C5 Tech Corvette Tech/Performance: LS1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Tech Topics, Basic Tech, Maintenance, How to Remove & Replace
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Cooling fans only work with a/c

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-05-2011, 10:20 PM
  #1  
creep403
7th Gear
Thread Starter
 
creep403's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jul 2011
Location: Lindsay oklahoma
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Cooling fans only work with a/c

Im a new member and a new to the world of Vette's.
I just bought a 98' A4 with 97k for $13.5k
I noticed when ac is off the fans will not come on, temp got to bout 230'ish. I turned ac on and sure enough fans came on and car cooled off. my digital and anolog gauges work fine ... is there another sensor responsible for the cooling fans? Thx ahead for any help
Old 07-05-2011, 11:27 PM
  #2  
Silverbullet00
Race Director
 
Silverbullet00's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2007
Location: Norman Oklahoma - The Only State in the Union with no Blue Counties!
Posts: 18,643
Received 13 Likes on 13 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by creep403
Im a new member and a new to the world of Vette's.
I just bought a 98' A4 with 97k for $13.5k
I noticed when ac is off the fans will not come on, temp got to bout 230'ish. I turned ac on and sure enough fans came on and car cooled off. my digital and anolog gauges work fine ... is there another sensor responsible for the cooling fans? Thx ahead for any help

Standing still or moving? 230 is way to high with or without a/c! Your engine is fine even with higher temps but it is not good. A tuner can turn your fans on at lower engine temps with a few key strokes. A 160 thermostat and a tune will help! Might be a good time to flush and refill the radiator,,,,like me,,, your car will show some age. Fall will also help.

My fans come on at 190ish now, Never have seen 230 even after cam swap and outside temp above 110!


My $00.02
Old 07-05-2011, 11:38 PM
  #3  
creep403
7th Gear
Thread Starter
 
creep403's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jul 2011
Location: Lindsay oklahoma
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

fans work fine as long as the ac is on. is there a seperate sensor other than temp gauge sensor that controls fans?

nice car btw
Old 07-05-2011, 11:42 PM
  #4  
creep403
7th Gear
Thread Starter
 
creep403's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jul 2011
Location: Lindsay oklahoma
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

also who in okc area tune's vette's
Old 07-06-2011, 06:56 PM
  #5  
lionelhutz
Race Director
 
lionelhutz's Avatar
 
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: South Western Ontario
Posts: 11,061
Received 845 Likes on 721 Posts

Default

That's an odd one. The fans are controlled by the same relays and PCM wiring AC or temperature only.

Are they spinning fairly "softly" with the AC on? They should be on low with both in series which makes them fairly silent. Confirm they are both turning too.

I believe the stock hi fan temperature is 236 degrees so you'd have to let the temps get that high to see what happens when the hi fans are called for.

Peter
Old 07-06-2011, 11:35 PM
  #6  
creep403
7th Gear
Thread Starter
 
creep403's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jul 2011
Location: Lindsay oklahoma
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by lionelhutz
That's an odd one. The fans are controlled by the same relays and PCM wiring AC or temperature only.

Are they spinning fairly "softly" with the AC on? They should be on low with both in series which makes them fairly silent. Confirm they are both turning too.

I believe the stock hi fan temperature is 236 degrees so you'd have to let the temps get that high to see what happens when the hi fans are called for.

Peter
I'll give it a try, I havent heard the fans on low, with ac they go strait to high ... maybe a relay and if so which one?
Old 07-07-2011, 09:00 AM
  #7  
moosifer
Instructor
 
moosifer's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 2009
Location: Roseville CA
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

When the AC comes on the fans begin to run in high speed mode. If you are having trouble with low speed check the fuses first. My c5 through a dtc about low speed cooling fans not working and sure enough a fuse was blown. Search the forum for this problem and you should find information about what fuses to check and a handy wiring diagram that will show you how the fans operate. If the fuses are not blown I would check grounds or the relays.
Old 07-07-2011, 08:25 PM
  #8  
lionelhutz
Race Director
 
lionelhutz's Avatar
 
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: South Western Ontario
Posts: 11,061
Received 845 Likes on 721 Posts

Default

Odd again, the fans should not run in high with the AC on. Take a good look around the under hood electrical center (the fuse block by the battery) and the wiring harnesses there and leading up towards the fans to see if something has been modified.


