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My cooling/over heating problem

blu_fuz

New Member Classroom vulture
Joined
Sep 25, 2002
Messages
16,030
Location
Waupun, WI
:blackeye:

1995 V6 MTX
Ported 2005 3L

Never had problems with the cooling of my car and it has 230k miles, temp gauge always rides right in the middle of "NORMAL", until now.

I have a 5 year old radiator, 3L water pump installed now for 3 years, and new coolant.


I havn't had AC for the last 5-7 years and finally had fixed all the components when I did my 3L 3 years ago. So this is my first summer in a long time with AC, if it matters.

Basically, here is the deal, the car was running perfectly normal until about 2 weekends ago when we took some long trips with the AC on and noticed the cooling issue:

-since 2 weekends ago, coolant temp rises to between the "M" and "A" with NO AC on and will climb to between "A" and "L" if I have to stop for a light. THE FANS NEVER TURN ON.

-during regular driving and I turn the AC on either regular or max, the fan closest to the passenger side is the only one that kicks on and it cycles for like 30 seconds on and then 30 seconds off.

-if I drive when the car temp is by the "A" and turn on the AC, the temp would keep going into the red zone on my gauge :eek:.....



I pulled the black fan relay and replaced it and I pulled the green fan relay and replaced it. Still no difference in cooling performance.



Please help, I'm bummed out.
 
It may just be that the fan died. I would disconnect the plug for the low speed fan and jump power from the battery to verify that the fan is functional. Just thought I would add, if it in fact is the fan, I have two extra fans if you need one.

If the fan is working I would turn my attention to the wiring harness for the fans. With the engine idling wiggle the harness and see if it causes the fan to kick on as there may be a break in the wiring.

Also check the coolant temperature sensor (two wires). The sensor is the one on the back side of the crossover tube. The temperature sender (one wire) for the gauge is on the side pointing towards the fender. I believe you can check the voltage that they are returning. I'm sure of how though.

Then move to the water pump, I know you said it was only 3 years old, but you never know. If you are not getting enough flow from the pump coolant won't reach the resistor on the left side of the radiator and the fan won't come on. The impeller may not be broken, it may be slipping on the shaft.

Don't forget to check that the thermostat is opening, after the engine is up to temp, squeeze the upper radiator hose. It should be hot and should surge back after you release it. You are trying to verify that is has pressure.

Hope this helps, good luck.
 
I would jump your relay for both your fans with a wire to force them to work, then go around and jiggle the wires to see if you can get them to shut off meaning a broken wire. Or you could get a DVOM and check for continuity between the terminal of the relay and the harness down on the fans. I would also check the low side resistor, i know mine was "half" broken so when it warmed up it would cut the flow and cool back down and them restart the low side.
I don't know about OBD1 but you may be able to plug in a scan tool and see what your actual temp is versus what your gauge says. I know mine is wack on my cluster but with my scan tool plugged in it never reaches 215*F.

But when you jump the relay the fans should stay on regardless of what your a/c is doing or your temp. If they cut out while jumped it is something with the wires running to them. Or the fans themselves may be bad, i would try spinning the fans with your hands to see if they spin freely.
I also have some fans off my SE if you need a set cheap.

Edit: if the fans stay on with it jumped, you can also probe the CTS to see if its bad and see what kind of voltage it is giving. It should be between 1.3v and 4.7v if its 5.0v or greater or 1.0v or less than, that means the CTS (coolant temperature sensor) is bad or has a grounded wire somewhere.
The computer uses 1-5V references for the input/output of sensors. So when it is either >5 or <1 or really close it shows the sensor failing/wiring problem.

Hope this helps!
 
Everyone says to jump the relay, but I have no idea how and had troubles trying to.

Both fans spin freely when turning them by hand. I just checked out the harness and it is in good physical condition and this harness was replaced under recall about 8 years ago.

Did some reading here too which has good info, but nothing that I have tried yet: http://www.justanswer.com/ford/19qg7-1998-ford-contour-runs-hot-side.html

Here is my '95 "fan relay" spaces highlighted with pink below and a picture of my relay pins. Note: the relay pins ARE NOT IN THE SAME LOCATIONS ON THE E1 CONTOURS AND THE '95 RELAY IS PHYSICALLY BIGGER! Please tell me where to jump if you know:

!BYbsTH!Bmk~$(KGrHgoOKicEjlLmYvG8BKhfpINSM!~~_12.JPG


2008-07-01_210541_98_CONTOUR_COOLING_FAN_RELAYS.jpg
 
Use some 14 or larger gauge wire and put it in the slots where the LARGEST terminals go into the fuse block. You may need your key in the "on" position. I will search for some pics of a 95 block and reply here soon.


Edit: Couldn't find my pictures of my block in my E1 (i know its different) but it should just be the larger terminals that control the fans. I have to work but i will pull up a diagram there and post when i have the time. Just remember, the wire your holding may get hot.
 
Thanks, I have some progress now. I jumped across the fat terminals for both relays. The green relay jumped turns on the driver's side fan, the black relay jumped turns on the passenger side fan. You don't need the key in at all to make them work with the jumper wire.

Ok, soooooo - maybe like the temp sensor would be next?
 
There is a radiator fan "switch" which looks like a temp sensor that goes on the crossover tube that connects to two heads, I'd replace that they are pretty inexpensive. I always get two mixed up so i don't recall which one is which... Passed that i would look at your wiring.
 
Hmmm, well I had both relays pulled at the same time when I tried the jumping, so maybe that has something to to with why only one came on at a time???? If you click that link the mechanic states that the fans run independent of eachother :shrug:. I stuck a zip tie in each fan to confirm that they were running. I will go out and jump them again but leaving in the other relay.......
 
Alright, they run independent and the passenger side fan (black relay) runs faster than the drivers side (green relay). I also looked at the connector for that temp sensor on the firewall side of that coolant crossover tube. It's connected, but the sensor could be bad I guess.

The fan harness seriously looks great and the wires are soft and maluable. No cracking or any problems giggling them around...... :ponder:
 
there are three connectors on the fans.2 of them go on each fan and the other one is at the bottom. unplug it and jump the relays again. i beleive the fans shouldnt work... then put a wire into the connector bypassing the resistor and jump the replays again. cuz when i jump the replays both fans should work together. and now im running with the resistor bypassed.which makes only my high fans work
 
If the resistor was bad then the low (slower) side fan wouldn't run for any extended period of time.
Did the fans run for as long as you had them jumped? Or did they cut out at times? If they ran no problems then I would bet its your temp sensor or something with the pcm, which I doubt.
 
bypassing the replays and jumping the fans makes BOTH FANS work. both fans run both high and low

and blu... u have to be jumping both of the fan relays
 
The fans were on the entire time they were jumped. I only let them run for about 15-20 seconds so the wire wouldn't get too hot that I was holding. The high speed fan is the one that cycles on and off every 30 seconds with the AC on.

The slow side IS the side that does NOTHING, so it sounds like it could be a bad resistor :shrug:.....

So, what am I trying next? Un hook the lower drivers side connector and jump a wire there???:confused:
 
yes! if ur low fans dont work its the resistor. u can buy a new one or stick a wire in there and have only the highs work. that was easier for me since i can use my handheld and drop when my high fans kick in so thats what i went with. the resistors go for about 30 bucks.u can find them cheeper
 
From what I understand blu's 95 doesn't do that. Our (my svt) has both on low speed and high. Blu's is one low and one is high. If I understand this correctly.
 
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