Radiator Heat Problem

[weda]

Dear gents,

My car engine heat reaches very high levels after getting it serviced few days back.

Noticed that the fan is not responding quite accurately to the engine heat. Some times it only works with the AC. and the air flow seems to have droped too.

Its an AE110 sprinter and looks like something is not OK with the radiator fan.

Any body plaese help!!

Thanks!

[Ripper]

  weda said:

Dear gents,

My car engine heat reaches very high levels after getting it serviced few days back.

Noticed that the fan is not responding quite accurately to the engine heat. Some times it only works with the AC. and the air flow seems to have droped too.

Its an AE110 sprinter and looks like something is not OK with the radiator fan.

Any body plaese help!!

Thanks!

well that car has two fans...one for the ac condenser and one for the radiator...

since the fans are electrical and no mechanical gel filled types...there is no special way for the fan to react to engine heat...

it either comes on or goes off

AC has no connection to the way the radiator fan is functioning...

If you radiator fan is not coming on when the engine is heated up...there can be either something wrong with the electricals that looks after that circuit or something can be wrong with the fan motor.

either way...get it checked asap and don't drive the car until you do so.

trust me on that cos i've blown two radiators doing just that only a couple of months ago

mine is and ae100 sprinter but the most mechanical parts are same as yours....bought a used ae110 radiator and fan assemble for my one cos the motor was fried...

[Elvis_Pil]

Did they wash you're engine bay when doing the service? If so- water could have leaked into the fan assembly or the fan's activation switch, which is causing it to malfunction. Better get it checked out at a Radiator joint or the agents quick before there is any serious damage.

[harshansenadhir]

  weda said:

Dear gents,

My car engine heat reaches very high levels after getting it serviced few days back.

Noticed that the fan is not responding quite accurately to the engine heat. Some times it only works with the AC. and the air flow seems to have droped too.

Its an AE110 sprinter and looks like something is not OK with the radiator fan.

Any body plaese help!!

Thanks!

Both radiator fan and A/C condenser fan works when the A/C compressor is engaged. Radiator fan should work when the coolant reaches a set temperature regardless A/C switched on or off. If fans doesn't work for engine temp means nothing wrong with the fans, relays and fan control unit (if any). It's just that fan control unit or relays does not get the signal when engine/coolant reaches a particular temp. it should be either

1. faulty temp probe or

2. loose/disconnected wire socket from engine temperature probe.

Since it popped up just after the service, i'd assume it's #2.

others, any thoughts?

Edited July 27, 2010 by harshansenadhir

[weda]

  Ripper said:

well that car has two fans...one for the ac condenser and one for the radiator...

since the fans are electrical and no mechanical gel filled types...there is no special way for the fan to react to engine heat...

it either comes on or goes off

AC has no connection to the way the radiator fan is functioning...

If you radiator fan is not coming on when the engine is heated up...there can be either something wrong with the electricals that looks after that circuit or something can be wrong with the fan motor.

either way...get it checked asap and don't drive the car until you do so.

trust me on that cos i've blown two radiators doing just that only a couple of months ago

mine is and ae100 sprinter but the most mechanical parts are same as yours....bought a used ae110 radiator and fan assemble for my one cos the motor was fried...

Took the case to an auto electrician. The fan worked when given direct supply.

Fan did not work at all when the AC was off, regardless of the engine heat. there fore the heat sensor was changed.

still the problem is there.

I fear if this continues the gaskets also may get damged. :-(

[weda]

  Elvis_Pil said:

Did they wash you're engine bay when doing the service? If so- water could have leaked into the fan assembly or the fan's activation switch, which is causing it to malfunction. Better get it checked out at a Radiator joint or the agents quick before there is any serious damage.

Yes the engine bay was washed. The fan works when given direct supply. Activation switch or the heat sensor was replaced but no good.

[weda]

  harshansenadhir said:

it should be either

1. faulty temp probe or

2. loose/disconnected wire socket from engine temperature probe.

Since it popped up just after the service, i'd assume it's #2.

others, any thoughts?

Temp probe was changed, and the wiring was checked. Still no good

[Ripper]

  weda said:

Temp probe was changed, and the wiring was checked. Still no good

i think you need another electrician....

this is fairly simple issue to sort out on that car...

been there done that sorta thing

[harshansenadhir]

  weda said:

Yes the engine bay was washed. The fan works when given direct supply. Activation switch or the heat sensor was replaced but no good.

and you said it works with A/C if i'm not mistaken. Check whether there are different relays for fan activation with A/C comp and for engine temp. If so I would check relays as well. Did electrician ran a test with a test lamp to see fan control unit/relays get the signal from temperature probe?

