Not sure if that helps you any more, or maybe provides some reassurance.

PS - nice colour on your 964 ! LOL

The next time you drive, the thermostats will probably work again. This is how mine failed. It failed intermittently before I replaced it.

Just replace the thermostat on my 993 when it went to 8 o'clock and not opened up. If yours is a later 964 model then you can just change the innards.

Change it now, oil is the life and blood of this car. My old 964 thermostat failed and the car got up to 10PM but not red. Shortly after, my valve guide went and went from consuming 1qt per 1000 miles to 1qt per 400.

Good info.

I know, this is oil temp we are talking about here! Hate the thought of seeing 10 o' clock again...

Just switched R04 and R14 relays. AC blower fan -inside car and front driver's side wheel housing fan- worked on full high (engine off, is that correct?).

Not going to try jumpers at this point, relays seem to be fine.

So I'm waiting for the oil cooler ballast resistor to show up (tomorrow) and hope I don't see 9 o' clock again after the install...otherwise I'm booking it in next week.

I have to do one more short drive this afternoon (picking up daughter, so a must do drive), will feel the fender when I get home, and practice taking the wheel housing panel off to see what's going on inside?

Pleasure/pain...I love this car.

side tracked by another Slate Grey 964!
 

snasrulla,
Thanks for your comments. You were smart enough to check the fender!
Love the wheel style on your car, perfect stance also!

Picked my daughter up, 10 mile drive...kept the revs loooowwww, painful cruised at <3000. Had to upshift at one point, less than 2000 revs on the clock. Anyway, I was thankful for the low engine-stress trip.

Driving like this, I only saw 9-9:15 on the gauge. So does that prove that I could drive it like this, to watch the races this weekend (easy, no traffic, flat 50miler)? That's a last resort option I'm holding on the side if the ballast resistor doesn't fix things...

Ok, I pulled the cover to expose oil cooler...first of all I see weeping from the oil lines into the oil cooler. There is oily grit at the top of the fittings on the cooler (see picture). Obviously tightening it would be good, but are these fitting tricky – should I leave them alone, to prevent even greater leaks from occurring from starting?

Now that the wheel housing panel has been removed I can see where the ballast resister goes…or at least match it to the descriptions from some printed posts. Ballast resistor comes tomorrow.

Sorry for all the posts to my own thread...just working through the problem. :thumbsup:

So at the end of the day a couple things were bothering me...

The front fender didn't feel too after driving...does a cool fender mean that no oil was flowing through the cooler (@ 9 o'clock drive temp.), the thermostat remained closed?

Does a working low-speed fan create heat in the fender...by (the blowing fan) dissipating heat?

Now I'm confused as to whether I need a oil cooler temp. sensor (and)/or ballast resistor? Looks like the jumper test will decide...finally figured out how to make/test with a jumper?!

Pulled the R04 relay, jumped pins 30 an 87c - nothing, so no low speed operation, 30 and 87 works. According to past posts on the subject...the ballast resistor is gone. (Also tested the A/C relay, only high speed fan works also)

I'm done for the night...I had previously only ordered a new ballast resistor (and extra R04 relay), nothing for the thermostat. Hope that's enough to fix things?

If you are getting oil to oil cooler, probably then the resistor. I guess I wanted some control over the high speed fan, so I did what was done in the below thread and added a switch:

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ferrerid=48310

Some people do not like cutting wires, but I have been very happy with this. If needed quickly, the wire can be cut and you will always have high speed fan until a switch is installed.

Again, this is not for everyone.

Thanks Duck,
I saw that post during my RL search stage of this process. Given that I've now successfully made a relay jumper, I now have a little more courage do install/create a override switch (I like the on/off light switch idea - instead of watching the gauge drop or listening for fans...). One project at a time though...

Given what I've described in my rambling posts above...

-Would a Hammer tool give me the answer right away, would it point to either the Thermostat or a resistor? I ask because I'm ignoring the thermostat, and focusing on the oil cooler...just wondering if the Hammer would speak the truth in one minute...

-I'm really feeling good about my relay jumper test, as it proved my low speed fan wasn't working. Nervous about that but feeling cautiously optimist at the same time...

