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Random cooling fan action

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Hey dudes, I was just having a fiddle under the bonnet of my car, trying to work out where the funny burning smell comes from ( i *hope* its something to do with the knackered water pump pulley assembly) and the cooling fan started up, seeing as i hadn't driven it for about 9 hours i was a touch surprised. it wouldn't switch off, and even speeded up at one point so i unplugged it. I guess this is the temperature switch in the bottom corner of the radiator being knackered. Does this sound about right? Knowing my luck it'll be something far more expesive but i thought this was a good first stab.

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There is an after-run facility on them but 9 hours later would seem excessive...

 

Which engine are you running?

GAvin

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Sorry, shoulda thought about that before, a 1.8 16v, 1990. on the way to work this morning it seemed to run cooler with the fan unplugged, how perverse is that, it must've just been me driving a bit slower or something? when i rocked up i tried plugging the fan back in and it wouldn't switch off again.

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They can run on for quite a while. You should hear my syncro running for England. Sometimes 20 mins after I pull up it's still going for it.

Could be the rad switch

Gavin

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I was taking the airbox off my car one night and my fan started up even though it had been 12ish hours since id driven it.

 

I found that it was the sender on the front left of the head/rocker cover. It was missing its plastic sleeve and everytime the braided fuel line touched it the fan would come on.

 

Could this also be your problem ??

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Good point JBOB, I was racking my tiny and little used brain to remember if the 16V had one.

I used to short that wire to earth thru a heated rear window switch on my Golf, so I could flick the fan on constantly on trackdays.

 

gavin

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Good point JBOB, I was racking my tiny and little used brain to remember if the 16V had one.

 

:lol: :lol: :lol:

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Cheers guys, by the sender beast, i'm not overly sure what you mean, do you mean an actual screw in temperature sender? as mine all hide in the passenger side end of the head, or in the back corner adjacent to it. or do you mean the funny looking lump which is sat as you described on the front left hand corner on a little bracket which is held to the head by a rocker cover bolt?

The first time i really noticed, it started up as i was poking the alternator with a 17, wondering how the mounting bolts were so loose(i hadn't tightend them earlier was the answer) so i could've dislodged something. It was still running this evening until about 7 seconds before i wanted to test the switch. I fitted a new one anyway which seems to have the car running a bit cooler, but as always i guess the acid test will be the run to work in the morning.

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Cheers guys. I always wondered what that little beast was, so its just another temperature sender then? I wouldn't be surprised if the wire might be a little chafed, I'll have to check it out.

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