Tired of my car and I just got it... (long)

[mto502]

The "M" is just past the middle and the fan still does not kick on. I'm having a hard time accepting the idea that the "M" is normal. In the past four years of having a '94-'95 its never gotten that high. And when I first got this one it wasnt that high. Thanks for the reassurance tho.

Is 70 % water maybe a little high. Up here we usually mix at about 60/40 water to coolant. I was wondering if using more coolant woulf keep things operating at a lower temperature. Regardless of that your fan should be kicking on at close to half way on the gauge. While the engine is running you should be able to squeeze the rad hose. That is what indicates that the thermostat has opened up as I'm sure you're aware.. When you crank the heat does the needle on your temp gauge go down ? When you burped the system did you do it while the heat was cranked?

 

[smokediver27]

Jmuva, if you had followed any of my earlier posts, you'd see that I've been having very similar problems, that are starting to resolve......try this if you want to spend the money, as my stock gauge isnt really accurate either...

1 Go get a new water neck from Advance Auto, or Discount, part costs 9 bucks, and they have a allen screw in the top of the neck that can be removed to put a temp gauge sensor.
2 Buy an aftermarket gauge like these guys are telling you (and told me), I picked up one for 14.99 (ugly, but I mounted it under my hood for the time being till I buy a pretty autometer, get the mechanical kind)

Now you have the tools to diagnose EXACTLY what your car is doing, you can feel the hose at 180 to make sure your Stat is opening at the right temp, and you can watch for you fan to come on at 208. Hell, just shy of R on my stock temp gauge the car is running 210, and just one needle widths lower the car is running 198ish.

Also, do not trust your brand new Rad Cap (as I found out), one thing I found funny with my car was that my realitively new rad cap was not heating up, and the fluid level in the overflow did not seem to change, just changed out caps yesterday and that problem is now solved.

I'm gonna mess with mine some more today just to make sure all the kinks are worked out, and I'll get back to you if I find anything else. I'm thinking of installing the manual fan switch today too (see top of forum, FAQ post).

 

[jmuva44]

Alright, I'm about to sell this piece of crap. I burped it again tonight for like 2 or 3 hours. I jacked the left front way up, cracked the ECT sensor and lifted the red lever on the radiator cap to release pressure and let air out. Its actually running hotter than ever. Its up to the "A".

When I took it out on the streets, I forgot to plug the connection to the ECT back up. I was cleaning out the terminals. When I pulled into the garage, the fan was on high. However, when I have the ECT hooked up, the fan will not turn on. Dont forget, I've had three different ECTs in this thing so you cant blame it on that.

I'm so mad. This is rediculous!!

 

[yellow1995Cobra]

Alright, I'm about to sell this piece of crap. I burped it again tonight for like 2 or 3 hours. I jacked the left front way up, cracked the ECT sensor and lifted the red lever on the radiator cap to release pressure and let air out. Its actually running hotter than ever. Its up to the "A".

When I took it out on the streets, I forgot to plug the connection to the ECT back up. I was cleaning out the terminals. When I pulled into the garage, the fan was on high. However, when I have the ECT hooked up, the fan will not turn on. Dont forget, I've had three different ECTs in this thing so you cant blame it on that.

I'm so mad. This is rediculous!!

That sucks man. Oddly enough, i have never "burped" my cooling system. Just fill the rad, let it idle till the upper hose gets warm, add some more coolant to the rad till its full, fill the overflow and thats that. No jacking the front up, nothing.

I think you should consider a new radiator as well, ours are junk. Maybe a manual fan switch for now is a good idea? Just run the high speed fan all the time.

Also, if your getting pissed about this, dont mod your car at all!! Just wait till you get a h/c/i combo, and you gotta deal with stalling and surging, man thats when it will get to ya!

 

[TheRedBlur]

what I do is squeeze the upper hose a bunch while the car idles and the heater is on. maybe your headgasket is shot and exhaust gasses are getting into the coolant system?

 

[jmuva44]

One thing I'm curious about as why wont the fan turn on with two or three brand new ECT sensors but the one time I forget to plug the harness to the sensor, the fan decides to work? What, at that point, controls when the fan turns on? And why wont it turn on when the ECT is connected?

 

[baskin]

One thing I'm curious about as why wont the fan turn on with two or three brand new ECT sensors but the one time I forget to plug the harness to the sensor, the fan decides to work? What, at that point, controls when the fan turns on? And why wont it turn on when the ECT is connected?

The wire to the ECT may have been touching ground, The computer may have also detected the disconnected ECT and ran the fan on high by default. You didn't state what the temp is on the freeway. ECTs vary from unit to unit. Did the temp change after the ECT change? Also, I have an ECT recurving module that I can send you if you want it. (Allows changing the fan temp and cold to hot algorithm set point.)

