All these suggestions are right on. As always, check the wireing first just to make sure that you don't have anything lose. Also inspect the wireing to ensure that none of them are frayed or degraded in any way. People often forget that even wires can go bad after so much time has passed.
The suggestion for putting in a jumper wire to test your fan is an excellent one. I had a car that kept over heating because the fan didn't run at all. After a jumper wire test showed that the fan indeed did work, I was able to back track the issue to the temperature sensor after verifying that the coolant and the thermostat were both good and in working order.
To test your thermostat, remove it from the housing. You can tell if it's not functioning right by giveing the housing above and below a good squeeze. If it doesn't come together easilly, then it needs to be replaced. While you can certainly run your vehicle without one, I would suggest against it.
Last but not least, locate the temperature control sensor. It's that little inoccuous wire that most people puzzle over, shrug, and leave alone. Removeing it should be as easy as just turning it to dislodge it from the engine. If not, then ask a certified technician to help you locate and remove the sensor.
If you jump out the fan leads and the fan runs, more likely it is the temp sensor. Dex-cool is notorious for turning into sludge when left in a cooling system longer than 3 years. It can cause failure of the sensor, not mention clogging radiators and destroying water pump seals. If the car is overheating real soon after driving I doubt it is the cooling fan circuit to blame. Check thermostat and hose connections. Cooling systems need to be pressurized at proper temperature with proper clean coolant mix to prevent overheating..
Good Luck
I agree with Chris. Your fan is designed to come at a preset set temperature, which is set at the factory.
You could have a loose wire, a wire not being grounded properly or not grounded at all.
The cooling fan rarely gives you trouble. They are mostly trouble free for the life of the car.
I would try the above suggestion by Chris first, then try looking for loose wires and check the cooling fan relay.
You didn't say how many miles you have on your car. The cooling fan only comes on when the temperature of your engine gets really hot.
The cooling fan is coming on because your engine is getting too hot. But why is your engine getting too hot ?
When was the last time you had your coolant flushed out and refilled with fresh Dex-Cool coolant ?
When was the last time your thermostat and gasket was changed ?
Did you ever have your radiator checked out ? To make sure it is not getting clogged internally ? Causing the coolant not to circulate properly, the causing the engine to overheat .
Have you ever had all of your cooling hoses replaced ? It is possible with age, that one or more of your cooling hoses is getting clogged on the inside. This also will cause the coolant not to circulate properly and cause your engine to overheat.
The cooling fan usually kicks in ,for example when you sitting in traffic for a while, and there is no air going thru your radiator to keep your engine cool.
Give the fan a direct 12v and ground with jumper wires. If it works prob just a relay if not prob needs a fan.
SOURCE: cooling fans on 2001 chevy malibu will not come on unless ac on
the relays control circuit is grounded by ECM (computer) . to check this make sure the is hot enough for the fans to be commanded on by computer and check to see if you have voltage at relay and it has ground from computer . you may need ECM.
good luck
SOURCE: 1991 camaro overheating
There are two freeze out plugs at the rear of the block (V8) and many v6 engines. If coolant is coming from where you say, likely they have failed. Unfortunately, the only way to reach them is to remove engine or transmission, It's rare that they fail because they are "protected " by the bellhousing, but can still rot from the inside out. There is no sealer known to man that will fix this. It's a shame that you need to do all that work for a pair of $2.00 plugs, but that's what needs to happen.
SOURCE: 1996 chevy cavelier 2.2L engine overheating
you need to bleed the coolant through the radiator tube. there is a bold on the bottom steel line on the driver side of the motor back it out but not all the way and then fill your radiator until antifreeze comes out of the hole on that line. make sure it is a steady stream before tighten it up
SOURCE: engine cooling fan not coming on
It may be the fan itself. Try to find the plug going to the fan, it should be close to the fan and might plug diresctly into the relay. Use two jumper wires straight from the Bat one from the pos+ side and one from the neg- side and plug them into the two holes in the connector the fan should start WATCH YOUR FINGERS. If it starts its elec prob before the fan if not its the fan.
SOURCE: car is overheating coolant fans seem to be working
REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT 1ST, THEN IF THAT DOESN'T HELP HAVE THE RADIATOR CLEANED PROFESSIONALLY, THIS MEANS REMIOVE IT AND TAKE IT TO A RADIATOR REPAIR SHOP, THE LOWEER CORES GET CLOGGED SO YOU CAN'T SEE THE PROBLEM, I HAVE A 96 C4, AND MINE WAS FIXED WITH A $12 THERMOSTAT, I AM ASSUMING HERE THAT U ARE NOT LOW ON COOLANT, ALSO IF THE MILES ON THE ENGIJE ARE OVER 60,000 PUT A WATER PUMP ON IT BEFORE THE DARN THINGS LEAKS AND TAKES OUT THE OPTI SPARK DISTRIBUTOR WHICH IS RIGHT BELOW THE WATER PUMP.
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