brokenojoke

This all started off with my stock temp gauge always bouncing between hot and normal operating temp. I figured I'd get a little better gauge and replaced it with an electric autometer unit. I just eliminated the stock temp gauge and used the autometer sending unit in the stock location under the distributor. It still shows the temp gets upto 240 and sometimes 250 when driven slightly hard.


The lower hose was not getting nearly as hot as the top, so I replaced the thermostat. Lower hose gets warmer now. Still no fan though.

I jumped the two wire plug that leads to the ECT swith by the thermostat housing, and fan turns right on.

If I'm correct, that eliminates the fuse, and the relay. I thought it had to the the switch, and it's only 20 bucks. I replaced it. Still no fan.

The fan switch temp probe and the autometer probe are in very different locations. The autometer is right into the head. The ect switch is by the thermostat. What I'm wondering is, can the radiator be cooling so well, that by the time the coolant reaches the ect switch, it's not hot enough to kick fan on? If autometer reads 240f in the head, can the radiator cool it enough to get below 191f (ect switch should turn on at 191f I think) when it reaches ect switch?

SOHCejcivic

no, something is definetly jacked. the temp sensor for the gauge is before the thermostat/ect switch for the fan in regards to coolant flow. so if the gauge reads 240*...then the ****'s 240* at the thermo switch. either your gauge is off (which i'm assuming is a no) or got a bum ect sensor as a replacement. the fan is good if it came on when you jumped it, so i'd imagine that cancels out a short in the wiring.

did you get the sensor from honda or from somewhere like autozone?

brokenojoke

autozone.

You really think that's it? I'll go get a honda one now to eliminate that. Post back in an hour.

I was thinking twice about the autozone part on my baby. We'll see if that's it here in a sec.

SOHCejcivic

i wouldn't put it passed it. i think they're like $25 from honda.

since you went to autozone, take it back and get another one. you might've just gotten a dud switch. that's the only thing i can think of, because if there was a short in the wiring, i don't think the fan would've fired when you jumped it. and the switch is the only other thing that controls the fan.

for the time being though, jump the switch and put a piece of electrical tape over it. yeah, the fan will run full time, but that's less of a problem than letting your mooter get that hot.

brokenojoke

That did it. OEM part worked like a charm. Gauge still reads like 230 before the fan kicks on, but cools it down to 210 right away. Doesn't that still seem high though?

I'm just happy it works. On track days, I'll just jump the ect switch plug to hardwire it.

-Gary-

Sounds high to me, do you have all of the air out of your system?

Do you see the water flow then stop when the thermostat opens and then closes?

brokenojoke

I noticed the lower hose get hot and just figured the thermostat opened. The fluid level inside the radiator did seem to drop by and inch or so once it was open.

De_tour

your fan should be coming on around 195F.