bustle Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I have an illumated (red) switch on the left hand side of the steering column just behind the light stalk. It lights when I turn it on but other than that I can't figure out what it does or is supposed to do. I can't find it in any of my literature. I want to hard wire the cooling fan to this switch if it is not used for something else. We have had unusally long periods of hot weather and it is running pretty hot and that fan is still not kicking in. Another weird thing on my car is there is a parking light? switch on the top of the steering column. If I turn it off it shuts of all the rear parking lights. Is that normal? I think the system has been modified to having daytime running lights as I am in Canada and the car is originally a US model. So the lights come and go with the ignition. Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Make/model and year? I am assuming a Loyale/GL series, mid 80s to mid 90s... The switch on top of the steering column should turn your running lights on, even with the key "off." No other lighting circuit should be able to come on with the key off, and turning the switch off should NOT over ride the stalk headlight switch when turned on.. in other words, with the top switch off and the headlight switch on, your running lights should still be on. If the switch somehow overrides the headlight switch, then either something was plugged in wrong by a PO or you have a short somewhere. (ie, for some reason the headlight switch is not powering that circuit at all under any circumstance) Regarding your fan; I am assuming that you have two fans, one clutch fan and one electric fan. The electric fan should come on in one of two ways: with the AC system, and also triggered by a simple thermoswitch in the radiator. This thermoswitch is located on the passenger side tank, near the bottom. It has two wires going to it, and (if the switch is working properly) it just closes the circuit between those two wires at a certain temperature. In other words, you can run a wire from one side of the plug to the other (plug a straight jumper wire in instead of the thermoswitch) and the electric fan will run whenever the key is on. You may want to disable this during the winter if you need heat, but during the summertime (year round for me, I live in south Florida) it does no harm being on all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustle Posted July 24, 2007 Author Share Posted July 24, 2007 Sorry 1988 GL Wagon 5 speed 4x4. I would like to be able to turn off the electric fan as its fine 95 % of the time, need the heat in winter up here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 well, switching all that load by running a bunch of wire into the cabin, to a toggle switch of an unknown rating, isn't always the wisest idea. Any chance you could get a photo of the switch you are asking about? it sounds like it must be aftermarket something-or-other... it should be fine to use to activate a relay, and I have a write up on great junkyard sources for relays and plugs, and how to wire them up in various ways, here. You don't need to read the entire write-up, just skim through and find areas that discuss setting it up for a fan/lights as opposed to the starter fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustle Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 O.K. it was an aftermarket switch and was used to interrupt the circuit that came from the fuse box labeled as ""position"' red wire with white strip. I couldn't find that in my manual. It has been off all the time, any one know what its for? I used the switch to power the fan and my heating problems are greatly reduced but it wasn't extremely hot today so I will likely drop the thermostat to a 180, its a 195 now. The fan kept the engine at the 1/2 way point with the air on. When I turned off the switch and let it build up to almost the red, it cooled it down to about 3/4 but wouldn't bring it back to the 1/2 way mark so I think I have a way to go. I tried to adust the timing back but the disributor is frozen in place. A light taping with a bar and hammer didn't loosen it so a new plan is required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I know the car wont run with the position fuse out..... Probably a kill switch of some sort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustle Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 Must be bypassed somewhere else. The fuse is out right now and it runs fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I too have experienced the retardedness of aftermarket toggle switches. They're great till they wear out and your motor is getting hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I would highly recommend simply jumpering the plug for the thermoswitch rather than running the wire to a switch in your cabin. Feel the wire; if it is at all warm then you are losing fan speed due to excess resistance in your long wire to the fan. In any case, you should not be running as hot as you are; I would suspect radiator or water pump problems if you cannot keep the car below 1/2 on the gauge. Given that, I would never want the fan turning off, which is in my mind the single greatest argument for hardwiring it on with the key. You also might want to check that the fan is blowing the right way.. I know its a simple thing, but the wire for the fan that is normally switched is the ground wire, so it is easier than one might think to wire it backwards. If