NelsonUK

I seem to have a problem with my raditor fans not wanting to switch themselves off ??? This first happened a week ago when I pulled off the motorway having done a constant speed of say 80mph for about 12 miles. I had need for some petrol and as I pulled into service station noticed that as I pulled up to the pumps the radiator fan was started running. I left it for about a minute or so and turned off the engine. Fuelled up started her back up and on came the fan again. Anyway I drove back onto the motorway and reached my destination about another 5 miles on. Tonight I have made the same journey but this time I blasted along the motorway for about 17 miles at a constant 90mph and having pulled off the motorway continued on with a bit of town driving for say 2 miles. Literally as I pulled into the car park and dipped the clutch (to negotiate a speed hump)I heard a click behind the dash and on came the rad fan but as soon as I put the foot back on the loud pedal the fan stopped and then as I dipped the clutch again same click and on came the fan again. Anyway I eventually parked up and allowed the fan to run for about 1-2 minutes but it wouldnt stop so eventually I switched off the engine. One thing I did notice tho whilst sat still if I am driving and I dip the clutch the revs go down to about 1000rpm and then back up to 1200rpm and then they drop back down to 800rpm and on comes the fan . I have changed the coolant temp sensor I did that a few weeks ago having read some threads on SN and have a replacement thermostat on order which will be fitted this weekend - however any ideas as to what is going on ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated cos at the moment is seems to be one thing after another with the car.

Thanks in advance

hades

What is the temperature guage saying whilst all this is happenning?

If it's running at the right temperature and the fans are coming on, it's a fan switch issue and could be either the sender or some wiring shorting or similar. If the car is registering as too hot at the time, it is more likely to be coolant/cooling system type issues. If the temperature problems are worse at tickover, my first guess would be the water pump might be to blame.

There are people here who know a lot more than me, but I'd guess they'd want to know what the temperature guage is saying too.

NelsonUK

Thanks for the reply - the actual tempaerature gauge sits at half way point and doesnt move. Also forgot to mention that whilst this fan business has been happening I have noticed that once the car is stood still it smells very hot it doesnt smell like petrol or coolant or anything like that but just a strong smell that appears to radiate from beneath the car almost as if it is the exhaust ?

tweenierob

One quick point.. the std temp gauge is a lying *******!!
IMHO the temp gauge is definately not a true sign of what is going on.
A scoob owner on here posted last week about the inaccuracy of his std temp gauge compared to his defi gauge...
Plusmy car shows the same reading on my std gauge no matter what stick i give the car or wether the fans have cut in or out..
Obviously it starts on Zero
Rob

tweenierob

What model year is your car mate??
Sounds like it might be your thermostat mate..
Reason i say this is because if it is stuck slightly open or only opens a bit the water flow will be almost non existant on idle as it cannot circulate round the engine properly causing the water temp to be high causing the fan/s to come on..
However, when the revs are higher the water flow will be greater as there is more pressure to circulate the water through the thermostat mixing the cooler water with the hotter water keeping the temp down and thus not being hot enough to make the fans come on...
Hope i make sense??

Rob

NINJA

standard temp gge is def pants mine stays just below the middle all times but defi shoes 82-85deg on yhe move then at lights creeps to 90 and warm days creeps to 94deg and fan activates but subaru gge doesnt move a fraction