cooling/rad fan

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nick_ovlov
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Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

cooling/rad fan

Post by nick_ovlov » Fri May 25, 2012 9:28 am

been putting this off for a while now but with the 18oC plus temps we've been having in aberdeen lately i think it might be sensible to deal with it soon! the fan in my car (from memory) worked fine when i got the car but of late doesnt seem to cut in at all. Ive had a few panicky moments of seeing 97oC engine temp on the infocentre when stuck in traffic. Been using the heater on full blast when it gets hot but that only works so long and is also horrid for me sitting inside the car!

i gather the main thing to check is the sensor in the radiator or of course the fan itself. haynes in its infinite wisdom say you can unplug the sensor and bridge out the wires and see if it works? but what wires?! also say once i bridge out the plug the fan does kick in. how do i get the sensor out the rad? i cant see it well enough to work out how its fixed in place?

pics a bonus but all help appriciated!

Nick
very proud owner of:
flame red celebration No. 63- daily driver and only car i own that is on the road
white celebration No. 54 - spares/parts car
Cadburys purple Saab 9000 CD Turbo - rapid toy currently in storage
Saab 9000 CSE - for saab spares!

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glasgowjim
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Re: cooling/rad fan

Post by glasgowjim » Fri May 25, 2012 2:23 pm

The sensor can be checked in position before removal quite easily. The wiring from the sensor is easily checked by bridging the 3 wires , 2 at a time.... one wire is earth return the other ones are slow rate and fast rate . Assuming the fan works when bridged the sensor is next just connect the earth and slow speed (thats the one which will cut in first) to either a battery and bulb or a multimeter and run engine you should see a difference.

Removing the rad temp sensor is a nosecone off job I am afraid and you can now see and access the sensor for removal.

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Captain Slow
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Re: cooling/rad fan

Post by Captain Slow » Fri May 25, 2012 2:43 pm

One other piece of knowledge that might be of use is that the fan should come on if you use the aircon-if it does come on then that obviously implies sensor/its wiring holds the origin of the fault
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

nick_ovlov
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Re: cooling/rad fan

Post by nick_ovlov » Fri May 25, 2012 4:21 pm

yeah ive got white with red stripe, a red wire and an orange one. haynes shows the first two come from the air con (but the air con is not working just now :( ) and the orange comes from a switch- guessing the temp! i NEED to do something with this today because its 21oC in aberdeen and trying to get home i had to park up and the side of the road and just let the car cool down before going back into traffic! it was getting to 87oC quickly and full heater on wasnt slowing it down any! i DO NOT want to overheat my car!

Im guessing if the fan has had it thats a nosecone off job too... i say this because i went to take the nosecone off before and can't remember why but i gave up

Nick
very proud owner of:
flame red celebration No. 63- daily driver and only car i own that is on the road
white celebration No. 54 - spares/parts car
Cadburys purple Saab 9000 CD Turbo - rapid toy currently in storage
Saab 9000 CSE - for saab spares!

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glasgowjim
480 Is my middle name
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Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
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Re: cooling/rad fan

Post by glasgowjim » Fri May 25, 2012 7:14 pm

the fan motor replacement is NOT a nosecone off job can be done in situ :D

just put a manual switch for a quick fix just now.

nick_ovlov
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Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Re: cooling/rad fan

Post by nick_ovlov » Sat May 26, 2012 8:13 am

after some probing- i quickly found out its the switch at fault! with a wire i can get the fan to run at either speed!

i'll get a switch off my spares car ( assuming it works!) and fit that. Interestingly i'm still slightly confused about the lack of fan when i hit air con. that must be down to the inoperative A/C! looking at wiring diagrams theres all sorts of relays and switches to get the compressor and fan to cut in (neither of which happens!- see my other post!!)

I don't mind being stuck in traffic its part of living in a city but i do when im worried im going to overheat my car! Even not being stuck in traffic,with this glorious weather i took the car for a nice B road thrash- got brake fade and everything! but when i got to a town, the coolant temp was just over 80 but the oil temp was 92oC!!!! and then driving at 20- 30 meant that soon transferred to the coolant! presumably when driving very hard the fan should be on then aswell?

Nick

(edit) crucially- is the sensor just a big long reach socket?! i cant see far enough in to see how it is attached to the rad, looking at ones for sale on ebay they seem to be threaded with a washer?!
very proud owner of:
flame red celebration No. 63- daily driver and only car i own that is on the road
white celebration No. 54 - spares/parts car
Cadburys purple Saab 9000 CD Turbo - rapid toy currently in storage
Saab 9000 CSE - for saab spares!

