1985 GL Wagon Cooling Fan not working causing it to run hot.

[dewloft]

Hey guys. My 1985 GL wagon has been running pretty hot just after taking it on a 9 hour drive from Tahoe to southern CA. At first I was thinking that the thermostat wasn't opening up, and then noticed that the cooling fan wasn't turning on no matter how hot the engine was. Just driving around town it runs just below the red on the temperature gauge. Is the cooling fan not working alone enough to make it run that hot? And what are some ways to trouble shoot the fan not working?

Last project completed on it was a new water pump, which was done by a professional. And it did fine on the 9 hour drive.

Thanks

Dewey

[dewloft]

Hooked the fan up to 12v and it turns right on.

[ducunee]

Check that the radiator is grounded. Top bracket should be soldered to radiator, very common for the bracket to break away.

[somick]

I have two fans on my 92 Loyale.  If you have the same set up the passenger side fan suppose to come on when you use AC.

 

Sam

[dewloft]

Where is the radiator bracket located? I tried turning the AC on and got nothing. Its also Idling really rough sometimes to a stop. Could these things be connected through something like a coolant sensor?

[DaveT]

I know ea82 spfi best. Earliest one of those I've seen is 87.

 

What engine and fuel system on yours?

[wagonist]

the switch in the RH radiator tank tend to stop working after a while.

This earths out the fan when it's hot enough, causing the fan to turn on.

 

To test it, take the switch out, connect some wires, put a multimeter or testlight across the wires, low into some hot water and see if the 2 terminals become "connected"

If not, replace it. later model ones have different wiring, but can be adapted, the switch fits the same.

 

You can also install a switch inside the cabin to turn it on manually. find the earth wire for the fan, extend it into the cabin, put a switch onto it, and connect it back to earth.

[mfolsom]

My 85 GL Wagon had a mechanical clutch fan on the driver side and an electric fan on the passenger side.  I removed the mechanical fan and installed an aftermarket 12" electric on the drivers side.  It seems to work just fine.

[Tsuru]

Thanks for the discussion. I've the opposite problem, the cooling fan comes on every time the key is switched on, even in the accessory (acc) position. I cannot just sit and listen to the radio without running the cooling fan.

Now I know what to look at to get it working correctly!

 

Respectfully,

T.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I have two fans on my 92 Loyale ...

 

My 85 GL Wagon had a mechanical clutch fan on the driver side and an electric fan on the passenger side ...

 

Yes, the EA82 engined subarus on the GL level, had those two fans; the DL only had one. The A/C fan is wired from factory to come ON in two different circumstances: 

 

► One is whenever the A/C is turned ON.

► Other is when the engine's temperature gets hotter than Half mark.

 

The Thermoswitch on the EA82's is pretty Hot, because the electric fan is intended as an Auxiliary of the main, mechanical fan; that is the reason why, if you erase the mechanical fan, you'll need to change the Thermoswitch, to another with less starting temperature, to prevent overheating / stay safe with the Headgaskets' issues on those engines. I wrote all the information regarding that, here:

 

~► http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/125754-easy-guide-on-five-steps-to-twin-electric-fans-swap/

 

That being explained, let me tell you that the Early models of the third gen Subaru Leone (EA82, made from october 1984 ~ october 1986) Had the A/C Fan wired to come ON with the A/C, only when the freon lines reached certain pressure, so those early models have an extra pressure sensor; but the next models (1987+) came with that fan, wired with a "direct bridge" between the two relays that are on the strut tower, at the engine bay; thus makes that the Fan turns ON whenever the A/C is turned on, non depending on the line's pressure.

 

Subaru sold a retrofitting wiring kit, that consisted in two female plugs and two male plugs united with a short wiring, to be connected between the existing wiring harnes at the strut tower for those two relays, and the relays; that wiring kit simply bypassed that pressure switch, and made the early models to work as the newer models: the A/C fan comes ON whenever the A/C is turned on. 

 

This Background information I wrote, was to explain that since your Subaru is a 1985 (Early EA82), there could be another cause for the Fan to not turn ON, which is that Pressure Sensor on the A/C line; which is smaller than the Compressor's main pressure sensor; both are located behind the Passenger's side Headlamp, on the LHD models; search for it in the A/C line; in fact, if you disconnect any of the two female spade plugs that goes to said sensor, the A/C fan must start to Spin, no matter if the A/C is ON or OFF.

 

 

 

 

If the A/C Fan starts to Spin, then the Wiring is alright, you might only need to check / change the thermoswitch on the Radiator.

 

Kind Regards.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Thanks for the discussion. I've the opposite problem, the cooling fan comes on every time the key is switched on, even in the accessory (acc) position. I cannot just sit and listen to the radio without running the cooling fan ...

 

Besides the Thermoswitch, if your Subaru is from the Early EA82's,

 

it might have a disconnected pressure sensor, as explained above.

 

Kind Regards.