-In the picture above (oil cooler fittings), what's the correct way to tighten things up? Hold the bottom nut, and twist the top nut as shown? Or leave it alone so I don't create another, bigger problem?

-Any ballast resistor install suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks for hearing me out...

The right fender should be noticeably warmer than the left after a drive that's opened the thermostat.
[Mental burp: huh, never thought of it before, but I guess that makes the front right fender one big, ol' engine radiator surface, itself!]

Anyway, right fender not warmer than the other?
That'd be a BIG sign of a stuck-closed thermostat or crushed oil transfer tube.
More, here.

FWIW, while warming up, my temp gauge goes a little past the 8 o'clock line, and about a 1/2 mile after that quite noticeably drops back to just below the 8 o'clock line. This I take is my thermostat having opened up circulation to the right fender radiator. Before that, the oil's just making the tank-to-engine-to-tank loop.

why are you worried about the temp being at 9? Mine stays between 9-10 all the time in the summer around here especially in traffic. My thermostat works fine and my fans blow. The oil thermostat wont open until its about at the 9 position. The high speed fan wont come on unless its above 10 or so.

9 is fine...but then all of a sudden the last two drives I saw 10 (during easy, low traffic driving). That's never happened before, plus I've always been able to see a temp. drop after the thermostat opens up. Now it just steadily creeps up to 9+, 10 if pushing.

The last drive I took, I babied it (2 to 3K revs) and came home with the gauge at 9:15+ (not close to 10). I was afraid to rev it to more normal levels (4-5.5K) as I didn't want to build up heat in the engine. I'm pretty sure I would have seen 10 if driven with normal revs? I'm hoping the relay jumper test proves the low speed fan wasn't coming on, and that will fix it.

Thanks for asking the question, believe me I don't want to create any more problems for myself than necessary (I almost did that once when I almost needlessly replaced my fuel filter), the car is basically running 1 o' clock higher.

Sorry for all the "thinking out loud", it all comes down to my desire to keep this car on the road...

That's the one thing in the back of my mind last night...was the fender warm or not? After that drive I had to unload my daughter, etc. so it took me 10+ minutes to get back to the car...had the fender cooled off by then?

That's when I decided to do the relay jumper test. I felt better after concluding the low speed fan wasn't working. Hoping that was my sole problem?

Still have the thermostat monkey on my back though...

When the thermostat opens, and lets oil flow to the cooler, the fender warms up. That's a given. Maybe in Phoenix in the summertime you can't notice, but with your shrouding off it's easy enough to try to touch the cooler.

That said, the fan up there doesn't do a whole lot outside of miserable, commute-from-hell, stop-and-go traffic. I ran my '92 C4 without the fan for several years (to not restrict airflow through there when I was at the track). No noticeable difference ever when street driven. I'd estimate that even at 40-50mph you've got more airflow through there than any fan can provide.

I'll even confuse things further. Consider any 3.6 that's put in a torsion bar car. The three I've done, a big B&B cooler goes in the nose. No fan. Still no problem for street driving. Now I am talking about a moderate Bay Area climate; it still gets 100+ out in the East Bay sometimes.

You can try to run the A/C for a few minutes. This forces both cooling fans on, and will result in airflow over the oil cooler in traffic.

I installed a switch on line 16 (check me on that) which fools the CCU into thinking that the ballast resister has failed, which forces the oil cooler fan into high speed mode. I only use it on hot days in traffic, but it keeps the oil below 9:00 all the time.

Nope.
(A half hour after I've parked in the garage, the difference between the two fender temps is still obvious.)

Crapped-out Thermostat just went to the head of my usual suspect list for this case.
(With his closest known associate, Crimped Tubing, a distinct, though less likely, slippery-alibied suspect.)

Even if the fans are not working, you should see a drop in temp as soon as the thermostat opens. It is a noticeable drop and then the temp should start building again. If you only saw a steady climb in temp and no drop, then I would really consider checking the thermostat again.

+1

If that temp drop is observed, then the next likely candidate is the resistor that controls the low speed fan.
Do you have access to a Scantool (or Hammer)? There is a test sequence for the climate control unit (yes, it controls the oil cooler fan) that will test both low and high speed operation of the fan. If low speed does not come on, then the resistor is bad. Failure of the AC fan resistor is much more common, however, due to its proximity to the battery vent and the resultant corrosive environment.