 

[jmuva44]

The wire to the ECT may have been touching ground, The computer may have also detected the disconnected ECT and ran the fan on high by default. You didn't state what the temp is on the freeway. ECTs vary from unit to unit. Did the temp change after the ECT change? Also, I have an ECT recurving module that I can send you if you want it. (Allows changing the fan temp and cold to hot algorithm set point.)

Oh well I have yet to take it far enought to get it on a freeway. I've been keeping it close to home in case I need to limp it back. After the ECT change, everything remained the same. Nothing changed at all. If anything, the car probably got hotter. I dont know exactly how this module works but that would be very cool of you. Anything that even MAY help at this point is worth a shot

I bought a mechanical temp guage last night. i'm gonna install that today I think.

 

[baskin]

You also didn't mention the temp while the fan was full on. If this lowered the temp, then the ect recurving will definitely help. You can e-mail me your shipping address through my site www.dccontrol.com

Also, if you have a voltmeter, the low speed fan should turn on at an ECT reading of about .43 Volts; high should turn on at about .35 Volts.

 

[jmuva44]

Thats okay, thanks. I just went out and bought a fan controller for $35. Just gotta figure out how to hook up all the wires.

 

[jmuva44]

Okay, heres the latest. Let me know what you think....

First of all, I replaced my 76mm C&L with a 75mm Pro-M. That seemed to pretty much fix my idling problem. However, my car is still running really rich. I'm scared to light a cigarette in my garage! I guess that may go away after the computer gets used to it.

I installed a Hayden fan controller. I think I have it hooked up right but it doesnt seem to be influencing the fan to do anything differently.
Red wire ---> Battery terminal
Black wire ---> Radiator support bracket
Orange wire with fuse ---> Low speed fan wire on fan motor (middle red wire)
Blue wire (wire for second fan) ---> Grounded to radiator support bracket
Green wire (to A/C) ---> Unused since the controller is hooked up to the low fan setting
Yellow wire (to ignition power) ---> Connected to middle wire of overflow sensor

I'm sure most of you cant give much help with that but If you can, thanks!

I also decided to go ahead and get a mechanical water temp guage since some of you were set on my stock guage giving me false readings.

NOW.......here are the results:

After starting the car and letting it idle for about 20 minutes or so, the car seems to get up to about 197 and then the low speed fan kicks in. It didnt come on before however I dont think that its coming on because of the fan controller cuz it comes on too late (197) and cuz I can adjust the controller and it still comes on at 197.

After the fan comes on, the guage goes down to about 187 or so and then goes back on up to 197 and the fan comes on again. Is this about right?

I dont have the light hooked up to it yet so I've decided not to go out on the streets yet to see what happens. I'll wait till tomorrow. I need to find a way to mount this guage. I'm thinking of the space under the stereo.

Thanks again for all your help. I'm getting closer to getting my baby back on the road.

Chris

 

[smokediver27]

Sounds pretty good Chris, mine will get up to 208 while idling before cooling down to 200 range when low speed fan kicks on. I run low 190's/ high 180's when cruising on the hwy.

Eventually I'm going to buy a Tweecer and then I'll set my temps lower for my fans to kick on, glad to hear progress is being made though.

 

[baskin]

and cold to hot algorithm set point.)

If you're running rich at idle, you're running open loop. If the gauge that you installed is accurate and your actually running at 187, I'm sure you'll find that the voltage on your o2 sensors are sitting at 1V. The tables will not be updated since the computer doesn't have a reference from the o2 until the engine reaches 194.

 

[jmuva44]

If you're running rich at idle, you're running open loop. If the gauge that you installed is accurate and your actually running at 187, I'm sure you'll find that the voltage on your o2 sensors are sitting at 1V. The tables will not be updated since the computer doesn't have a reference from the o2 until the engine reaches 194.

So what are you saying??? Do I need new O2 sensors or does the car just need to recalibrate all of its settings?

 

[baskin]

I'm saying that below a certain temperature, I believe it's 194, your car won't look at the oxygen sensors, but will instead read from the tables in either rom or keep alive memory. That's why I said that you need to recurve the ect if you want to run the car below 194 and have it run closed loop. Eventually, you'll get a mil light. Your o2s only cycle during closed loop

 

[jmuva44]

Oh, well like i said, its been getting up to 197-200 and then back down to 185-190. So i'm guessing thats okay. My fan controller isnt working yet so thats not really a factor. Are you saying my car is running too cool? THATS THE BEST THING I"VE HEARD IN A LONG TIME!!!