1st time getting my wagon pretty hot ,enough to overflow warmed it up good and drove around the property pretty hard.i parked it and noticed the temp gauge higher than normal ,i dont use this as a daily driver anymore. I`ve had very minimal problems since i took ownership 4 yrs ago, the coolant level was fine afew weeks ago when i changed the belt . Thanks for any input

danny

Follow the top (passender side) radiator hose from radiator to the engine.

Thanks man,what temp thermostat do you rec, i live in texas, the weather changes faster than normal

danny

I would go with what is recommended for your car. That should be fine. Hell, you being in Texas, you could most likely run without one and be just fine, just take a little bit longer in the winter to warm up.

Stock is a 195 i believe. If you think its running a bit warm with that go to a 180 or a 185. I wouldnt go any lower than that however.

Thanks ,i went back out and filled up to op level and watched it gradually rise back to a bit under hot and then turned it off.however i do remember i did replace the cooling fan a couple of years ago. How do i trouble shoot the fan?

I`m sorry i asked how to check the fan, i meant the sensor activates the fan, and i don`t even know why i asked where the thermostat was i guess i was just dizzied by the fact something wasn`t right about my wagon , except that i cant drive it often as i want to

thanks danny

You're referring to the thermoswitch in the radiator.

 

If the fan is not coming on when the temp gets up there,

chances are it's toasted.

 

You can play the replace-a-part game with it,

but i went through enough of them to bypass it and wire my fan(s)

with a relay and cabin toggle switch.

180 degrees F is std I think

Whats the procedure for the bypass. I know i would probably need

10ga?? Wire a good toggle and good connectors,heat shrink ???????

Where to i tie in to the power and how do i do the relay?

Thanks danny

So i take it the fan does not come on at all?

 

Prior to running switched power,

try a jumper wire to the fan, to see if your fan even works.

 

Check the connections at the fan and thermoswitch, they can jiggle loose

Check your ground wire at the radiator.

This post is getting a bit away from the original question but

 

You might want to look at the fins on the

radiator, front side down low

They tend to delaminate from the cooling tubes.

 

You do not mention AC, it can change the fan wiring.

 

Follow Mr Greenley's advice.

 

then if you want the best of both

e.g. a rad thermoswitch and cockpit switch both controlling a relay)

Try this diagram I made up for you

standard lighting relay

12 AWG for the power 18 AWG for the switch gear.

i tested the fan,it works, tell the sensor to turn the if the t-stat was not opening would that not tell the sensor to activate the fan, for example,when a radiator is empty the temp gauge wont show hot because no coolant is flowing by????? i am about to install the t-stat, i already have it up on ramps to try to relieve the air pockets are there any other tricks i need to know about

thank you`ll very much

danny

i tested the fan,it works,

You found this out by??????

 

Do you see a small wire running from the top of the rad to the

core support? You should, as it is the ground for the fan.

 

tell the sensor to turn the if the t-stat was not opening would that not tell the sensor to activate the fan,

Well I don't know what to make of this.

But if the T-stat was not opening the temp would go high enough

to turn the fan on.

 

 

for example,when a radiator is empty the temp gauge wont show hot because no coolant is flowing by?????

This is true, but why is there no coolant in the rad??

 

i am about to install the t-stat, i already have it up on ramps to try to relieve the air pockets are there any other tricks i need to know about

 

Leave the cap off, start the car, and keep a drain pan under the front.

keep filling until the engine temp is up to op temp for several minutes

 

Cap on and fill coolant bottle to min.

 

Sugg, use and OEM t-stat NOT a Stant

replace the cap while you are at it.

Thanks skip,sorry for my confused wording,i did have coolant in the radiator,i got the t-stat in and messed around filling it up a little at a time , i never heard the fan come on although the temp was around normal, i jiggled the sensor wire again, and as someone had mentioned the wire to the sensor was just riding on the nipple of the sensor so i crimped it a little and waited,then it came on!!!!

And i really appreciate all of you helping me out.

 

I am gonna do the bypass as you diagrammed because i dont want a blown head gasket or worse / thanks for the time and diagram , i got a little more familiar under my hood today

danny

Skip,

 

Could you repost your relay diagram. For some reason I cannot view it.

 

Thanks

as far as a bypass Advance Auto parts (or whatever it may be in your location) sells this neat little relay for like 15 bucks and you wire it in to a 12v constant 12v switched(i left this on constant in my case, laziness) a ground and a probe that goes in the radiator as a sensor. then you just let the car warm up and turn a dial until the fan comes on. really reliable and practicle. just replaced the clutch fan in my xt with a a/c fan out of the junk yard and used this set up. never had a problem with heat whats so ever. ill get pics, looks too cool lol

 

good luck!