And, not to start a new battle... But I notice a definitely higher oil temperature when I have my undertray installed. This is a good thing in the winter, and is why I install it for winter driving. Without it, I found that my oil temperature many times did not get to the point at which the thermostat opened. Now in the winter my oil temperature climbs and the thermostat cycles properly. As a result, my oil is staying cleaner and my gas mileage is noticeably improved.
Is your undertray still installed? Probably not a good idea for hot climates.
OK, end of story - no debates over the undertray, guys.

good luck.
have fun, be safe

Duck,
That's exactly what I'm thinking also...a bad thermostat may still be lurking in there?

So hoping that I wasn't going down the wrong road, I installed the new oil cooler ballast resistor last night. I don't see how anyone can replace the resistor just by taking the wheel arch liner out? It's at the top, far side (very front nose of the fender) of the oil cooler - a very tight, narrow space about 18 inches in. I finally got an Allen wrench on it, but there was no way it was going to come out this way? :banghead:

I decided to go even deeper with this project and take off the front bumper (another HUGE first from me :biggulp:). Now I had better access (mostly from below)...the resistor was toast! Now my low-speed fan works, at least it was worth replacing and my time wasn't totally wasted?!

I finished so late last night I didn't want to wake the neighbors and go for a test drive...will test it this afternoon. Still worried about the thermostat (and will ask more questions about the parts listing later (thermo+spring+cap+o-ring+c-clip+more oil+new sil clips).

It took hours of work to get to this point, and maybe many more to come (I know I need to replace the weeping line coming into/out of the cooler), but I know so much more about this part of the car now...wow, that's the consolation prize at this point.

Here are a couple pictures, best part was when I son helped with the bumper:

:corn:
(I think I know how this movie goes - but it never gets boring. Like watching The Dirty Dozen on Sat. afternoon TV.)

I did mine by just taking off the wheel liner and the cover with the exhaust vents for the hot air underneath.

Very good point.

I'm sure the resistor could be changed just by removing the liner and bottom cover, but it was still too tight for my fat fingers, and the area was full of grit that needed to be cleaned out before installing the resistor...

I was under the impression that I would gain much better access if I took the bumper off (mostly from the side, not below).

Oil lines doesn't look that bad. I hate messing with oil line and its connectors. Difficult to get right and not making the leak worse.

there are a couple of foam like baffels that fit around the fan and cooler. These supposedly direct the air into the cooler. I dont know what effect then being gone would have.

The baffles in my car crumbled into dust about a year ago. Not sure if it affected the cooling.

cool fender = cool shoulder = cold war!
 

That's the least of my worries right now.

Came back from a drive...cool fender. :grr:
I thought my fender felt a little too cool after my drive the other day...darn slippery-alibied suspect (Lonnie:icon501:)

I've come so far, and would hate to give up now but I'm worried I find weeping oil lines or other things that will make me happy a shop has it. I'm recovering from yesterday's work so energy is low...

Maybe I'll order the parts, start the project and call AAA if I see anything ugly after taking the sils off. Getting energy back!

So looking at dfinnegan's recent thread I will look to confirm the following parts are correct:

964.207.047.08 thermostat
93 version supercedes all others
order from germany 4-6 wks
includes
circlip
o-ring
washer
circlip
screw plug
compression spring
13mm ball

Plus sil clips, 6+ quarts of oil.

Just ordered:
964-207-349-02
Oil Thermostat Insert for External Thermostat Assembly
964 C2/C4/Turbo (1989-1994)

Plus cap (just in case?) and o-ring.

Hey - my first post...

Might be a bit late - but my understanding is that part 964.207.047.08 (thermostat) - also includes 964.207.349.02 (valve/thermostate insert).

In the PET - the thermostat part no (#11 - I believe) 'brackets' in a few other parts - including the insert.

I have also just ordered 964.207.047.08 - and I was hoping/justifing the high cost was due to all the internals included.

Am I mistaken? Do I also need to order 964.207.349.02? :confused:

Robb B

I would replace the two rubber oil hoses attached to the thermostat. About 2 years ago, one of my hoses began to weep oil through the pores of the rubber. I replaced both. If you are going through the labor of removing the thermostat, I would replace the rubber hoses too. No increase in labor. My 2 cents.

