Testarossa radiator fan issues

All three fans on the RH side will run at the same time only if the water temp is high (like ~195 deg F) and the oil temp is high (like ~190 deg F) -- i.e.:

1. When the water temp switch in the water radiator closes, relay H and relay L close which, respectively, turn on the large LH water fan and the large RH water fan;

2. When the oil temp switch in the oil radiator closes, relay I closes, which turns on the two small fans on the RH side.

If you're just running the engine stationary, the large water fans will come on a long, long time before the two small oil fans come on.

If the two small oil fans on the RH side don't come "on" when the oil temp is high, give a shout and I can give some more specific test instructions.

 

Yes, you can easily test each independently:

1. Remove relay I, connect a jumper wire from terminal 30 (always +12V) to terminal 87 (which goes to the two oil fan motors) in the I relay socket -- the two small oil fans on the RH side should run;

2. Remove relay H, connect a jumper wire from terminal 30 (always +12V) to terminal 87 (which goes to the LH water fan motor) in the H relay socket -- the large LH water fan should run;

3. Remove relay L, connect a jumper wire from terminal 30 (always +12V) to terminal 87 (which goes to the RH water fan motor) in the L relay socket -- the large RH water fan should run.

This is not correct -- each relay has its own fuse, and each relay runs either one water fan or the two oil fans. I.e., the electrical food chain for each is:

+12V -to- fuse #8 -to- relay I -to- the two small oil fans;

+12V -to- fuse #7 -to- relay H -to- the large LH water fan;

+12V -to- fuse #6 -to- relay L -to- the large RH water fan.

Good hunting!

 

Dear Ferraristi,

On the left side of the car ( oil tank side), there is only one large fan there. On the right side ( AC compressor side) there is only one large radiator fan. The two smaller fans are for the oil radiator. Just because the rad fans come on doesn't mean the oil cooler fans "must" come on.

Even in florida, it takes some running to get the others to come on. Are you sure you have a problem?


Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

To fault trace the entire wiring on the car.. start from the temperature source... ie the temp sensor switches on the radiator/cooler themselves..

just bridge them with a split pin... the fans should come on if all wiring/relays are good.

that way, you don't even need to run the engine and get it hot.

Rad temp is on lower LH radiator.. very easy to get to. New switches also easy to get... VW Golf/Rabbit 1978! Cost about $35

Oil temp is on side of cooler.. bit trickier but still ok to get to.

 

Dear Ferraristi,


Haaaa Haaa, Boy, we sure get ripped-off from the "F"-Pimp !

Shamile

Freeze....Miami Vice !

 

I had the radiator fans problems just last week... turned out it was a burnt connector to the fuse panel.

 

Yes fellow TR owners, watch your fuel pump and cooling fan circuits at the fuse panel. These are the highest current draws and you have to keep an eye open for burnt connectors, etc. Other than this most every other fuse panel connection is okay.

 

NAPA has them all day long. Jq.

 

Are you a "new" owner or an "old one" friend Patpong ?

Are you aware of all fuseboard (FB) issues ?

There are many, many threads here about it and how to overcome these problems ...

 

Mel, I'm guessing he's an "old one"...his post was from 2007 and he hasn't been active here for the last 2 years. Hope all is well in your part of the world, have a Merry Christmas!

 

Old thread, back to life.

‘What temp is the radiator fan supposed to kick in at? Oil cooler temp for fan switch.

I drive my car so infrequently I don’t even remember what’s normal. My fans don’t kick in until we’ll past 195. Has to be 1/2 way between 195 and the next tick mark. This is driving in 75-80 degree temps.

Dave above mentioned they are supposed to kick in at 195? Is that correct? Seems odd, as 195 is where it’s at just driving down the road at speed. I come to a red light, it’s jumps pretty quickly to between 195 and the next tic mark, and fans kick in. Takes 2-3 minutes, drops it back to 195.

Thermostats are stock.

Radiator fan switch was replaced a couple years ago as original failed.

 

My water radiator fans also come "on" when the dash gauge reads 195 deg F. Could be the water temp sensor or water temp gauge, too.

Did you have the headlights or parking lights "on" at the same time? That can kick the gauge needle up a needle width or two (especially if a bad instrument ground connection in the w connector).

 

No lights on…

Steve, does your car run at less than 196 going down the road? My needle is pinned directly at 196, which I assume is the temp the radiators thermostat is set at? If the thermostats opened earlier, I assume the temp would be lower.

