[insite94]

Ladies and gentlemen, I could use a little help from the list. My high speed cooling fan cycles on and off at consistent intervals of time - 11 seconds on, 4 seconds off, repeat. This happens only when I run the AC - no issue with the AC off. My temperature reading on the gauge rarely exceeds 8:00 position (not that that's bad, just unusual on a 90-degree day at freeway speeds).



I can hear the relay clicking from inside the car and notice a big voltage drop on the gauge while idling, but not much of an issue at speed. While the engine is staying cool, the clicking of each 15-second cycle and the fan are quite noisy to the point of major annoyance <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/dry.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> ...probably not good for the fan either.



The fact that the fan cycles on and off with perfect frequency probably eliminates the fan switch or a short as the root of the problem (I think). That and the clicking from the relay tells me it probably is the relay (I almost feel like saying DUH here).



Questions: Anyone else have this experience? Anyone have a different opinion other than faulty relay? If the relay is the concensus, does anyone have a spare for sale? Part number is 944.615.104.03 and fits the G-10 slot in the fuse box and has 11 pins.



Thanks in advance for any help!

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[SoCalKen]

Yes, my car does the same thing (minus the big voltage drop). Tried to figure it out (have replaced the temp switch (got stuck on one winter) on the radiator and also the relay in fuse box), never could, but cools fine (never past 8 o'clock too) and doesn't annoy me anymore. Plus that cycling is how Flash knows its me when I pull up to his house! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[SILVY968]

I had a problem where the fans never shut off. Problem was the thermo switch located at the lower section of the driver's side of the radiator. Here is the link to CLARK'S GARAGE where they go through testing the thermo switch/relay etc,and how the system works. It helped me.



http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/cool-01.htm



xdavids is the EBAY seller name for DAVID, he has 6 968's that he is parting out. Maybe he'll have a used relay for you if that is the problem.



Brian

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[insite94]

[quote name='SoCalKen' date='Jun 20 2005, 11:53 PM']Yes, my car does the same thing (minus the big voltage drop).  Tried to figure it out (have replaced the temp switch (got stuck on one winter) on the radiator and also the relay in fuse box), never could, but cools fine (never past 8 o'clock too) and doesn't annoy me anymore.  Plus that cycling is how Flash knows its me when I pull up to his house!  <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

[right][post="6149"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



Yoo mean you replaced your relay AND your switch, and it still didn't solve the intermittent cycling of the high-speed fan? Uh-oh! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/blink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[insite94]

[quote name='SILVY968' date='Jun 20 2005, 11:58 PM']I had a problem where the fans never shut off. Problem was the thermo switch located at the lower section of the driver's side of the radiator. Here is the link to CLARK'S GARAGE where they go through testing the thermo switch/relay etc,and how the system works. It helped me.



http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/cool-01.htm



xdavids is the EBAY seller name for DAVID, he has 6 968's that he is parting out. Maybe he'll have a used relay for you if that is the problem.



Brian

[right][post="6150"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]





Thanks for the lead Brian. I appreciate the help.



Best,



Buzz

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[mitch968]

Does your high speed fan also cycle on and off after turning the car off (assuming the temperature is high enough)? I had these exact problems a while ago and fixed it by cleaning the contacts on a resistor located on the firewall near the battery. You have to gently lift up the plastic flap to get at it. The resistor looks like two hockey-puck discs with two wires attached. Before I fixed it, those contacts were horribly corroded.



I think I found that solution explained somewhere on 968.net, so you may want to do a search to find a more detailed explanation. Zero cost and easy to do, so it's worth a shot.

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[insite94]

[quote name='mitch968' date='Jun 21 2005, 11:54 AM']Does your high speed fan also cycle on and off after turning the car off (assuming the temperature is high enough)? I had these exact problems a while ago and fixed it by cleaning the contacts on a resistor located on the firewall near the battery. You have to gently lift up the plastic flap to get at it. The resistor looks like two hockey-puck discs with two wires attached. Before I fixed it, those contacts were horribly corroded.



I think I found that solution explained somewhere on 968.net, so you may want to do a search to find a more detailed explanation. Zero cost and easy to do, so it's worth a shot.