Not trying to hijack your thread.....if time permits at somepoint, do you mind providing step by step snaphots of how you got the front bumper off? My project this summer is to do a bumperette delete and I'm struggling with finding detailed pics on how to do it.

There are some threads on bumperette deletes and bumper removal but not a real step by step picture guide - I need front bumper removal for Dummies. No hurry, solve your overheating issue first! Much appreciated in advance.

Hang in there, dude.
Do comprehensive searches of thermostat repairs from this forum.
Gather tidbits from a bunch that speak to you.

Oh - Simple Green the snot out of the thermostat area on your way in. Simple Green, left soaking for 5-10 minutes, does a remarkable job cutting through road grime and undercoating varnish.
(Clean vs. dusty: whether I'm swearing or enjoying the battle, my attitude is made better by a clean area. I don't know why. YMMV.)

OH! Is there any way of precluding that it's pinched lines? I'm thinking of feeling the two lines going forward after the car's warmed up.
Both lines cold? It's likely thermostat stuck.
One line warm? Thermostat is likely working. (And you've a pinched line?)

Anyway, shout out if there's peculiarities encountered along the way. Folks, here, seem to have seen it all!

And remember, on this Dirty Dozen mission, it pays to be ugly, determined, and succeed - like Charlie Bronson - not handsome, heroic... and shot down by some crummy little Nazi - like Jim Brown.

wwwDOTyoutubeDOTcom/watch?v=HkSkhjv6bPs&feature=related

Good luck. :cheers:

Robb B. I think that's correct. I just ordered the insert and will take pictures before I do the install.

snasrulla, My first time too. I'm hoping to do a more detailed write up after I fix everything...attached a picture with the screw locations.

Here's a link to good text that would match up well with the picture

Rocket Rob,
The lines around the thermostat all look good. Thanks for the heads up. With everything off I can see things a bit better...there is one line that I've got my eye on...probably fix it during the NEXT oil change.

Lonnie,
Thanks for your help along the way (as usual)! Simple Greened everything as suggested. Added pics of the thermostat to my Picasa album. Everything looks pretty good? http://picasaweb.google.com/udoreisinger2/ThermoSil#

Ok, here's where I stand.

-My thermo insert should arrive later today
-I've prepped the car - pulled the sils, cleaned the thermo area (will add more sil detail pictures after this project is done - more pictures here)
-There is oil all over the (hard) oil-line after the bend going up (the line as it's goes up at the back of the front wheel liner). There as also a weeping mess at the top of the oil cooler (front side of the wheel liner). I haven't pulled the back of the front wheel liner yet, but the flexible line is suspect! (can someone say NEXT project?!)
-looks like I'll definitely need a circlip tool...tried to fab a part to remove the clip and it almost comes out.
-the cap on the thermo insert looks different. I've ordered a new cap (and o-ring) with the thermo insert. (edit: it's the same cap design)
-some of the female (red clips), that hold the upper ridge of the sil, are very hard to remove from the body.


Getting there....

Replaced the thermostat insert last night! (pictures will follow later)

Couple notes for the newbies like me:
- make sure you have a stout circlip tool. My pliers would grab it and compress it, but the c-pliers flexed a lot and made getting the circlip out of the thermostat body very difficult.

- with circlip removed, next you remove the insert cap. I would have thought the cap would pop right out of the housing (the thermo insert is spring loaded from behind), but no...the circumference of the cap almost perfectly matches the circumference of the insert hole (plus there's a o-ring from behind that is also putting pressure on the edge of the cap). So with circlip removed the cap was still on solid and no really good way to grab it and pull it out (others with more experience please chime in...)? I ended-up using a small drill bit to create a small slot in the surface of the cap so I could work it free...

-I had ordered a new cap, but if you don't mutilate it during removal like I did, you won't one.

-also ordered a new o-ring, but the old one seemed fine?

-Not a lot of oil came out with the cap removed. I was prepared for a gusher, but I would be surprised if a total of a quart came out? (and that amount is during the whole time while I left it open and I tried various methods of putting the cap back on the thermo insert)...is there a problem here?

