Fantastic post!!!! Easy to read...right to the point...all the details about what you though to check and what you checked..Vitals right at the top.....AWESOME!!! This is how everyone should post problems!!! Kudos!!!
Now to your issue....you forgot one thing. The Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. This one little sensor needs to be checked and replaced. Your stock one is made of resin and cracks, sending bad data to the PCM. New ones are brass. The ECTS is used for many subsystems of the car including but not limited to: Air/fuel mixtures, idle rpms, transmission functions (auto),
Fan control, emission systems and more. Your car has two sensors, you need to replace the one with the 2 wire connector located under the EGR. Also check the connector to be sure there is no corrosion.
ahhh here this will will help
:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JC0U53w_Htk
Also, you might want to replace your thermostat. Your normal operating temperatures should be at 1/2 as per the guage. Fan should not come on untill almost redline. The guage increments are different for '95 and earlier years, meaning your fan turns on at the same temperature my '02 turns on even tho the gauge on the dash says differntly.
Again...well done post