Cooling Fan Not Coming On

[mikeamtrak 0]

As above, the fan was working until I was attempting to get the wiper washer working, now I have fixed that , the fan won't come on when it gets hot, so overheats, I have tested motor, that works!, I know the fan and radiator fan switch has its own little loom, on which there is a little black box with two 25w fuses in which both look ok, there is also a strange looking object which another part of that loom attaches too and that is just dangling about, does anyone know what that thingy is and should it be just dangling about, is that my problem or anymore ideas, I have checked what I can of wiring and can't see any breaks?

 

Oh it's 1.9 1991

Edited September 27, 2012 by mikeamtrak

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

Dangly thing is your rheostat I think if it is a silver cannister with an electrical connector at one end.

 

Test for the fan switch is to bridge the connectors on the back of the switch plub. There will be three; 1 earth and a high and a low speed fan. If the fan comes on then your switch needs replacing which can easily be found at a local motor factors for about £13. Clean up the connectors too as they often corrode and that could be your problem. There is no harm to having it permanently on as a temporary fix.

[mikeamtrak 0]

Thanks, so the rheostat just dangles about then, or should it be connected to something?

[mikeamtrak 0]

How and where do I bridge to test the switch , do I have to take out of radiattor, surely if I bridge just the connectors with no wires attached then no power so won't work if I bridge with wires attached I am just bridging the wires and would come on anyway, I am being stupid and not thinking straight?

[stufarri 98 3 Cars]

Unplug the connector to the fan switch that screws into the radiator.

 

The plug sockets (3 of them) will look like this , I = . Then use a piece of wire to bridge 2 of the connectiors with the ignition on.

 

The top one ( I ) is the earth, I think and the 2 others ( = ) are fast/slow speeds.

 

With it bridged, if the fan comes on, the switch is at fault.

 

Good luck!

[mikeamtrak 0]

<p style="text-align: right"> </p>

<p>thanks for help. it was a crusty connection, removed, clean and put back on and hey presto it works</p>

<p> </p>

 

[pug_ham 245 3 Cars]

You shouldn't need to unplug the fan switch on all GTI, unless the loom has been messed with.

 

The later three pin plug should have a seperate brown five slot plug (only three wires into it, centre & each end) which hangs spare on the loom from the back of the fan switch, bridge the centre pin to either side will run the fan at either low or high speed.

 

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