Shoebox, when I grounded the wires you mentioned, I grounded just H also, and the high speed fans still came on. Since that test works, am I going to have to reset my computer? I also checked the thermostat to make sure I had the right one.

 

Grounding just H will turn only the RH fan on high speed. That's normal for that test. Both H and J are grounded to provide high speed operation for both fans.


The fans don't run when the key is OFF.

 

Okay, I see. It sounded louder so I figured it was the high speed. So no matter what the temp is gonna rise quit a bit when the car is shut off then right? I don't see how it can't overheat after the car is shut off.

 

That's just the way it is. Same thing before electric fans came along. Some imports run the fan after the engine is off, though. You have to remember that it is no longer creating heat, so the whole thing acts as a heat sink to dissipate the heat. Yes, the temp will rise initially and for a short time, then it will begin to cool.

 

Thanks for the help, again. The rise in heat after the car is shut of goes into the red part on the gauge though, so do I still run the risk of warping my heads or anything? I am still at a loss as to what I should do though, since everything seems to be correct. All the sensors and relays work, so I'm not sure what to do. It seems like it still should not be heating up to the top of the gauge everytime I shut the car off. Is that becuase the fans aren't cooling the engine while the car is running? If the car sits for a minute with the car turned off, and I take off, the check gauge light comes on, and the heat is still in the red, but after moving for a few seconds it cools right down. So I know something isn't wrte because that light shouldn't have to come on.

If I get a manual fan switch, would I just want to use it when the car is idling, because I don't really see the point to it.

 

Check the continuity of those blue and green wires to the plug on the pcm and make sure they connect ok at the pcm with the plug.

Did you try the reset on the pcm? It couldn't hurt.

 

How do I reset the PCM? I wil check the continuity though too. If all you have to do is unpluig the batter, then it is already eset, because th car was without an engine for 4 months. Thanks shoe

 

Okay shoebox, one last question. Well maybe two. At idle, the car seems to run at a good temp, slightly over the middle, but when the car shuts off, within 30 seconds the gauge is pegged to the right and the check gauge light comes on. This makes me think the fans are working, but I'm still not sure. If I put the key back to on, after taking it out and the temp is redlined, the fans won't come on then. But with the car shut off can I just leave it with the temp gauge pegged, or is this still unnormal?

 

When you turn the key off the reading is irrelevant. My gauge usually stays at the temp it was just at.
You say that when you flip the key back to ON after the engine had been on and then turned off, the temp is way high? It will probably increase from where it was when it was turned off just before. Mine is not usually very high and so it never gets toward the red zone. If it was on the high side of the gauge when you shut the car off, I could see why it might go into the red momentarily when fired back up. The fans should be coming back on soon after startup, if that is the case.

It would be extremely beneficial to have a scan tool to look at the temp the pcm is seeing to compare that with the gauge. I know you said you checked the resistance of the temp sensor in the water pump, but did you check to see if the plug side had 5v and ground on it from the pcm?

Removing the battery cable would definitely reset the pcm. Also removing the PCM BATT fuse in the dash for 10 seconds or so will do it (easier).

You should really get the car in a position where you can visually verify if the fans are coming on (usually meaning from underneath).

 

I'm not gonna read all the replies but check the fuses...

 

If you had read some of it, you would not have suggested fuses.

 

What are you talking about?

Anyway, thanks for the help shoe. Unless the fans are very quiet, they definately never come on when the key is in the ON position. I am going to be getting a power programmer soon, so this will tell me the temp that the pcm kicks the fans on right? I did check thed plug, and it did have the 5v, but I didn't check the ground, guess I forgot about that.

But today the starter died, so I should have the Programmer by the time I get the car running. Thanks

 

Wow, that sucks. Another idea here is to unplug the MAF and see if they kick on. That would eliminate the PCM and gear the focus more towards the sensor. Just a thought.

 

Bastage

I should have known with you in here then it wouldn't have been fuses...

for those who are wondering there's a fuse (maybe more than one I cna't remember) that control the fans, my friends for whatever reason blew, we tried everything to get the damn fans to work and I was discussing it with my dad after 2 or 3 hrs of trouble shooting and he goes "did you check the fuses" I was like what are you talking about? Sure enough he was right, replaced a fuse, never had a problem since.

 

I have checked every logical thing. I guess I will try the MAF thing, and see how that goes. That will make them turn on no matter what right? I guess if that doesn't work I will try a new WP sensor. But I am almost positive that is working right too, because I tested the resistance on it also. thanks