Well, this is my first post after reading this forum for about a year. I NEED HELP! I hope someone knows what is going on because I sure don't.
Had a massive overheat on the highway. Changed the water pump out, which was the main problem. Water pump impeller had broken loose and was free spinning. Did not appear to be any missing plastic. Started up the car after the pump change and noticed two things. First was the fans were not coming on. Car would warm up slowly to the M in NORMAL and still no fans. Second was after about 10 minutes of idling, the car would die and would not restart unless I let it sit for about a half hour.
More looking, squeezed the top radiator hose and didnt feel and rush or surge like all the manuals say I should. Decided to change out the thermostat, probably didnt need it but its cheap and easy. After the thermostat change, and a good flush, car runs a little cooler but still no rush in top hose (although it is hot and heater blows hot) and car still dies after ten minutes or so of idling. Still no fans either.
I know the fast fan speed was working when the car overheated because when I popped the hood they were running.
Not sure about low speed. Of course, more concerned about the car dieing after ten minutes.
This is a '97 contour V6 automatic.
Anyone have any ideas!?!?!?! Please?!?!?! I'm a poor white boy with three kids and really dont want to pay 60 an hour to have someone work on it.
Thanks a ton!
The stalling problem, I don't have any ideas, but the cooling problem, I have some! If you squeeze the (COLD) top hose, it will "swoosh", the coolant will move, if the system is full enough. You might have just unplugged the fan while working on the waterpump, check for that. Is the coolant full, 1/2 past Max mark, cold engine. Try turning on the a/c, the fans should come on (low) even if the a/c compressor is not. If they don't run, check the fan fuse, 60 amp under the power distribution box cover next to the battery. It is shown in the owner's manual. M in normal is when the fans will trigger (wait a bit), at low speed. (High fan speed will be in very hot conditions (a/c on), my high speed came on once last summer, when I fixed the a/c on a 95 degree day.)
Thank you for the suggestions. Fuse had looked fine, not getting low or high fan, so I assume its not a relay problem unless I blew both. I'll check that out tomorrow for giggles. I looked at connections and all seems in place. Hopefully I didnt damage a wiring harness while I was messing with that pump. If I kick on the A/C the fans should come on in at least one speed right? Or is it possible I'm not getting hot enough for a low fan to kick on? Getting to mid M and that is when the car dies.
hmmmmmmmmmm..... short when the fans kick in a possibility? could that cause the car to die?
Both fans come on at low speed when the a/c is turned on. {With the a/c off, the low speed comes on at "M".} The fans start almost immediately when the a/c is switched on, even before the compressor comes on. You could see if the fans rotate freely by hand before trying anything else. If one motor is stuck, that would be an overload problem.
Fans rotate freely, going to try and test the motors today. Any other ideas?
Welcome.
Any CEL codes?
CEL doesn't even come on. Car just runs fine, up until about hitting the M on the gauge and then dies, doesn't sputter or anything, just dies and can not be turned over for awhile.
Noone has any other ideas? I'm going crazy here!!!!???
First i have to correct My error: "Try turning on the a/c, the fans should come on (low) even if the a/c compressor is not." I just found out that statement is NOT correct, because my A/C lost its R134 again, as I found (to my dismay) on Saturday. The fans don't run if the a/c is low on charge.
Were your fans turning freely? Do they trigger with the a/c, assuming yours works? "CEL doesn't even come on. Car just runs fine, up until about hitting the M on the gauge and then dies, doesn't sputter or anything, just dies and can not be turned over for awhile." By "Not turning over", do you mean the engine will not crank with starter , or just crank with starter without running again?
Only thing i can think that you might want to check is your coolant temperature sensor as these control the fuel delivery system as well as the fans
Originally posted by FROSTY SVT:
Only thing i can think that you might want to check is your coolant temperature sensor as these control the fuel delivery system as well as the fans
Frosty is hot tonight!