[right][post="6170"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]





Yes, it does cycle on and off after I shut off the car, as long as the AC was on before I turn off the car. Eventually, once the car has cooled from the cycling, it will shut off permanently, but it takes a minute or two of cycling. It does not cycle at all if the AC is off.



Also, with the AC on, if I wait a moment after pulling in to my destination for the fan to cycle off for its 4-second stint, then shut off the car, the high-speed fan will stay off and no longer cycle with the car off.



I'll take a look for the resistors and clean them up...maybe that will solve the issue. thanks for the help on this.



Best,



Buzz

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[insite94]

Mitch -



I just went in search of the "hockey puck" you described above. I saw the horn and a black soup-can-looking thing, which I presume is a vaccuum canister. I probably overlooked it. But if you have a picture or more detail on the description, I can probably find it.



Thanks for the help.



Best,



Buzz

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[mitch968]

Here's a screenshot of the part diagram, but it doesn't really give you a good visual of it in place.

   

I believe you've got to get pretty far under the plastic shroud to see it. I'll snap a pic later tonight. Your issue does sound exactly like what I experienced. I lived with it for quite a while since it didn't seem to harm anything. In addition to being corroded, it looked like the insulation had begun to burn off of my wires. The corrosion must have increased the resistance, which generated extra heat.

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[insite94]

Thanks, Mitch. I'll check it out this evening. I appreciate the diagram, as I can at least see what the part looks like.



Best,



Buzz

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[mitch968]

Here are the pics...

       

It's actually 2 wires per resistor, so 4 in total. If you have a multimeter available, you may as well check the resistance which looks like it should be around 0.6 ohms according to the marking. Careful when lifting up the plastic to avoid cracking.



Good luck. Let us know how it goes.



-Mitch

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[waikiki968]

Many thanks for this fix! I always thought the cycling on and off was annoying but normal. When I checked the wiring one of the connectors broke off completely--after replacing it no more fan cycling! Mahalo!

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[mitch968]

Waikiki968, glad it worked for you. Definitely an easy and satisfying DIY.

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[insite94]

Mitch -



I was so sure it was going to be the $155 relay in the fuse box. Thankfully, I tried your fix on the resistors shown in your pics above and Voila, problem solved!



I've attached a few pictures that show the replaced female connector on the black wire, and the completely roasted old connector. Turns out the connection corroded itself loose then arced and became brittle over time. It's a wonder it didn't start a fire. But thanks to replacement of the offending connector, my highspeed an lowspeed fans cycle perfectly, as needed.



0.25 inch connector for 14-16 gauge wire on the freshly-stripped black wire was all it took - $1.69 from Radio Shack. I brushed the other connectors clean too, but didn't replace them...just wasn't necessary.



Again, thanks for the "how to".



Best,



Buzz

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[Larry Currie]

My does the same cycle with car running with the air on. When the car is shut off the fan stops cycling and turn off in a few minutes. Could this be the proper way for it to work. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/unsure.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[insite94]

Larry -



Mine did the exact same thing - highspeed fan came on and shut off in steady, consistently-timed intervals when the car was running and with AC on. This would happen even with the first start in the morning on a cold engine, as long as the AC button was on.



However, my highspeed fan would continue cycling a few more minutes after I shut off the car, then turn off completely after a few minutes.



As long as you are NOT experiencing steady, short, consistently-timed intervals (regular cycling, as needed, is OK) and the fan then runs ininterrupted until cool once you shut down the motor, I think that's normal.



The lowspeed fan should ALWAYS be on when the AC button is depressed (and even when the AC button is happy <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> - I crack myself up sometimes <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> )



Hope that helps and let us know if you need further help and between Mitch and I, maybe we can get remaining gremlins (if any) fixed.



Best,



Buzz

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[Larry Currie]

Sounds like my baby is normal! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wub.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[mitch968]

Buzz, that's great news. I'm always glad to see one more electrical gremlin fixed. I had just cleaned up my connectors for a quick fix, but I really should get down to Radio Shack, cut off the charred section of black wire and attach a new terminal.



Larry, that sounds somewhat similar, but could it also be a low AC charge causing it to kick off intermittently? Either way, it's worth checking those resistor wires as it only takes a few minutes.



-Mitch

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[SoCalKen]

Good find Mitch.



Guess I have to take a look after I get back after the weekend...

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