[weda]

  harshansenadhir said:

Did electrician ran a test with a test lamp to see fan control unit/relays get the signal from temperature probe?

Yes he did so, and thats why the temp sensor was changed.

The problem seems to appear on random instances, highly unpredictable.

[weda]

  Ripper said:

i think you need another electrician....

this is fairly simple issue to sort out on that car...

been there done that sorta thing

The fellow is quite well reputed for the auto electrical repairs.If it is taken to someone else will I end up replacing every thin one at a time.

What if I get the fan direct supply?

[harshansenadhir]

  weda said:

Yes he did so, and thats why the temp sensor was changed.

The problem seems to appear on random instances, highly unpredictable.

you said random now, before anything, replace the relay/relays and give it a try. Oxidized contact points of relays can cause these kind of random issues. I thought fans doesn't work at all unless you switch on A/C.

[Ripper]

  harshansenadhir said:

you said random now, before anything, replace the relay/relays and give it a try. Oxidized contact points of relays can cause these kind of random issues. I thought fans doesn't work at all unless you switch on A/C.

yeah...possible a bad relay...maybe the engine washing thing got water into the relays too...

you can check the relays quite easily with a multimeter or even with a test light...

also...keep an eye on the temp gauge if you have to drive until this is resolved fully!

Edited July 27, 2010 by Ripper

[weda]

  weda said:

Noticed that the fan is not responding quite accurately to the engine heat. Some times it only works with the AC. and the air flow seems to have droped too.

Sorry about the inconveniance caused. The fan did not work even when steam was coming from the radiator resovir tank cap. But when the AC was ON the fan randomly came ON and OFF. After replacing the heat sensor the fan did work with out the AC but still the heat goes up and the fan did not respond to the rising heat.

I fear some thing wrong with the relay control of the fan as u said.

[harshansenadhir]

  weda said:

Sorry about the inconveniance caused. The fan did not work even when steam was coming from the radiator resovir tank cap. But when the AC was ON the fan randomly came ON and OFF. After replacing the heat sensor the fan did work with out the AC but still the heat goes up and the fan did not respond to the rising heat.

I fear some thing wrong with the relay control of the fan as u said.

are you sure the correct temp probe which tallies manufacturer specification has been used?

Ask the electrician to carry out a test on the probe to check whether it sends the signal at the required temp. It's nothing but extending an earth wire and the wire to the temperature probe and put temp probe in a pot of boiling water and see whether fans does engage.

Edited July 27, 2010 by harshansenadhir

[weda]

  harshansenadhir said:

are you sure the correct temp probe which tallies manufacturer specification has been used?

Ask the electrician to carry out a test on the probe to check whether it sends the signal at the required temp. It's nothing but extending an earth wire and the wire to the temperature probe and put temp probe in a pot of boiling water and see whether fans does engage.

Thanks a lot Bro!!!

Thats a very valuable piece of advice. will check that.

[MkX]

Did you allow engine bay to wash with pressure gun? I suggest you to do check the heat sensor/relays may be remove them test/clean and reinstall. water may have caused the problem.

I never let them to wash engine bay. but last saturday at Mag.City i was away from the car for about 15minutes and during that time they have washed the engine bay as soon as I took the car check light came. So I asked them to check. The guy told me when engine heat up it will go. I took the alarm summery. It was IAT - low volated (inlet air temperature). And check light went off after 2,3 minutes. So i guess waschin engine bay is not advisable.

  weda said:

Yes the engine bay was washed. The fan works when given direct supply. Activation switch or the heat sensor was replaced but no good.

  weda said:

Sorry about the inconveniance caused. The fan did not work even when steam was coming from the radiator resovir tank cap. But when the AC was ON the fan randomly came ON and OFF. After replacing the heat sensor the fan did work with out the AC but still the heat goes up and the fan did not respond to the rising heat.

I fear some thing wrong with the relay control of the fan as u said.

[weda]

  MkX said:

Did you allow engine bay to wash with pressure gun? I suggest you to do check the heat sensor/relays may be remove them test/clean and reinstall. water may have caused the problem.