If the fans kicked in at 196, they would be on 100% of the time, right?

I did replace the radiator temp switch, I guess I could have put the wrong temp switch in…

If I just leave the car parked, running, it starts at 196… heats up to 1/2 way to the next tick mark, fans kick in… back to 196, and cycle repeats.

‘Seems like everything works… but at a higher set point???

 

Going down the road (when it isn't lead-melting hot here in TX) it does run lower than 195 deg F on the gauge. When stationary idling, it will go up to 195 deg, fans kick on, temperature decreases, fans go off (at maybe 175~180 deg F on the gauge), and cycle repeats.

If you're reporting that your fans will go "off" after going "on" during stationary idling, I'd say that's a lot of goodness, and you might just have a sensor/gauge problem as likely as a thermoswitch problem.

Never hurts to unplug/replug the w connector just to rewipe the ground connection for the gauges.

 

This is puzzling me. When I get a chance I’ll take a laser thermometer and see if the radiator temps match the gauges. Where is the sensor that feeds the dash gauge? Could that connection be bad? Or that sensor be failing?

Which connector to the gauges were you referencing?

Fans definitely cycle on and off… but again, they shut off at a displayed 195 on the gauge…

What’s the tick mark past 195 represent? 220?


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As always, thanks for your insight and help.

 

It's mounted in the back end of the water Y-pipe -- item 28 (104628) here:

https://www.ferrariparts.co.uk/diagram/ferrari/testarossa-tr-90/024-engine-cooling

 

Thanks!

hmmm… looked at ricambi and eurospares for replacement thermostats, just in case. $178 at ricambi, 17 $ at eurospares. Ouch. Eurospares specs it at opening at 87/88 degrees Celsius, or about 188-190…

https://www.euspares.co.uk/parts/valeo/1107016

Steve, yours opens at 175 or so?

Scratching my head here… what did the original testarossa thermostat spec to open at?

 

I don't think that you can read/trust any of these thermal gizmos down to the very last single degree, but I think that unlabeled mark near the 250 deg F mark is meant to represent the "don't go higher than 230-240 deg F" as specified in the TR OM.

Maybe a little higher, but in that ballpark. The TR OM (Section 3) indicates that the "thermostatic valves begin to open at 176-185 deg F" and the thermoswitch in the LH radiator turns the fans "on" at 183 deg F and turns them "off" at 167 deg F (but its location is a "cooler" location than where the water temp gauge sensor is mounted).

 

you also may think over that the sensor for the gauge is at an other place located than the the thermo switch for the fans. also this switch is only located at the left radiator and switches on left and right fan. this I changed at my car that each radiator has his own switch.

 

In my experience, based on casual observation only Ferrari thermostat springs get weak with age, probably from heat. Cars that have not had a thermostat changed will run cooler on the road. when during a service they are changed proactively suddenly higher temps are experienced causing alarm in some. Also absolute accuracy of the instruments in the cars of the period is not exactly a hallmark they are known for.


I think also the cars are getting old enough proactive radiator cleaning should be considered when the engine is out. They are getting to be old cars.

 

Thanks guys. I won’t have time to work on this until the weekend. Will check with a temp gun to see what temp the fans kick in at, and off at. Will verify senders and gauges consistent with that.

Will post what I find…

 

So, update on my testarossa...

Had a great drive this weekend. Nice and cool outside (60's). Car temp stayed 2-3 needle widths to the left of the midline the entire time driving, stopped at lights, etc. Ran great.

Parked in the garage, and the gauge now showed the temp between the middle tic mark and the one to the right of that. What the heck? Didnt think I heard the fans running. Maybe I just didnt hear them. I shut the car off, and restarted it, fans on immediately and quickly cooled back to the middle tick mark.

Now I just replaced the radiator temp sensor a year or two ago... I guess its possible it went out again?

Anything else I should look at? Will look at the relay board but no burned connections last time I looked.

Is there a way to place a switch to manually turn the fans on as a safety measure?

Any other thoughts?

Also, are there any after market thermostats that open 10 degrees sooner?

 

just jump the original temperature switch parallel with an on-off switch. best place to do this is on the wires with the connectors to the fuesboard. have not the wiring diagram in mind, so can not tell you what wires to jump. so have a look at the wiring diagram please. may be steve has in mind?