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rad. switches why 2 on L Series EA82T

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:34 pm
by steptoe
I have got two thermo switches on my L Series sedan turbo with A/C radiator

It has one viscous clutch fan on the water pump and an electrric fan to come on with A/C? and when warmer than quarter on gauge , bout 1/3 it switched fan on before I played with engine

I can understand one thermo switch but not two.

There are wires and plugs off body to connect.

The manual shows the lower one calling it thermo switch. It is just above bottom radiator and faces to the rear. Its wires have twisted and broken off just today . Has sort of braided fibreglass insulators poking out of the switch

The other is same side but higher up and screws into the side of the radiator. Which << EDIT >> I have found the thermo fan will switch on when correct temp so this must be the thermo fans thermo switch !!

Wiring diagrams and manuals not much further help

They are both two wires , so switches and neither are for temp gauge or ECU (I don't think, coz they are below thermostat and on inlet manifold)

Any working knowledge people?

thanks,

if I solve it beforehand I will post up findings see EDIT above

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:05 pm
by Gannon
Not sure why there are 2?

My radiator has 2 holes, one has a thermo switch, the other just has a plug in it.

Maybe whoever had it before you didnt have a plug, so put a spare thermoswitch there instead

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:20 pm
by BlackMale
My radiator has 2 plugs as well however i think that 1 is for the thermo and the other is for a temp gauge. They both have pins however i think from memory i have only ever have 1 wired up.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:39 pm
by steptoe
Yeah, looks factory, wiring loom goes off somewhere. Car still goes and stops, same too the thermo fan. Which means everytime Ive had the radiator in and out I have disconnected and reconnected this plug for nothing ?

Temp gauge and ECU run off engine and the only other temp warning is in the tranny. I guess that to join the two wires may reveal something.

Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:59 am
by timmo
I thought the 2nd one was a thermo cut out for the A/C, but could be wrong

Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:14 am
by steptoe
that may be so, good one, I should check the air con circuit diagrams

Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:06 pm
by Gannon
Air con should force the fan to come on, regardless of temperature

Just leave the lower one disconnected

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 9:26 am
by timmo
no im talking about it killing A/C once temp water temp gets too high. Thermo will still be on regardless of A/C

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 10:53 am
by steptoe
I understood ya timmo, like a safety cut out.

Have ripped my air con out so won't matter or be able to test this theory. Engine bay looks better without the A/C compressor

Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:29 pm
by wagonist
Is it still the orginal radiator? I doubt it after all these years.

The series 1 fan switch sits in the back of the tank, whereas the series 2 had it in the side.
They have different wiring plugs depending on which series.

So I think in the aim of simplicity, some aftermarket manufacturers put both spots in their so it didn't matter which car you had.

Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:07 pm
by steptoe
what? you don't reckon subie quality will last 20 years and 190,000km ?

thing is not only is the switch there but factory loom hooks up to it!