radiator fans

[brianabbot]

Hi everyone, I took my 1990 SE out today and noticed that the fans were running the whole time, the temp looked to be sitting around 40 - 60 so I can't see they should be on. Is there anything obvious for me to check or is it back to the garage?

Thanks in advance for any help

Brian

[davegtst]

Mine stay on alot too especially when i start up. I'm sure mine is a dodgy relay as i can hear it clicking sometimes but i haven't had a chance to find out which one yet. Does anyone have a fuse/relay box diagram?

[dodgy]

i would say , if your rad fans are on all the time, your otter switch has stuck on.

by the front of the drivers side front wheel , the bottom hose has a switch unit on it, while the fans are running ( should not be a problem if they are running all the time) disconect one of the wires, if the fans stop, its the switch, if not, its probably something else like the relay.

[brianabbot]

i would say , if your rad fans are on all the time, your otter switch has stuck on.

by the front of the drivers side front wheel , the bottom hose has a switch unit on it, while the fans are running ( should not be a problem if they are running all the time) disconect one of the wires, if the fans stop, its the switch, if not, its probably something else like the relay.

Hi, thanks for that I will give it a go in the morning, be nice if it was that simple - fingers crossed.

Brian

[fjmuurling]

On a 1990 SE the fans are controlled by the ECU via a relay and not a otter switch. The best way to check the coolant temperature is by means of Freescan. The 1990 SE uses two different temperature sensors one mounted near the waterpump which is for the gauge in the dashboard/binnacle (this system can be wrong sometimes) and one sensor mounted in the in the block itself which is for the ECU and this temperature can be read with Freescan. If the fans are running all the time the relay can be faulty or there is a problem with the ECU,

Freek.

[peter_england99]

Or you have the airconditioning on.

If the fans are running all the time the relay can be faulty or there is a problem with the ECU,

Freek.

[davegtst]

Does anyone know which relay it is?

[iainmclean]

Hi all

Im also having fan problems - I just had a new alarm and stereo fitted and when I got the car home and turned it off I thought the fans were staying on for quite a while. Next day the battery was completetly flat and wouldnt take any charge so I bought a new one and as soon as I connected it the fans started again (even though the car hadn't moved in 24hours). Does this sound like something the alarm fitter might caused?

Thanks

might help if I remembered to say it is a 90 turbo.

Thanks

[esp88]

Hi Dave

The Fan relay is located front but I'm not sure which one

becuase there are some diff. my Esprit turbo, SE and SE with ABS or non ABS car ( I think)

If you have a access to parts list then easy to find !

and A/C's relay are located in the ignition box (rear)

[davegtst]

I found its one of the ones in the front, but which one? There seems to be a few that control the fan, is there no fusebox diagram like what you would find in the driver handbook? I didn't get one when i bought mine.

[fjmuurling]

Peter you are right about when the AC is switched on, I forgot about it.

Dave assuming you have a RHD non ABS car the the fan control relay is on the left bank of the relay/fuses bracket and then it is the second one from forward right behind the 4 fuses.

Freek

[davegtst]

Do you mean the one with the red cross on? Pulling this out stops the fans but if you pull out the one with the yellow cross they stop too. I'll get a new relay tomorrow anyway as it isn't working properly. Edited December 17, 2007 by davegtst

[fjmuurling]

The red cross is the fan control relay, I forgot which one is the one with the yellow cross I will let you know as i'm not home at the moment.

Freek

[davegtst]

Thanks Freek. I've changed the relay now and still no difference, although the relay was faulty. I guess i'll have to have a poke around with the multimeter.

[esp88]

The red one is "Radiator Fans relay" and yellow one may "Start drop out relay"

Please see the attached pdf file which I scan from maunal (but it's not 100% sure it's same as your Esprit )

Edited December 17, 2007 by esp88

[davegtst]

Thats great, thanks for that. Where did you get that from? I'd love a copy of it all.

[fjmuurling]

Yasuo is right about the yellow cross it is the start drop out relay (cuts power to non essential electrics when starting). I have the following 4 manuals for my 1990 SE:

there are 4 manuals for the 1990 SE.

1 - Electrical sections, all about the electrics in the car. F082T0327J

2 - Service Notes Esprit 1988 - 1992, general manual including torques etc. B082T0327J

3 - Delco Fuel Injection (EMH), engine management. D082T0327J

4 - Parts List 1988 - 1992, has very good exploded views. L082T0325J

They are worth their weight in gold. The info about the relays is coming from the electrical sections manual.

Freek

[davegtst]

Can you download them from the internet or are they lotus parts only?

[Bibs]

Club Esprit members can download parts manuals from the Club website. Other (service) manuals are available from your Lotus dealer.

[esp88]

Hi Dave

Well, I have these service maunal (books) and I just scan it.

it's always nice to have these manuals and parts lists, I used quit a lot !

So, as Bibs said buy these maunal, some time you can buy on Ebay !

Back to your problem:

- if you repplaced the Fan realy and you may need to check

Rad fans control reaply which located engine bay relay box

the top of the box has 4 relays and both end of side has 2 fuse scokets

the leftside replay should be the one (see el. diagram) it's connected to ECU

- its also connected the A/C request relay

and the A/C control relay whcih placed in engin bay relay box too.

it's bottum of the box you can find 4 relays and one fuse socket

the no. 3 (AC reqest relay), 4(A/C control relay)

from the rights side relays

Good luck

Edited December 18, 2007 by esp88

[davegtst]

You lost me a bit there. Can you indicate on the picture please.

[davegtst]

Ok it seems the new relay did fix it. Turned the ignition on tonight and nothing, started the car and still no fans. I was trying it last night a minute or 2 after stopping the car so it must have been hot enought for the fans to work. Do the fans come on alot on these cars? Every time i stop and let the car cool down the fans are on but not when i first start it.

[iainmclean]

Hi Dave,

Just got a 90 turbo and Im also having fan problems. Can anyone tell me if the fans are supposed to stay on after the engine is switched off?

Thanks

[davegtst]

Mine don't if i take the key out.

[esp88]

Hi My Esprit Turbo stop the fan when you turned off the eng. key!

Dave, I just add one more scan picture "Engine bay relay box" the box located back of the engine room and relay "N" Rad fan control relay which connected to ECU. The relay U and V are used for A/C. The relay V is also connected to then Fan relay.

So, you need the check the relay N and V !

In canse relay V is on all the time it may caused ECU fault or the coolant tempratur sender.