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1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
operational. Inoperative fans were the main cause of my first 900 overheating. And with all the heat a Turbo produces, you have to be especially careful to keep it cool!
>>Were the fans working when your g/f car was gushing out coolant?
If not:
To test fans, check that the cooling fan comes on when you bridge (or short together) the cooling fan thermoswitch wires, say with a screwdriver laid across their contacts--may have to peel rubber wire boots back a bit. The thermoswitch is located on the engine side of the radiator, on the driver's side (US cars), about 1/3 of the way down from the radiator top. Turbo plumbing may obscure it; not sure on that, as I've never owned a Turbo.
Anyway, if you short the wires which plug onto the switch together (it's okay, that's all that the thermoswitch does), then the right (passenger) side cooling fan should come on with ignition OFF, or both fans should come on with ignition turned on.
If no fan comes on, then check to make sure the wires are connected to the cooling fan(s), that Turbo heat/component chafing/engine vibration hasn't melted/frayed/loosened the wires to the fan. Check the fuses (not too hard, the fusebox has fairly good labeling).
If none of this gets the fans operational, then perhaps the fan relay is at fault. It is located in the main fusebox by 1991, if memory serves me, and you can take out the relay and 'jumper' across 2 of the fusebox's terminals where the relay was sitting, to test the relay. You should connect a 16 guage or larger (smaller #=larger guage) wire to terminals 30 and 87 of the relay. If one fan operates (or both, if ign. ON), then the relay is the problem. You might be able to drive the car with just the jumper in place of the relay for a while until you can locate a new relay.
IF NONE OF ABOVE HELPS:
1) Try a new coolant reservoir cap;
2) Thermostat may be stuck closed;
3) Consider possibility that radiator is clogged and partially obstructed with deposits (scale) and has lost ability to cool effectively (Turbos, as I said, really heat up). The rad is 11 years old now and may need a flush/acid bath/replacement. Has the car's cooling systerm been serviced at regular intervals (24 mos./30,000 miles)? If not, suspect radiator clog.
I hope this makes sense (and helps!).
Micah in NC
'84 900S, 214K mi.
'90 900, (Mom's)
'84 900S, 267K mi. (crashed, parts donor)
posted by 64.92.89...
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