-you need a way to put pressure on the face on the cap so that it will seat in deep enough to put the circlip back in. I didn't have a clamp that would grab the back of the thermostat housing and put enough pressure on the cap so I could seat the circlip...I ended up using a stick placed against the wall and also pressing down on the cap. That pushed the cap in enough to seat the circlip! Total MacGyver move.

-New insert installed, no oil leaking on the floor this morning.

-Sils go back on this evening, then a test drive with my fingers crossed...

This photo worries me. Why is that oil line wet? Was something spilled or is there a leak?

https://rennlist.com/forums/attachme...-sil-front.jpg

Thanks Rob for looking at the mess.

I haven't pulled the back-half of the front fender liner to see where the leak is coming from?

I'm hoping the flexible oil line going over the front wheel is loose, causing the leak?

There was also a similar amount of weeping oil mess on the top of the oil cooler from the other end of the flexible line. I'm hoping that the flexible oil line is loose at both ends?

I'll clean up the area and tighten the line and check back in a week to see if it's weeping...

If not and I need a new line, is it an easy remove/install?

The fender well interior panel is easy to remove. I would definitely check this before you reinstall your rocker panel covers. I suspect that your one of your oil lines is leaking at the crimped (swage) between the flex and hard line portion (see below). I had a similar leak in the rear fender well. But I hope your wetness is caused something simple and doesn't require full replacement of the oil line.

Sorry, I can't comment on how difficult it is to replace the line, since I haven't done it.

https://rennlist.com/forums/members/...leak-point.jpg

Does it leak onto the ground? If not, I would leave it alone. There are horror and costly stories of trying to get the oil line nuts off. As for me, I've had some hard oil line connection continue to leak/weep no matter what I do.

axl911,
Thanks for the advice. Since I'm dealing with a 20 year old car and all this is my first time...I need to know when to say when, but at the same time not ignore something critical. Your comments help.

No leaking on the ground or severe oil on the inside of the sil.

I'll pull the rest of the wheel housing liner and inspect the oil line since it's so easy at this point, maybe I'll put a wrench on the connection and see if I can tighten it just a bit...

In my experience with these aluminum compression fitting oil lines, tighten it just a bit didn't do anything. In the worse case, it made it leak even more.

That is what happened on my old 964 oil console oil line and oil return oil line.

Fixed!
 

Fixed!!!!

Went for a quick drive (left the sill cover off just in case...), nervously anticipating that "subtle" drop in oil temp on the gauge...7+ o'clock, 8+ o' clock...plunk, temperature dropped!

Then red-line through a couple gears to check...didn't go past 8! Yes.

Sill covers back on.

Thanks to everyone who provided help, suggestions, and comfort along the way (and the almighty search function!). As is often said, I couldn't have done it without Rennlist!

Now time to work on that sunroof...

NOTE: I was expecting to lose 6 quarts of oil when I took the thermostat cap off, but only lost a quart? To check the exact amount that I lost, I poured it into a liter bottle. After an hour I walked past the bottle and noticed the oil/water separation. Some water fell into the oil collection container as I was cleaning the area, but I think the majority of water came from within the oil system???!!! I read about this somewhere on RL - water in the system rests here, possibly shorting the thermostat's life... (changed oil less than 500 miles ago)

Congrat!!!! Looking good in the last shot at 6K!

Is that first 3" all water?" You sure you dont have a 996 :evilgrin:

Much thanks for all of the info. I replaced my ballast resistor last week, using this and other threads here on RL. I would add that I removed the lower bumper cover and the two bolts that hold the oil cool bracket in place. That allowed the cooler to drop down and made it MUCH easier to reach the ballast resistor, that I could previously just barely see with the cooler in place.

Hey Craig,
Just wondering if you attempted to get at the resistor from the wheel well, why am I the only one to go this route?


By the way Jetta, excellent thread.

What are the symptoms of a bad oil ballast?

Did you do anything about the oily hardlines, softlines, and fittings?

Vandit,
Had to reread the thread to figure out what I did...that was a trip down memory lane. A big thanks to the RL members for there patience on that one! Big help.

What are the symptoms of a bad oil ballast? The front oil cooler fan doesn't turn on.

