Fans Have a Mind of Their Own!!

[griff430]

I went out in the Griffith last night, and much to my disappointment, it started to overheat for the first time in the two and a half years that I've owned it. I've never had a problem with it before, even sat in the heat and traffic of Le Mans etc.

There were no embarrassing clouds of steam, because I managed to catch it before the temperature gauge went too far into the red. On investigation, I found that the fans weren't running. Having preempted this situation, I'd made a link wire which I keep in the glove box, in case the otter switch packs up. I connected this to get the fans running, but they really struggled to keep the heat down. It was only when I got on the open road that the temperature gauge subsided. Here's the weird bit though - When I got home, I expected to hear the fans running, because I'd bypassed the otter switch, but they were off. I went back to the car later and turned the key, and they were running again.

I did have a dodgy connection at the multi-plug to the fans, so I removed it and made the joint with spade connectors. At first I thought I may have used the wrong size wire/connectors, but that wouldn't explain why the fans started working when I went back to the car later.

I checked for loose connections by waving the wires around with the fans running, but they didn't cut out.

Has anybody else experienced anything similar? Has anybody got any ideas for a cure?

Thanks,

Dan.

[RAW-SEWedge]

Blimey Dan, Have you got my car ? Again I had similar recently and it turned out to be a very baddly corroded fan motor. It must have had water sitting in it for a while and it had corroded baddly in side. It would run for a while then jam and blow the fuse.

I've replaced the fan now and the current drain when they kick in is much less noticable, with now over heating problems.

[griff430]

I reckon I must have! Did you lay yours up for the winter? I've had no trouble with mine for over two years, when I used it all year round. I laid it up this year, and have had nothing but trouble since.

One of my fans was jammed, but I managed to free it off with a good dose of WD40.

No fuses blew last night, because the fans worked again after a while, which left me totally confused. I wonder if that fuse is loose/damaged too?

[steve-v8s]

Slightly off topic, but.. Whilst poking around under the bonnet a couple of weeks ago I noticed the Water pump / Alternator belt was looking a bit sad. Fitted a new one and felt happy that I had caught it before it broke. However there is a noticeable reduction in fan activity and the temp in cruse seems to settle a little lower. I guess the water pump may be have been lacking a bit of drive.

[RAW-SEWedge]

griff430 said:

Did you lay yours up for the winter?

No - I only bought it in Sept last year and I've used it throught the winter when I can.

Not sure why the fans didn't work when you got home but then did later when cool Probably worth checking the fan relay as well.

[griff430]

I never thought of the relay. I don't have 'The Bible' to hand today. Does it explain where the fan relay is? Or even better - would you be able to tell me roughly which one it is?

Thanks,

Dan.

[RAW-SEWedge]

There are some diagrams in the bible and also in the hand book if you have one. Mine is bottom left corner of the fuse box I think, not sure about the 4.3s. It's identical to one of the others and I've swapped them in the past to sound it out.

[griff430]

OK. Will go home and consult the Bible.

Thanks,

Dan.

[crimson king 500]

Mine blew a fuse on Friday morning just before a slow run out down the Mulsanne, rather apt really as there was the speed camera at the end of the straight, thanks to a PH from Kent called Ian who stopped to help and the Porsche drivers who warned me about the speed trap.
I keep substantial numbers of spare fuses just for this purpose, hope all is well.
CK500