Originally Posted by moosifer
When the AC comes on the fans begin to run in high speed mode.
I don't believe this is correct. Mine run in low and I've read the posts here giving the service info which says the fans run in low with the AC on and the temps above 185 degrees. Here's the paragraph I copied which was posted as coming from the service manual:

The low speed cooling fan is commanded on when the coolant temperature reaches 108°C (226°F). It is turned off if the coolant temperature lowers to 104°C (219°F). The high speed cooling fan is commanded on when the coolant temperature reaches 113°C (235°F). It is turned off if the coolant temperature lowers to 108°C (226°F). When the A/C is on and the coolant temperature reaches 85°C (185°F), the low speed cooling fan will be turned on at vehicle speeds less than 56 kPh (35 mph).

Peter
Old 07-07-2011, 08:29 PM
  #9  
lionelhutz
Race Director
 
lionelhutz's Avatar
 
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: South Western Ontario
Posts: 11,061
Received 845 Likes on 721 Posts

Default

Here's a thread with the fan wiring diagram;

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...igh-speed.html

Peter
Old 07-08-2011, 12:10 AM
  #10  
Bill Dearborn
Tech Contributor
 
Bill Dearborn's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Posts: 40,078
Received 8,919 Likes on 5,328 Posts

Default

Here is a description of how the fans work and at what temps they are turned on and at what temps they go to high speed operation.
Cooling Fan Control
The engine cooling fan system consists of two electrical cooling fans and three fan relays. The relays are arranged in a series/parallel configuration that allows the powertrain control module (PCM) to operate both fans together at low or high speeds. The cooling fans and fan relays receive battery positive voltage and ignition 1 voltage from the underhood electrical center. The ground path is provided at G102.

During low speed operation, the PCM supplies the ground path for the low speed fan relay through the low speed cooling fan relay control circuit. This energizes the cooling fan 1 relay coil, closes the relay contacts, and supplies battery positive voltage through the cooling fan motor supply voltage circuit to the left cooling fan. The ground path for the left cooling fan is through the cooling fan 3 relay and the right cooling fan. The result is a series circuit with both fans running at low speed.

During high speed operation the PCM supplies the ground path for the cooling fan 1 relay through the low speed cooling fan relay control circuit. After a 3-second delay, the PCM supplies a ground path for the cooling fan 2 relay and the cooling fan 3 relay through the high speed cooling fan relay control circuit. This energizes the cooling fan 3 relay coil, closes the relay contacts, and provides a ground path for the left cooling fan. At the same time the cooling fan 2 relay coil is energized closing the relay contacts and provides battery positive voltage on the cooling fan motor supply voltage circuit to the right cooling fan. During high speed fan operation, both engine cooling fans have there own ground path. The result is a parallel circuit with both fans running at high speed.

The low speed cooling fan is commanded on when the coolant temperature reaches 108°C (226°F). It is turned off if the coolant temperature lowers to 104°C (219°F). The high speed cooling fan is commanded on when the coolant temperature reaches 113°C (235°F). It is turned off if the coolant temperature lowers to 108°C (226°F). When the A/C is on and the coolant temperature reaches 85°C (185°F), the low speed cooling fan will be turned on at vehicle speeds less than 56 kPh (35 mph).

People are always running around worrying about their temps because they see the numbers on the gauge. These cars are designed to work with high coolant temps and have no problems operating at the temps you indicate. As you can see the fans don't even get turned onto low speed until the temp hits 226 and don't go to high speed until the temp hits 235 degrees. At an autocross where we were running in heats and cycling through the runs quite fast I saw a 242 degree coolant temp on my C5Z for most of an event.

Bill
Old 07-08-2011, 07:28 PM
  #11  
Jumper11
Racer
 
Jumper11's Avatar
 
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: Mechanicsville Md
Posts: 337
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

My 02 cooling fans come on but I can hear them when I turn on the AC. They work as avertised without the AC on coming on at 226 and turning off at 219. I don't know if they're coming on low or high when without the AC.
Old 06-29-2019, 01:11 AM
  #12  
Jonathanc5Z0619
Cruising
 
Jonathanc5Z0619's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jun 2019
Posts: 14
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

What fuse did you change during this?

Get notified of new replies

To Cooling fans only work with a/c




Quick Reply: Cooling fans only work with a/c



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:56 PM.