New guy here, tried searching, but I'm not exactly how to search for my issue. So I'm sorry if this has been answered before.

It is my sister's car, but I got the chance to drive it and check it out today. Car is a 1995 Accord 2.2l non VTEC

In the last week or so, it has developed an overheating issue caused by the radiator fan not coming on. Here is where it is odd... When the A/C is turned on, both fans come on. When you turn the car off, the radiator fan turns on to bring the temp down. But while the car is running, the radiator fan will not turn on when it reaches temperature. Nor will the A/C fan, but that one isn't supposed to. Needless to say, she has been running around with her heater on, and coupled with the relatively cold weather, it has been fine. But, warm weather is just around the corner and we need to get this thing figured out ASAP so if you guys have any ideas that would be great.

Fuses and relays are good. I'm assuming wiring is good since both fans work, just not when they are supposed to necessarily.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

both fans will run when the ignition is on, when they are required to..the only time only one fan runs is when the ignition is off

you need part number 16 in this illustration

http://www.hondapartscheap.com/parts...er-pump-sensor

Get it from Honda, don't buy aftermarket cooling sensor parts.

 

Appreciate the response. You seem pretty sure of the issue so I'm guessing it is rather common? Also, why the need for genuine parts? Are these notoriously bad aftermarket? I've always bought aftermarket for my other vehicles, didn't know if hondas are a bit more particular.

 

Yes, it's common. Since the fans work at some point you know the fans aren't bad and the one fan that is supposed to come on when the car is off is working fine so it shouldn't be a relay issue.

Yes, aftermarket cooling system parts aren't worth risking trying to save a few bucks. Honda OEM parts will last atleast 7 years or so. Some aftermarket won't even last a year.

 

Great. I really appreciate the response, especially so late.

 

Well, one $67 Genuine Honda part down, and still no problem fixed. Same issues. Will say, I had to try to get the car up to temp, and once I did, both fans kicked on, but didn't cool it down. It cools down fine when you are driving and there is air moving over the stack, but once the temp mark reaches halfway at idle, it climbs steadily from there. Drove it back to the house, let it idle, and the fans didn't come back on again.

Manual fan switch time?

 

hey there i anew too. when car is cool take off radiator cap, start the car turn heater all the way up high speed fan. add water as needed watch for air buubles when all are gone put cap back on and see what happens then

 

also i had one that had apinhole in the overflow to tank tube that would suck air into the sytem .yhyat was a hard to diagnose.

 

So before you replaced the fan switch the fans didn't turn on and now they did and you think you didn't fix anything ? If the car overheated to the red bar before you replaced the fan switch you could have a bad headgasket now.

You're gonna need to do a compression test now. Also make sure the lower radiator hose gets hot before the car starts overheating or your thermostat could be bad.

Also, pop open the bleeder bolt and make sure there are no air bubbles that could be preventing the coolant from reaching the fan switch and turning the fans on. Just open it, and close it when it shoots out a steady stream of coolant. This is how you properly bleed the system.

Also, it shouldn't have costed you $67 for that part.

 

I don't think the fans were working previously, but as of today, they were working intermittently, so it is entirely possible that my diagnosis before was the exact same conditions as now, I just didn't see the fans turn on.

Car never actually made it into the red. Not likely a blown HG.

I'll bleed the system tomorrow and see if that helps anything.

I went to Honda directly for the part. $67 out the door. Should've taken my chance with an aftermarket one from autozone for half the price. Actually, I really should have just tested the one on the car before buying anything. Oh well. Hindsight as they say.

 

It takes about 5 seconds to pop open the bleeder valve and close it and that's the entire bleeding procedure.

People can only go by what you tell them. Since we don't have access to the car we are the mercy of your description of the issue.

 

bled the system and seems there was a good amount of air in there. So far it is ok, but time will tell

 

In the future this is how you refill the radiator.

Jack the front of the car up and high as you can. Turn the heater temperature **** to full red inside the car. Open the bleeder bolt. Fill the radiator until it comes out of the bleeder bolt in a steady stream. Close the bleeder bolt when it does. Fill the radiator up. Put the radiator cap on. Fill the reservoir about halfway full to the "full" mark. Drive the car. After about 5 days of driving refill the reservoir to the full mark again. Assuming no leaks in the cooling system, it should stay that way.

 

I just put a well fitting funnel into the radiator, filled it to the top, opened the heater control and popped the bleeder open. I allowed the entire funnel to empty while the bleeder let out the air.

Honestly, I think the air was the issue. I haven't tested the old switch yet, because it wouldn't much matter anyway, but I don't think it was a necessary part to replace. Either way, so far, the car isn't having any issues. Though it has been snowing, so it is hard to tell.

 

The air got in there AFTER you replaced the fan switch not before it. Air is incapable of reaching that spot unless the system is opened.