Yes this is a brand new, OEM therm.........I guess I should check the connector at the sensor in the therm housing. I did not jump that to see if the fan comes on........is that what you are talking about as far as a short?

 

Yes, unplug that connector at the T-stat housing, & jumper the wires with a paperclip or something like that. Key ON, that should make the fans run.

The wires "to the ECM" don't seem likely to me, because they don't control the fans or the dashboard temperature gauge. The temperature sensor that's wired into the ECM is a 2-wire sensor located in the end of the head, near the distributor.

 

ok, soooooooooooooooooooooo, if i wire this connector and it lights up the fans, then what?, or worse yet, what if it doesn't, is the connector bad?

i'm more worried that while i drive the car, is the engine getting hot and since the fan won't kick on unless i turn on a/c or park, will i hurt the engine any? or is driving around enough to keep it cool?

 

At speed (> ~25 mph) there is enough air flow across the rad the fans are not needed. The fans really come into play when you are at slow speeds or at a stop.

If you jump the connector and the fans light up....then that proves the system is working - fans, relays, fuses, controller, ect.......

So next on the list - is the connector making good contact to the switch.....pretty rare since you just stuck a wire in there and it worked but it can happen.

Bad switch....or there is air in the system and since air will not reach the proper temp to close the switch....no fans.

I'll admit, I didn't re-read everything....just answering your last post.

 

if there's air, how do i get it out??? i'm gonna try jumping the connector this weekend.....

 

That is almost a debate, as there are many methods.

Mine-use at your own risk: Engine cold. Turn the heat to Max (newer gens- 98 up- you have to turn the key to on as the control is electric - your 92 is not). Open or remove the bleeder that is on the t-stat housing. Remove rad cap.

Slowly add coolant until there is a good stream coming from/out of the bleeder. Close off the bleeder...top rad if needed. Install rad cap - ONLY one click, not all the way. You do not want the system to build pressure.

Turn blower motor/AC off, start car. Let it run until the fans cycle at least once - keep an eye on the temp gauge and shut off it it goes to HOT. This could take +20 minutes depending on current temps.

Once fans cycle, turn the car off. Open rad cap - USE CAUTION, the one click was so the system would not build pressure - Hot Coolant Will Burn. Top off rad and res as needed. Replace cap all the way........

 

it's been awhile, just to close up this issue, it ended up being the connector to the sensor that is in the therm housing. It had a bad connection, it would work then not work, i guess a kink, the movement of the engine would cause it to be good, then go bad...anywho, car works like a champ now!!! Thank you everyone for your help and suggs.........my next project, to fix the distributor.......either bad o-ring or inner seal...

 

Inner seal leaks into the distributor. You'd find oil INSIDE the distributor cap.

O-ring leaks around the base, where the distributor bolts to the engine. It would leak down the side of the head, but not inside the distributor.

 

ok, so it's the inner seal.............well hell....yea i'm having oil leak at the cap, and i'm sure it's coming in at the inner seal, so i'll need to replace the inner seal and the cap seal.....that's only 4-5 bux......so, how hard is it to take this distributor apart to replace these two seals? or should I just buy a new distributor? 75-100 bux.........

 

I've never done the inner seal, so I hope someone else chimes in.