Cooling fans don't run.

I have a 95 Riviera with about 100500 miles. I noticed when sitting in traffic my engine temp rises and the service engine soon light comes on. I ran the car in the driveway and the fans on the radiator never turned on. Don't know if it matters but I run a 180 T-stat. Any ideas as to what needs fixin'?

sorry i cant help u determine what exactly is wrong, but if u need new cooling fans i got some so hit me with a pm if thats what u need

what temp does it get up to? fan cut-on is 220* if memory serves me.
do they run when you cut on the a/c? how about if you give them a spin start? (be extremely careful doing this)
can you have the car scanned to see what the code is for?

The fans should turn on based on temp, or A/C running. If not you've got bad relays or blown fuses to look for. What is the code?

I never could get my fans to come on before I lowered the turn-on temp value.

Maybe a line to the thermistor on the radiator has a problem (open or short)? Or it's out of the radiator for some reason? Or there is an ECU problem (see Aarons' 'turn on value' post, the value can be adjusted with a Tech II).

Albertj

If I remember, the stock turn-on value is 220 F as Matthew said. The engine should not get above 210 under normal or even hot conditions.

Yeah I don't think I get to 220. I just thought it would try to keep the temp around 180. I don't have a scanner so I don't know the code.

AA wrote:

I never could get my fans to come on before I lowered the turn-on temp value.

OK here I go with a stupid question...
How do I lower the turn-on temp value?
With a tuner?
I havent figured out the tuner deal yet...

Sorry for the hijack.

Bert

Hey guys, I pulled the Riviera out of the garage today and took it for a short road trip. I noticed my temperature gauge was climbing up abit quicker than normal, so i popped the hood and the fans were not turning on. I turned my defrost on full blast and then they kicked in just fine, bringing the engine temp back to normal range. But it was 27C outside and it got hot in the cabin pretty fast with the heater on LOL. Any1 got any ideas on this 1, or possibley encountered a similar issue? I'm assuming a bad relay or something? Any input would be greatly helpful, thanks guys.

How high was your temp gauge reading?

FIrst thing I'd check for is a disconnected ro chewed wire to the fan controls. I think there is a coolant sensor somewhere involved but can't get to my menual to check.

Hope this helps

Albertj

Temp gauge was just over 105+ and rising. It normally runs just below 105.

I had thought about the temperature sending unit I re-used on the back of the intake manifold, but the sensor seems to be reading fine judging by the gauge, so I can only assume that the fans would correspond to the sensor, correct?

Im assuming you mean celcius? In which case you would be talking around 221 degrees, thats pretty hot for a car...

No, just over the half way mark on the temp gauge but it got there abnormally fast. Coolant levels are good, thats why i assumed electronics issue. I think the gauge maxes around 220.

I would not worry, the normal fan turn on is past 200 degrees. It will not stay hot in Barrhead for too many more days. You are just used to having 20 degree c days. My mother was born in Highridge. I used to take the ferry and ride dirtbikes in Vega in my youth.

Ah Vega, or as I affectionately call it... "Vegas". I always go ripping up there on my quad, but this year the ferry was shut down for the majority of the summer due to flooding. Barrhead was actually declared a disaster area because of the huge rain fall we experienced this year.

I'm still concerned about the fans though, I don't ever remember the car running that hot.

I would let it run with A/C off and see when the fans turn on automatically. When mine started to see slightly higher temperatures I found a pinprick hole in driver side plastic end tank on the radiator.

Fans won't normally turn on until 220 F (104 C). I think your situation is typical.

I agree with AA this is normal. WIthout the A/C running the fans wait for 220 to enable. Let it idle with the hood open, A/C off, and wait for the temp gauge to get really really high.

Do you have a scanner? It would be nice to know what the computer really thinks the temp is, just in case there is an issue with the gauge.

I'll try to get it on the scanner this weekend. Thanks for the re-assurance guys.