No the engine was washed with the low pressure water line. But I fear water went in to the fuse and relay compartments. They only cover the delco before washing.

During the service they topped up the radiator with water, can this lead to any issue?

[jdnet]

  weda said:

No the engine was washed with the low pressure water line. But I fear water went in to the fuse and relay compartments. They only cover the delco before washing.

During the service they topped up the radiator with water, can this lead to any issue?

Air bubbles in the coolant can cause the car to overheat. Try bleeding your coolant system and see if that helps (not sure about the fans though).

[weda]

  jdnet said:

Air bubbles in the coolant can cause the car to overheat. Try bleeding your coolant system and see if that helps (not sure about the fans though).

I dont think the sprinter has some special device to bleed the lines.

Due to over heating I re-filled the radiator several times with water.

[Sylvi]

  weda said:

I dont think the sprinter has some special device to bleed the lines.

Due to over heating I re-filled the radiator several times with water.

Mr.Weda,

I went through entire posts you had got all possible advice from the Forum members All had written correct advice

My opinion is if the fan works give a direct line to the radiator fan temporary with a switch and on the fan immediately after the engine starts still temperature meter goes up over normal heat level that means radiator block or thermostat valve is not functioning correctly.

Check current draw of the fan with a Ampere meter. If I am not mistaken fan current draw is more than 5 amps.

I find the boiling water test was told in the posts you have to remove the thermostat and do that test out side.

Do you get steam coming out from the Radiator cap is removed.

Wijesinghe.

[Sylvi]

Members,

Some fans are sealed I had this problem when Radiator water was not filled for few days I ended up with a Engine top overhaul with two cylinders missing all four valves of that center 2 cylinders was changed Engine head was refaced by L&N.

All above was my friend who took the vehicle for round trip in Srilanka when his family came down here for Holiday for 20 days he never checked any water level of the Radiator Oil level Brake oil level just started and drove Last lap of his holiday Trip he had to tow the Vehicle came close to my home and started the vehicle left same without informing any problem what he faced.

I gave the Vehicle as was out of the island for about a month.

You can use a A/C fan for radiator with little modification I use A/C fan on my Engine Radiator Without any problem for last six months.

Most Radiator fans comes with self lubricated bushes with permanent magnet motors. I think all A/C fans have small ball racers.

Wijesinghe

[weda]

  Sylvi said:

My opinion is if the fan works give a direct line to the radiator fan temporary with a switch and on the fan immediately after the engine starts still temperature meter goes up over normal heat level that means radiator block or thermostat valve is not functioning correctly.

Check current draw of the fan with a Ampere meter. If I am not mistaken fan current draw is more than 5 amps.

I find the boiling water test was told in the posts you have to remove the thermostat and do that test out side.

Do you get steam coming out from the Radiator cap is removed.

Wijesinghe.

The temp probe was checked and the current draw was also OK. Test lamps and mulitimeters both indicated good current flow.

Since this happened just after the service I fear something bad has happend to the relays making it fucntion time to time. Dont know whether adding water to the radiator also made things go wrong.

Or else the fan efficiency might have weakend by water going in the motor.

[jdnet]

  weda said:

I dont think the sprinter has some special device to bleed the lines.

Due to over heating I re-filled the radiator several times with water.

well then...let it idles for a little with the caps off?

[weda]

  jdnet said:

well then...let it idles for a little with the caps off?

Yes after allowing the steam to go, the radiator cap was crefully removed, water poured in and the engine was run for several minutes with out the cap. ( also checked for gasket leaks) No other thing done to especially bleed the lines.

[Ripper]

  weda said:

I dont think the sprinter has some special device to bleed the lines.

Due to over heating I re-filled the radiator several times with water.

there is a drain plug at the bottom left of the radiator....

i usually take the top cap off and put in a garden hose to the opening and open the drain plug to to clear out any possible debris from the radiator.

afterwards you can close the drain plug, top up with water....star the car without the radiator cap and wait a few seconds till the water level settles...

usually it should go down a bit and you can top up as necessary...

any air bubbles that form within the cooling system would most likely get the chance to escape while the cap is open...

when you don't notice anymore air bubbles appearing and once the water is topped up and settled...reinstall the radiator cap.

in my experience this sorts out possible air bubble issues...

and i would again advice you not to drive with the radiator heating up and making the motor run hot.

it will make your gaskets loose their flexibility and become brittle overtime...

also you can damage your engine block and or pistons etc too..