In this case I had a double whammy, both the oil thermostat and oil ballast went bad at the same time, so I was seeing 9 and 10 o'clock temps during in town driving.

I replaced the oil ballast (and tested the relays with a jumper), the fan started working but unfortunately the oil thermostat wasn't opening and pushing oil through the front cooler. It was a happy drive when I saw the oil temp drop after the thermostat opened and the fender fan came on.

Haven't done anything to the fittings...I should pull off lower corner sil cap and see what's lurking behind....
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1...il%2520013.JPG

Okay, I think my fan is working properly (i.e. probably not a bad resistor) but there's room for improvement. Driving around the temp will be at 8 o'clock, and it'll start creeping to 9 and almost 10 if I'm sitting in traffic for a while during the summer. What concerns me is that I was seeing 10 o'clock temps during a 5-6 min track session recently. I suspect my thermostat might be getting lazy and due for replacement.

As another data point:

I've only done a couple warm track days (easier to find cheap off-season, cooler days), but I've always been impressed that I never see anything over 9 on the track at the end of a 20 minute session. I've been much more worried about my brakes, so I drive around the paddock a bit to cool them down. I hope to get in another session on the track next Tuesday, will let you know what temps I see.

I've seen warmer temps sitting in traffic.

fan
 

i tested my car and i can tell u that when the low speed fan kicks in , it is slow to bring down the temps.

I think I'm taking the car off the road for a bit to investigate some oil leaks that showed up after my Time Trial, probably replace the thermostat, and probably finally do this resistor mod I've been considering since last year.

https://rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=639980

I need to replace the thermostat also , where did you get your parts from and what were the part numbers ?

Thanks great write up.

Thermostats don't have to be replaced - they can be rebuilt for a great deal less money.

Marc

Nice list of part #s. Thanks! That's what I meant, replace the guts, not the whole unit.

My oil cooler fan is not running until the car starts approaching 10 o'clock then it kicks in at what I'm assuming is high speed.

Is this a sign my ballast resistor is not functioning properly?

AC Blower Relay (811.951.253) same as part # (431.951.253)??
 

Hi guys,

Need some expert advice here. I purchased an original AC Blower Relay part (811.951.253) on Ebay from a reputed seller and what arrived was a relay with part # (431.951.253)!

I am totally not familiar with relays and was wondering if the experts would know if I can use these two interchangeably or must I reorder the exact part (811.951.253)?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Udo/Vandit/Mark/Rob - thanks for the excellent thread ... sadly got the 9-10 o'çlock oil temp this weekend
on the way home after a hot 2 day track and hill event. Fender is cold when temps up.

Before I go in guns blazing re the thermostat, which of the two pipes can I feel to work out if its thermostat or the ballast resistor?
Re the thermostat inners replacement - does that work on all 964 therm housings or just later ones?
(as said on pg 1 of this thread)

Also Udo - what was the cause of the water in the oil? Fixed too?

thanks all!
Matt

this is what I'm referring to in my post just above

Matt - Sorry to hear of your troubles. If you want to be more thorough than putting your hand on the fender, when the oil gauge is showing hot, jack up the car, remove the right front wheel and you will expose the two pipes that bring oil to the oil cooler. They both should be warm. If they are both cold then your thermostat is not opening.

Thanks RR ... Not so bad .. Thanks for the pointer

thanks again for this perfect thread - oil changes, thermostat changed
and cleaned up the side skirts, therm housing and pipes while in there - many hours
mainly cos I couldn't use a lift so jackorama ... but very satisfying when the temp guage
reacted where it should and let the oil free

RL just paid for itself for the next 10 years - cheers all!

oh .. and fitted these (centre caps) which I picked up at the recent track day (off a 996 GT3 RS)

Glad that helped, I still get a big sense of satisfaction everytime the thermo opens and the temperature drops.

The water must have come from a bunch of short trips with the car just prior to changing the oil... I just changed it a couple weeks back, no water this time.

sorry to bump and old thread, but I am tackling this as soon as my parts come in the mail.

So is there no way to take off the cover without destroying it? Did not order that from pelican, should I get one from the dealer as a precaution?

Udo, when you put it back in, how did you use the wood stick? looking to make sure I have it all down in my head before I tackle the job! I've seen some say to use a vise...which I may do! :thumbup: