i've got a 96 cutlass ciera with the 3.1 and i need some input
temp guage was reading low like around 150, so i replace the thermostat and the temp sensor but it still reads around 150...so i plugged into the ecm and found that the sensor is reading correctly (right at 180-185) but if i'm in traffic or something the fan doesn't kick on until the needle gets up to the 12:00 position which by that time the coolant is around 240-250
any ideas on what else is broke/wrong/not working/ p*ssing me off
Does that cutlass have two fans? i can't remember. If it does one of the fans might be burned out.
Also there are two temp sensors on a 3.1. One for the ECU and one for the gauge.
I'd keep an eye on the ecu reported temp on when the fan comes on. In my 3.1 cavalier the fan doesnt come on until about 220F
i've got 1 fan for the rad (motor side) and 1 for the condenser (bumper side) and both ot them do work... and i only found 1 temp sensor, right by the thermostat housing and throttle body....where is the other one.....
remember my motor is the 96 version, not out of the cavs- my chilton's only shows i have i sensor.....
i'm using a CarChip EX to get my temp readings so it is coming right off the ecu, so that signal is right, i can't figure out why the fan doesn't turn on till the stock guage points to 195, when the coolant is at 240 according to the ecu
You still have two sensors.. Its a 3 wire coolant sensor which is really two sensors in one. The older motors have two 1 wire sensors. You might try a new sensor before anything else.
fan motor was blown so had to junk yard that today---fan still doesn't come on till way late if at all
i can get the fans to kick on when i turn the a/c on though, which means the relay works fine.........so wtf, i don't want to have to replace the ecu/pcm (oh yeah, i got both) any other ideas----i seriously appreciate the help so far
that was the first thing i did....new sensor and thermostat, and now a new fan......the only signal that isn't right is the one the thermostat is getting.....going to the ecu is correct, from the ecu to the relay is correct, and the fan still wont turn on till after it points straight up, 50 degrees too late
so i hard wired a switch till i can figure out what's going on......anybody know if the relay runs off the guage (stupid question, but all i can think of)
The Fan's are switched on by the ECM, which reads the temperature separate from the dash. If the gauge on the dash is defective (my 91' cavalier gauge was way off), it may look like it's overheating, but it isn't. As for when it should turn on, most GM setups turn on the fan once the engine exceeds 215 degrees, then it switches on the fan.
Curtis
91' Turbo Z24
http://www.turboz24.com
Hi there,
My car is a 94 3.1L V-6 Sunbird GT. My problem is that the fan never comes on. I removed it and checked that it was working by powering directly from my battery. I changed the sending unit which was screwed in right under the thermostat housing and the relay which was mounted on the firewall but it still won't work. I really have no idea what else it could be. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
