Hello all. some of you know that I am having heating issues with heating in my car. The question is the fan. Should it be blowing so that is pushing air into the radiator or sucking air out. The PO has it wired to run all the time so I am not sure if it is wired correctly. Seams like the whole cooling system gets hot. I know that the coolant is going through as everything gets hot. I have changed the thermostat and have a new three core radiator on the way.
So if you can look at your fan running and tell me what way it blows that would be very welcomed.
Good morning, the fan pulls air through the radiator from front of car, blows it back toward spare tire Area and headlights. I am at work now so not sure which way the fan rotates. Hope this helps.
------------------ "Because in a split second, It's gone" Ayrton Senna
It should be sucking air through the radiator (pretty sure it's clockwise). If you hold your hand behind the fan, you should be able to feel the air flowing. Is it an aftermarket fan? Does it have a shroud? I had heating problems with mine when I first got it, but changing out to the 2-core champion solved it BIG TIME!
With the fan stopped, you can tell which way it should run. It should pull air from outside the car, through the radiator and then pass through the fan. The leading edge of the fan near the radiator will be the direction of rotation. Counter-clockwise. Also, with the fan running, you should feel the air blowing back toward the front compartment if it's turning in the right direction.
Do you know that you're actually overheating? Is the gauge accurate? Cold engine, ignition to the ON position but no start, the needle should sit at about 100*.
Thank you for the replies on this. My fan is blowing in the right direction then. I am just trying to knock down the issue that I am having. The whole system runs hot. Hopefully the radiator that is coming will fix the issue.
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Originally posted by Fiero Thomas:
Thank you for the replies on this. My fan is blowing in the right direction then. I am just trying to knock down the issue that I am having. The whole system runs hot. Hopefully the radiator that is coming will fix the issue.
When I drive the car the gauge goes up past the red and the light comes on. But when I start to drive the light goes off and does not come back on. ------------------ 1987 Fiero GT T-Top 2012 Kia Forte Koup 2017 Kia Forte S FieroNews FieroNews Spare Tire Cover FieroNews Windshield Banners
[This message has been edited by Fiero Thomas (edited 06-29-2017).]
1. Are you sure it is overheating, and this isn't an issue with the gauge/light sending unit? 2. Assuming you are confident it is, indeed, overheating, is it only at idle and then returns to normal temps completely once moving?
1. Are you sure it is overheating, and this isn't an issue with the gauge/light sending unit? 2. Assuming you are confident it is, indeed, overheating, is it only at idle and then returns to normal temps completely once moving?
thank you for all the replies.
1 not the gauge or sending unit. I have replaced the gauge and both sending units. 2 when driving the temp will go up then the light comes non and then will go off and the temp will go down but not to where it should be.
A couple of questions: 1. Is the radiator a stock fan motor? 2. Have you inspected your coolant SS lines and Modesto ensure there are no kinks or compressed areas? 3. Have you performed an Infrared thermal scam of the coolant system for hot spots?
[This message has been edited by Cajun (edited 06-29-2017).]
A couple of questions: 1. Is the radiator a stock fan motor? 2. Have you inspected your coolant SS lines and Modesto ensure there are no kinks or compressed areas? 3. Have you performed an Infrared thermal scam of the coolant system for hot spots?
1 all is stock 2 there are no kinks in the system that I can find 3 the hot spot is buy the sensor that runs the gauge
There may be issues with your radiator fan. You indicated that your temp gauge goes into the red when stopped but moves to normal (lower) when the car is in motion. That's an indication in my opinion your radiator fan is not functioning properly.
[This message has been edited by Cajun (edited 06-30-2017).]
Interesting side note about cooling fans in that second link, if you want to turn any single fan into a two speed one, I have used this controller in other cars to do just that. This one has a radiator probe, but you can get an electrical sending unit for it too (what I have done)
Thank you for the info. Here is Archies install on it. Looks like I have a little project ahead of me.
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Originally posted by Archie:
We installed one of these radiators in a Fiero today.
First of all, when we got it we compared the size, the cores & the fit to the big radiator that I've been having made for several years.
We have not yet tested it extensively BUT I HAVE HIGH CONFIDENCE that it is at least equal to the radiators I've been having made for years.