you cant keep the car below halfway with the fan on all the time, and cant get it below 3/4 after letting it get that high, then your cooling system is NOT up to par. Letting this issue slide is the first step on the road to a blown headgasket, so attention is more than warranted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustle Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 We must think alike. I did check the fan direction before I finalized the hook up and upgraded the wire size. The wire is not getting warm. I also wired it into the 15 amp fuse as a double precaution. I am going to stop and get a lower thremostat on the way home today and flush the system. The car is not worth enough to bother replacing any major parts like radiators etc. Normally I would have hard wired it to the key but the need for heat in the winter far outweighs the need for cool in the summer around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I have an illumated (red) switch on the left hand side of the steering column just behind the light stalk. It lights when I turn it on but other than that I can't figure out what it does or is supposed to do. I can't find it in any of my literature. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6xt1Vh26kE sorry i couldnt resist nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6xt1Vh26kE sorry i couldnt resist nipper you dirty son of a motherless goat... YOU WILL DIE LIKE DOGS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 The car is not worth enough to bother replacing any major parts like radiators etc. New radiator= less than $100 Installing it= 10 minutes(it's so stupid easy it's not funny) Walking home, calling a tow truck, and dealing with a worthless(now becasue of blown engine) hulk of a car = feeling of foolishness for not thinking it was worth buying a raditor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustle Posted July 26, 2007 Author Share Posted July 26, 2007 New radiator= less than $100 Not $100 here, more like $244.96 , car is worth less than a days wage so its more about the time. It takes longer than 10 mintues to shift the vehicles around to get it in the garage, then you have to contain and dispose of the anti freeze and flushed water (eco terrorist neighbours), Fush the heater so it's probably an evenings work to change. Then if you have the rad out why not take off the covers and do the water pump and timing belts, so I just ain't going to go there. I have 3 other nicer driving vehicles and two other much more interesting projects cars. Sub is only a toad for the MH these days and it owes me nothing, it has far exceeded my expectations in terms of service for something I bought on a whim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Order the radiator online Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustle Posted July 26, 2007 Author Share Posted July 26, 2007 90% of the sellers won't ship to Canada those that do only use UPS. UPS charges a minimium of $50 for brokerage fees. Takes 15 to 30 days depending on how fast custom's is unless you pay the extra $100 to have it shipped by air in which case it is 5 to 15 days depending on Customs. Plus when it goes by air it can only come into Canada at two cities. So a part that is 500 miles away can travel about 1500 by air to get here. I know this because I tried a while ago to get one of those good deals on a radiator that someone posted on the Ult Sub web sites. Online parts only work good here if you are working on a long term project. Then save up and ship enough stuff to make it worth while to pay the minimium brokerage fee or use USPS as the price is not bad but it can be reallllllly long getting through customs (sometimes) some times only a few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Not to hijack the thread, but whay are parts so damn expensive in Canada? The Canadian dollar is 95 cents to one american dollar, so the exchnage rate excuse doesnt fly. Have you looked for a local radiator shop that can rebuild your radiator? nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Due to the situation, I'd say the $200something is worth it, as long as the car itself is running OK. Subarus with bad radiators are no fun. Blasting the heater in the hot weather, cringing while driving up steep hills watching the temp gauge... ahhh Dang, this is all reminding me, I better get a decent radiator soon before I try to cross the 120 degree Mojave Desert, aye? edit: unless you CAN find one cheaper, then thats better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustle Posted July 27, 2007 Author Share Posted July 27, 2007 Not to hijack the thread, but whay are parts so damn expensive in Canada? The Canadian dollar is 95 cents to one american dollar, so the exchnage rate excuse doesnt fly. Have you looked for a local radiator shop that can rebuild your radiator? nipper The question about the prices is a much asked one up here. Our last local radiator shop closed when the owner retired and I haven't found another one yet. As most new rads aren't rebuildable I never even checked it out. Our economy is hot and most service shops are busy with industrial stuff and labor rates are stiff so I am guessing it would be 85 to 90 % of a new one. I know for a relatively common North American ones you can usually buy a new rad cheaper than recore it if you are just looking at the lower end of the product line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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