StuckAgainSteve
Well-Known Member
Perhaps a previous owner has done the mod to use the aircon fans as supplementary cooling fans? Don't be fooled by the 12 O'Clock position of the gauge - it's programmed to do that if you in the "normal" operating range - so if you're hovering just under the stage 1 over heat it'll still read "normal".
StuckAgainSteve
Well-Known Member
Indeed but I believe they only come on during an actual detected overheat - so the gauge shouldn't be reading normal.
lenb
Active Member
If it is 'hovering' in the first stages of overheat, would the gauge rise when actually towing? Although I haven't been away yet this year I have taken the tin tent for a service (only about a 15 mile journey that included motorway and town) but the gauge still did not go above its now 'normal' 12:00 position.
(Just a bit more info that might help the discussion).
Thanks
(Just a bit more info that might help the discussion).
Thanks
Datatek
Well-Known Member
The car will indeed have the third sensor at the rear of the head to bring the aircon fans on in an overheat, I believe the switch is set to 110C so should never activate the fans unde normal conditions. It's easy to check if this switch is causing the problem, just disconnect it. It's at the back of the head towards the bulhead.
When you say the aircon is off, is the light lit on the aircon switch? If not, the aircon is on.
When you say the aircon is off, is the light lit on the aircon switch? If not, the aircon is on.
lenb
Active Member
Hi Datatek,
Yes the light is on. I've just driven home through town (about 6 miles) and the fans didn't come on. However it is typical British summer today - cool and wet - but if it had been warmer they would have definitely come on. I lifted the bonnet when I got in, switched the engine off and was able to spin the viscous fan easily (although there was some resistance). I will check the switch though - when I find it
Don't know if it's significant or not but fuel consumption is not as good as yours! 20 mpg around town - mind you the average speed is only 21 mph so perhaps I'm expecting too much.
Thanks.
Yes the light is on. I've just driven home through town (about 6 miles) and the fans didn't come on. However it is typical British summer today - cool and wet - but if it had been warmer they would have definitely come on. I lifted the bonnet when I got in, switched the engine off and was able to spin the viscous fan easily (although there was some resistance). I will check the switch though - when I find it
Don't know if it's significant or not but fuel consumption is not as good as yours! 20 mpg around town - mind you the average speed is only 21 mph so perhaps I'm expecting too much.
Thanks.
Datatek
Well-Known Member
No traffic hereHi Datatek,
Yes the light is on. I've just driven home through town (about 6 miles) and the fans didn't come on. However it is typical British summer today - cool and wet - but if it had been warmer they would have definitely come on. I lifted the bonnet when I got in, switched the engine off and was able to spin the viscous fan easily (although there was some resistance). I will check the switch though - when I find it
Don't know if it's significant or not but fuel consumption is not as good as yours! 20 mpg around town - mind you the average speed is only 21 mph so perhaps I'm expecting too much.
Thanks.
The viscous fan test is done with the engine hot and running, if it stops with a rolled up newspaper shoved in the blades it's fecked.
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"good news" (you find the why they kick).
Did you keep the fan clutch or "upgrade" to a efan
Datatek
Well-Known Member
The aircon fans mod will get you round that if it's a diesel then you can bin the viscous
lenb
Active Member
Update:
Got engine warm enough to start aircon fans and then did newspaper test - blades stopped so easily I could have probably got away with using a feather
Anyway parts ordered from suggested supplier (thanks for info Datatek) and will arrive tomorrow, I've removed the fan and cowl already, so hopefully a fairly straight forward job when they arrive.
Got engine warm enough to start aircon fans and then did newspaper test - blades stopped so easily I could have probably got away with using a feather
Anyway parts ordered from suggested supplier (thanks for info Datatek) and will arrive tomorrow, I've removed the fan and cowl already, so hopefully a fairly straight forward job when they arrive.
mcapinha
Active Member
Did you get it warm by driving it around or standing still ?
I'm asking because I'm preety anal about monitoring my head temperature and, even climbing a steep hill with the AC on, it doesn't reach 100C. If the AC fans are kicking in just by reving the engine, there's certainly something wrong with the cooling system and the viscous fan looks like a good candidate (apart from water pump or closed shut thermostat).
I'm asking because I'm preety anal about monitoring my head temperature and, even climbing a steep hill with the AC on, it doesn't reach 100C. If the AC fans are kicking in just by reving the engine, there's certainly something wrong with the cooling system and the viscous fan looks like a good candidate (apart from water pump or closed shut thermostat).
lenb
Active Member
Drove it around in order to get it hot enough! Pump and rad are only a few months old and thermostat was also replaced about 12 months ago. Fan definitely shot!!
lenb
Active Member
All Done!
Datatek's mod for the air con fans done, and I must admit I'm a lot happier knowing that the fans are going to kick in at the right temp ..... But what is the correct temp? I've followed the instructions to allow engine to warm up and then switch fans on and back off slightly but how accurate is the temp gauge? It normally runs at 12:00 and did not go above that even with the ecu switching on fans before the mod.
How accurate do you think the new thermostat markings are? It's set at just under 80degs.
Datatek's mod for the air con fans done, and I must admit I'm a lot happier knowing that the fans are going to kick in at the right temp ..... But what is the correct temp? I've followed the instructions to allow engine to warm up and then switch fans on and back off slightly but how accurate is the temp gauge? It normally runs at 12:00 and did not go above that even with the ecu switching on fans before the mod.
How accurate do you think the new thermostat markings are? It's set at just under 80degs.
All Done!
Datatek's mod for the air con fans done, and I must admit I'm a lot happier knowing that the fans are going to kick in at the right temp ..... But what is the correct temp? I've followed the instructions to allow engine to warm up and then switch fans on and back off slightly but how accurate is the temp gauge? It normally runs at 12:00 and did not go above that even with the ecu switching on fans before the mod.
How accurate do you think the new thermostat markings are? It's set at just under 80degs.
Thermostat opens at 80 degrees you need fans setting slightly higher than that.