This high confidence & the fact that this radiator is much cheaper than the ones I've been having made, means that this will become my recommended radiator for future swaps.
OK, here's what notes I have on the installation.
As I said, size, thickness & cores are very comparable to the rads I've been using for years.
We mounted the rad into the stock Fiero upper & lower mounts.
Here are the modifications we had to make.
In this pic. the rad is upside down to show that the rubber bumpers in the bottom & top Fiero brackets have to be modified just slightly.
The stock rubber is on the left, the corners need to be cut a little as in the rubber on the right.
Then you can put them right back into the stock locations....
Because the new radiator has a more squared off shape than the stock radiator, the top Fiero mounting bracket had to be opened up a little bit around that radiator cap area.....
Over on the drivers side the Fiero top mount is a bit tight on that corner but we did get it to m,ount without doing any cutting.
Also, please note that on the bottom Fiero rad mount, the corners are a bit tight but we didn't have to modify them.
Also, watch the bolts that hold on the condenser coil, they were a bit too long on our installation & we shortened them a little.
Also watch the bolts that hold the rad fan on to make sure they don't damage the core.
You indicated that your temp gauge goes into the red when stopped but moves to normal (lower) when the car is in motion.
That's an indication in my opinion your radiator fan is not functioning properly.
True. But IF the fans is working....
The water pump could be suspect. My 87 had the plastic impeller type and did not pump properly at idle. But once engine RPM was higher it moved enough coolant for engine cooling to function.
Some people have chronic cooling system problems. I often wonder if they have the wrong water pump (turning in wrong direction)
The water pump could be suspect. My 87 had the plastic impeller type and did not pump properly at idle. But once engine RPM was higher it moved enough coolant for engine cooling to function.
Some people have chronic cooling system problems. I often wonder if they have the wrong water pump (turning in wrong direction)
I was thinking the water pump as well. I mean its 30 years old. I have replaced a couple in the past myself but I just dont want to do it. Time to save some money and get it done.
The water pump could be suspect. My 87 had the plastic impeller type and did not pump properly at idle. But once engine RPM was higher it moved enough coolant for engine cooling to function.
Some people have chronic cooling system problems. I often wonder if they have the wrong water pump (turning in wrong direction)
This is a common problem especially with aftermarket water pumps. A plastic impeller is pressed on the shaft and with heat and age it become loose and dont pump enough water except at high engine rpms.
Interesting side note about cooling fans in that second link, if you want to turn any single fan into a two speed one, I have used this controller in other cars to do just that. This one has a radiator probe, but you can get an electrical sending unit for it too (what I have done)
Thomas, my money is on the water pump, too. I would consider doing that before you bother with the radiator. Heck, perhaps you can return the radiator so you have the funds for a good pump.
Thomas, my money is on the water pump, too. I would consider doing that before you bother with the radiator. Heck, perhaps you can return the radiator so you have the funds for a good pump.
I'm thinking the same. Next Friday I am going to call for some quotes then replace it.
Also a single core has better cooling than multi core. IE: don't believe the hype
Agreed. I had this problem with a previous car years ago. The new rad made things worse. With a bigger multi-core radiator, I now had MORE coolant that the fan was trying to cool. Now I had to do something about the fan to pull more air through the radiator!
I never had a problem with any of my cars by using 2 row aluminum radiators. All my Corvettes, my V8 Fiero, and my 413 Mopar all kept very cool with them. Ive never needed a 3 row for anything.
As to fan direction a simple foolproof method to test is hold a piece of paper in front of the core...if its sucked in against it, its blowing the right way. If it blows away towards the front bumper its wrong. Fans are DC motors so if its blowing the wrong way just switch the two wires.
well I got some bad news today. I have been having trouble with my neck for awhile now and it is getting worse each month. I went to the doctor and did an MRI. They found that my c3 through c6 has degenerated very badly and I might need to get my neck aligned and fused. I have an appointment with the surgeon on the 28th to discuss options and find out when I need to have this done. With that in mind I can not work on my car by myself to change the water pump and I will not have the money to get it done at a shop. Anyone want to help me out I can offer a case of beer and burgers and steaks on the grill. I want to give this car to my son for xmas and I am afraid that I will not have it ready in time for him. He might have to wait a year to get it. This just is not my year
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