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koiman
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Re: cooling/rad fan

Post by koiman » Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:08 am

Hi All

I am having a problem with my cooling fan too so thought it best to keep on the same thread.

My fan is coming on at 75/77deg which is not good as this is the running temp of the engine so is constantly running. Then when I stop the car and leave it the fan continues to run for at least ten mins which is until the temp is about 50deg.

I have changed the engine temp sender but this did not fix the job, so I assume that it must be the radiator temp sensor which is what I think you guys are talking about.

It is a real pain as this is the first decent weather day I have had and I didn't buy the right part to replace :(

Before I go and purchase a new sensor can someone confirm that this is what I need to replace? Or know an easy way to check it is this that is faulty before undertaking this painful looking job!

Many thanks

Keith
2.0l C30 2.0 R Design Lux -
2.0l (auto) 480 Celebration - no 451 - White - 1995 N - 100k miles (For Sale - see the Cars For Sale / Wanted section)
2.0l 480 Celebration - no 449 - 1995 N - White - 55k miles (now 69k) Sold 2013
1.7l 480 ES two tone - K (scrapped 2010) :( - 138k miles
1.7l 480 S Black - H reg (sold 2002) :-( - 124k miles
1.7l 480 ES White - J reg (sold 2002) :-( - 117k miles

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glasgowjim
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Re: cooling/rad fan

Post by glasgowjim » Sat Jun 30, 2012 1:27 pm

stick a multimeter on the senser in fact it is a simple thermostatic switch not ver clever at all run engine and check the temp it closes at. this can be done in situ quite easily and quickly then you can replace it with confidence. :D

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doingitsideways
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Re: cooling/rad fan

Post by doingitsideways » Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:37 pm

Hi Nick,

I've got a wierd one with my fan, it sometimes doesn't cut-in until around 93C, I've even seen 97C before now!!

When it does kick in, I can sometimes hear the relay sounding like it's struggling, clicking a few times before the fan eventually starts.

Are the relays prone to failure?? I've checked the box, it's dry and I've given them all a little wiggle (Un-scheduled bonnet open fiddling session, due to refusing to start, quick hammer blow to the starter... Sorted!)

I was going to start a thread asking about this, but thought I'd hijack yours instead... Sorry!! :?


Oh... As for your oil temperature after a thrashing, I've had 108C after an especially brutal run (managed to just nudge the speedo past 125!) :crazy: but when I pulled off the motorway *CAUGH* private, deserted track, the fan kicked in and it soon started to cool, so I guess the oil cooler works surprisingly well! ;)


Cheers,

Steve :hopping:
"If you can't fix it with a hammer, it's an electrical fault!"
Hammers can't fix a 480!!!

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koiman
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Re: cooling/rad fan

Post by koiman » Wed Jul 11, 2012 5:42 pm

Hello.

Just been doing some tinkering on my switch area and find that the wiring part needs 3 connections on the switch and the switches that have been supplied or I can find have only two!!!

Does anyone know the part number for the 'radiator cooling fan thermal switch' this is what the haynes manual refers too. as i can't find one?

Oh well not getting it fixed tonight as the switch is the wrong one again!!!! :angry:

Best we go put my car back together again before it starts raining!!

Thanks
2.0l C30 2.0 R Design Lux -
2.0l (auto) 480 Celebration - no 451 - White - 1995 N - 100k miles (For Sale - see the Cars For Sale / Wanted section)
2.0l 480 Celebration - no 449 - 1995 N - White - 55k miles (now 69k) Sold 2013
1.7l 480 ES two tone - K (scrapped 2010) :( - 138k miles
1.7l 480 S Black - H reg (sold 2002) :-( - 124k miles
1.7l 480 ES White - J reg (sold 2002) :-( - 117k miles

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koiman
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Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:37 pm
Location: St Andrews, Scotland
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Re: cooling/rad fan

Post by koiman » Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:15 pm

its fine now I think I have finally found the correct part number 3463730-6, :hopping:


finger crossed this is the right one as it is a total nightmare to get to it. :x
2.0l C30 2.0 R Design Lux -
2.0l (auto) 480 Celebration - no 451 - White - 1995 N - 100k miles (For Sale - see the Cars For Sale / Wanted section)
2.0l 480 Celebration - no 449 - 1995 N - White - 55k miles (now 69k) Sold 2013
1.7l 480 ES two tone - K (scrapped 2010) :( - 138k miles
1.7l 480 S Black - H reg (sold 2002) :-( - 124k miles
1.7l 480 ES White - J reg (sold 2002) :-( - 117k miles

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