Esprit Turbo overheating

[daniel_EspritTurbo]

Hello! I'm new to the Esprit ownership malarky so please excuse the 'rookie' query but I would be glad of a pointer or two...

I've got a 92 Esprit Turbo that is overheating when stuck in traffic (fine when not). I can't hear the fans kicking in so I'm guessing its likely to the be ('OTTO'?) fan switch so I want to test it. Can anyone tell me where this little widget is located on the car; do I need to get underneath it? Should I be checking anything else?

Thanks in advance,

Daniel

[Paul93Lotus]

If you have an SE there is no "otto" switch....fans are turned on by the ECU. I would look at the relays...likely one or more is shot. Do your fans turn on when the A/c is switched on (ac switch turned all the way right, and the blower turned on?)

[daniel_EspritTurbo]

Its not the SE version.

I've had the a/c on full but the fans aren't coming on. I only managed to keep the temp from overdoing it by blowing hot air out of the vents & off the engine...

Edited May 18, 2008 by daniel_EspritTurbo

[iainmclean]

Hi,

I have a 90 turbo (not SE) and my fans were playing up, kept staying on or not working at all. I changed the relay but it turned out the otter switch had a dodgy connection. Once this was fixed the fans have been fine.

[daniel_EspritTurbo]

Thanks Iain, I think that may well be the problem. Is the switch located under the front of the car, near the radiator?

btw, nice car (looks just like mine)!

[red vtec]

Mine was doing this, you will not find the otter switch in the wheel bay, it's located in the engine bay near the rear window in the pipe running up to the thermostat housing. There are three switches, it is the top one you want.

To troubleshoot, firstly swap the horn relay for the fan relay, if the fans run then you know they are ok. then swap the relays back. (with the horn relay in they will run constanly)

Then to see if its the switch short the two connectors on the switch with a paper clip, if the fans run then its a dodgy switch, if not it is the fan relay.

Mine was just dodgy connection on the switch.

Hope this helps

[daniel_EspritTurbo]

Thanks Chris! I did the checks as suggested, and have concluded that the fault is due to a dodgy fan relay so I'll see if I can source a replacement.

[red vtec]

Glad to help, hope you get it sorted., you did short the leads and not the switch? as I have just reread what I wrote and was not sure if that was clear.

Ps you should have seen my face when I took the wheel off and there was no otter swtich

Edited May 27, 2008 by red vtec

[daniel_EspritTurbo]

Yikes, I can imagine... Thats just the sort of endeavour that I was trying to avoid!

Looking forward to getting things fixed but given the current bout of weather, it's probably getting water-cooled by the rain anyway!

Cheers!

Edited May 28, 2008 by daniel_EspritTurbo

[Glyn Harper]

On the older cars, I can recommend replacing the standard 'Ford Fiesta' fans with Kenlowe ones!

They are quieter, more efficient, lighter, and provide better resistance to corrosion.

[mangel]

Also make sure you blow the rad fins through with an airline if you get the opportunity, you'll be shocked by the amount of crap that will come flying out which is all lowering the efficiency of you Rad.