ECT is the sensor sticking out of the coolant housing toward the firewall - you will have to get the air filter and intake hose out of the way.
ECT location
Originally posted by chongo:
Did someone call me out.......LOL
here you go.
I just noticed, you said fans do turn freely, I know a procedure to safely test each speed with the car off, if you need it.
PLEASE! I am having a nightmare of a time tracing down this problem. It has to be the fans, trying to kick on at the M. My a/c does not work (cracked compressor) so I can only get my fans to come on by waiting for the car to heat up. Please let me know an easy way to test them! thanks!
Well, my a/c has NO charge, as it has a cracked compressor so I have to wait for the car to heat up. It hits M, dies, car tries to turn back over when cranked but barely catches, if at all, and wont run.
Oh yeah, looks so nice and easy to get to in the picture. Haynes manual says I just need to take off my air filter and hoses to get to it. BS!!! Anyone have any tips as to getting to the ECT???
Just noticed that my fan wires were bare. Looks like the insulation has just cracked and fallen off. Found the article about the recall for the harness so I think I will get that done.
Could the fans shorting out cause the ECT to croak? Still can't figure out an easy way to get to that thing.
Seperated the fan wires and electric taped them, and the fans now come on!!!!... right before the car dies. Still wondering about that ECT.
Originally posted by Zigatoola:
Oh yeah, looks so nice and easy to get to in the picture. Haynes manual says I just need to take off my air filter and hoses to get to it. BS!!! Anyone have any tips as to getting to the ECT???
From Ford CD.
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor
Removal and Installation
1. Drain engine cooling system
2. Disconnect battery ground cable (14301).
3. On 2.0L engine equipped vehicles, remove the engine intake air resonators .
4. On 2.5L engine equipped vehicles, raise vehicle on hoist.
5. Disconnect engine control sensor wiring (from engine coolant temperature sensor (ECT sensor)
6. Remove engine coolant temperature sensor.
7. To install, reverse Removal procedure. On 2.5L engine equipped vehicles, tighten engine coolant temperature sensor to 14-19 N-m (10-14 lb-ft).
8. On 2.0L engine equipped vehicles, tighten engine coolant temperature sensor to 10-14 N-m (89-120 lb-in). Install the engine intake air resonators
9. Refill engine cooling system.
Originally posted by Zigatoola :
Just noticed that my fan wires were bare. Looks like the insulation has just cracked and fallen off. Found the article about the recall for the harness so I think I will get that done.
I'm glad you found out about the harness. I was going to suggest that.
One thing you may also want to check is the wiring going to the cam and crank sensors those wires have the same problem. Another thing to note about that recall (99M03) you have to have less then 100k on your car otherwise they will NOT touch it and your on your own. So with that said I hope you have less then 100k.
If the wires on your cam/crank sensor are only touching when the car heats up (this would be odd, but whatever) it will die and it will not start. Since you said your fan wiring was shot I seriously think this may be why your car is dying out. Check those wires and let us know. The cam sensor is easy to get at. It's located towards the top of the engine on the passenger side on the end of the front cylinder head. If your looking at the main drive belt its just above the A/C compressor.
Good luck.
I have a hard time thinking its the wiring. I think the fans were not coming on because of it, but I thinks its dying because of something else. It gets to the same temperature on the guage every time and then dies. I'm not going to dismiss anything though so I will check it out.
Definitely, see about the wiring recall. The fan harnesses themselves are recalled, and so is the main engine harness. The fans come on at m, the ECT sensor may be good.
I would have posted the diagram and test procedure today if I was online.., but you are past that point now..Definitely, see about the wiring recall. The fan harnesses themselves are recalled, and so (I think) is the main engine harness. The fans come on at m, the ECT sensor may be good. The IAC motor might need to be cleaned out with Gumout throttle body cleaner, if it quits like immediately with the fans coming on, worth a look. Does it quit if you give it gas a bit as the fans come on?