Advice. Cooling fan on.
Advice. Cooling fan on.
Author
Discussion

redcar

Original Poster:

737 posts

268 months

Monday 24th May 2004
quotequote all
Over the weekend the cooling fan appears to be perminatly on,it has not got an over ride switch, car has always run around 90C,fan normally cycles ok never had overheat problems. Just checked with cold engine and fan starts as soon as key turned on. Is it alright to have fan on all time as car is due to go into Austec in 4 weeks and I'll get them to sort.
Read bible and otter switch sounds a bitch to replace.
Any advice appreciated.

wedg1e

27,002 posts

287 months

Monday 24th May 2004
quotequote all
Yep, sounds like the Otter switch has failed closed. You could try clouting it if you can get a swing with a suitable blunt instrument.

Ian

streaky

19,311 posts

271 months

Monday 24th May 2004
quotequote all
I shouldn't worry for the next four weeks, the additional cooling might just drop the temperature a few degrees, but if the ambients are warm ...

Another thing to check/thump ... if your fan is powered through a relay, it could be that the contacts have welded shut.

If you're worried, just link in a cut-out switch.

Streaky

HeyAndy

423 posts

271 months

Monday 24th May 2004
quotequote all
Mine did that after I upgraded it. I left it on and everything's remained cool...I'm gonna fit an over ride anyway so it won't really matter.

19560

14,025 posts

280 months

Monday 24th May 2004
quotequote all
redcar said:
Read bible and otter switch sounds a bitch to replace. Any advice appreciated.


Well, it's not the easiest of things to replace. The factory welded the rad shut and fitted a threaded otter switch in the swan neck similar to the Griff to mine. They also mentioned that it was better to measure the water temp as it exits the cyl head.

Ian V

1,817 posts

290 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
quotequote all
Stange that. The fan on my 400 has just done exactly the same. Was thinking of replacing the otter switch until I read the 'bible', now I think it will be an override switch instead.

streaky

19,311 posts

271 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
quotequote all
19560 said:
The factory welded the rad shut and fitted a threaded otter switch in the swan neck similar to the Griff to mine. They also mentioned that it was better to measure the water temp as it exits the cyl head.
I don't see why. Surely, any need for additional cooling of the radiator is determined by the return temperature (and don't call me "Shirley"!) - Streaky

redcar

Original Poster:

737 posts

268 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
quotequote all
Thanks all, will leave till car back at Austec, as it is running cool.

rev-erend

21,596 posts

306 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
quotequote all
Changing the switch is one mother of a job .. Austec won't thank you for that one..

Didn't they just do your rear wish bone / shocks and
the rear brakes ... all nasty jobs.

They will be cursing you

redcar

Original Poster:

737 posts

268 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
quotequote all

They will be cursing you [/quote]
Not as much as I'd be cursing me if I did it, besides teach them for crunching my car.

dickymint

28,255 posts

280 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
quotequote all
Do away with it and fit a thermostat in the top hose.

19560

14,025 posts

280 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
quotequote all
streaky said:

19560 said:
The factory also mentioned that it was better to measure the water temp as it exits the cyl head.

I don't see why. Surely, any need for additional cooling of the radiator is determined by the return temperature (and don't call me "Shirley"!) - Streaky


I see your view but that is what they said to me. It will give a better guide to the cyl head temp afterall. Presumably if the water temp is reduced by about the same amount for each circulation then this is also by implication a guide to measuring the temp through the rad.