94 Saturn SL Fan

Natorius · #1 10-01-2004, 12:05 AM

I bought a used Saturn a couple months ago and everything works fine except for the fan. Does anyone know a way to fix and/or replace the fan on a 1994 Saturn SL? Also, the car has a manual transmission and when I am stopping at a stop sign and have the clutch pressed down, the car will idle at 2000-2200 RPMs for the first 3-5 seconds, and then go down a bit to 1500 or 1200 if the engine hasn't warmed up, is this normal and if it is not, is there a way to fix the problem?

sierrap615 · #2 10-01-2004, 12:24 AM

what exactly is wrong with the fan?

what is stoped idle when warm?

whats the normal temp gauge reading?

Natorius · #3 10-01-2004, 12:49 AM

The fan doesn't turn on, no matter what the temperature of the car, my grandpa told me that it is the type of fan that would only turn on when the car starts to get hot but while I was getting the car smogged it didn't turn on at all. The normal temperature reading fluctuates, if tends to stay about halfway and starts to get really hot the longer I'm not moving, either way the fan just doesn't work at all.

sierrap615 · #4 10-01-2004, 01:19 AM

under the steering wheel, there is a data port connector 7 wide, 2 high. there should be three wires connected to it, two on the top left one on the bottom left. use a metal paper clip to short out the two top wires with the key on, engine off. the fan should come on. if it does, replace the ECT sensor. if it doesn't there are a few other checks i would like to do before replacing the fan.

SanClementeEric · #5 03-31-2006, 03:07 PM

Great advice, I shorted those two top wires and I heard my fan start up!

Thanks!

Now if I can figure out what and where the ECT sensor is, I'll be a very happy camper!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sierrap615

under the steering wheel, there is a data port connector 7 wide, 2 high. there should be three wires connected to it, two on the top left one on the bottom left. use a metal paper clip to short out the two top wires with the key on, engine off. the fan should come on. if it does, replace the ECT sensor. if it doesn't there are a few other checks i would like to do before replacing the fan.

saturnspeed_12 · #6 04-03-2006, 05:22 PM

what year is your car?

but the ects is located on the driver side of the head. it is located below the egr valve pretty much dead center of head barely above the trans. there are 2 wires heading to it.

nightbird · #7 04-04-2006, 08:49 PM

This is the common saturn problem. Fan doesnt kick in because car doesnt sense temp correctly. Meanwhile, if you run your AC, the fan is forced to come on, so it will keep the engine cool until you fix the real problem.

On my car, if fan isnt kicking in, temp gage easily goes over halfway mark on moderately cool days. If fan is working, my temp needle stays at the 1/4 mark. Since I replaced the idler pulley, which was obviously interfering with the belt, my car ran with temp gage needle laying on the ground, and it never made it up to the 1/4 mark. Another lesser problem I had was slight underfill of coolant. Maybe due to air bubbles, but topping up coolant a shade higher than the fill mark also helped my car with temp. Might be a fluke with my car

SanClementeEric · #8 04-05-2006, 06:48 PM

Hee hee hee, okay, too funny. Yeah, my car is a '94 as well.

My fan doesn't come on with the air conditioning, but that could be because my air conditioning doesn't work.

I'm thinking it needs a thermostat too because the car doesn't maintain a warm temp. Basically the temp goes with the speed and outside temp of the car. As long as I'm trucking down the hwy, it usually maintains a under 1/4 of the gauge temp. But as soon as I stop the car immediately starts to go up and only turning on the heater and fan to full blast will keep it from over heating.

There are a ton of little things wrong with my car, don't know if I should be in other threads but:

Moon roof stopped working (no motor sound at all)
Passenger window does not operate (no motor sound at all)
Driver's side window doesn't work (goes clank clank clank and hops and doesn't really open or close. I have to grap the window and slide it up or down!)
Clutch needs replacing (doing this weekend)
Driver's side back seat widow doesn't go up via the center console switch.
Leaks around the moon roof
Windshield needs replacing
There was a point when the headlights would go off at random times and a quick turn signal would restore it. (That was a fun one!)

silverado122775 · #9 04-10-2006, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanClementeEric

Hee hee hee, okay, too funny. Yeah, my car is a '94 as well.

My fan doesn't come on with the air conditioning, but that could be because my air conditioning doesn't work.

I'm thinking it needs a thermostat too because the car doesn't maintain a warm temp. Basically the temp goes with the speed and outside temp of the car. As long as I'm trucking down the hwy, it usually maintains a under 1/4 of the gauge temp. But as soon as I stop the car immediately starts to go up and only turning on the heater and fan to full blast will keep it from over heating.

I have a 94 SL as well. I had the same problem with the temp staying at around the 1/4 mark (if I was lucky). took forever to get the damn thing to warm up in the winter time. If left idle it would get to almost redline then the fan would kick in and cool it down. I replaced the thermostat and now it warms up quickly and stays around 1/2 way mark, unless I am idling then it will creep up to redline then the fan will kick in and cool it back down. Seems to be pretty typical for these cars at about these years too. Btw, when you get the thermostat they should ask if you want the $45 thermo or the $11 thermo.. the differnance is the $45 thermo comes with the housing and makes it easy to replace.. the $11 is just the thermo.. when you pull out the housing from the hose. you will need a clamp or flat screw drive to get the thermo out of the housing.. getting the new thermo in is a pain but can be done.. it was worth saving the extra $35. good luck and I hope you have small hands.

The moon roof sounds like a blown fuse.

But it sounds like you have your fair share of fun things to play with on your car..LOL.. good luck..

saturnspeed_12 · #10 04-13-2006, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightbird

This is the common saturn problem. Fan doesnt kick in because car doesnt sense temp correctly. Meanwhile, if you run your AC, the fan is forced to come on, so it will keep the engine cool until you fix the real problem.

On my car, if fan isnt kicking in, temp gage easily goes over halfway mark on moderately cool days. If fan is working, my temp needle stays at the 1/4 mark. Since I replaced the idler pulley, which was obviously interfering with the belt, my car ran with temp gage needle laying on the ground, and it never made it up to the 1/4 mark. Another lesser problem I had was slight underfill of coolant. Maybe due to air bubbles, but topping up coolant a shade higher than the fill mark also helped my car with temp. Might be a fluke with my car

your car should never be at 1/4 mark while driving. it should be between 1/4-1/2. if its on 1/4 then your ects is a likely culprit.

silverado122775 · #11 04-13-2006, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saturnspeed_12

your car should never be at 1/4 mark while driving. it should be between 1/4-1/2. if its on 1/4 then your ects is a likely culprit.

The Thermo will be cheaper to replace.. I would go with that first. Thermostats tend to go bad more often. if the thermo does not fix it, then replace the ect.

whatevergoof · #12 04-18-2006, 03:05 AM

So seems Saturns around the 95 mark are notorious for the over heating problem! I went the run around w/ my 95 SC2 when I first got it. Replaced had the radiator flushed, didn't fix the problem. Put in a new fan motor, didn't fix the problem. Had a new ECTS put in, and thats when we realized there wasn't a relay switch on the ac. Well the whole while I had the overheating problem, I pulled the crank the heat to blow the heat off the hot engine ordeal. After replacing everything, I stuck to turning on the AC to force the fan to run. Well, after doing all this, I was informed by multiple people that Saturns are notorious for this only because the fan isn't designed to kick in until the temp reaches 3/4 mark. I just wasn't comfortable letting it get that hot, so I used the AC. Also, I had to realign my bumper, because Saturns need proper air flow to the engine. So on the highway, you'll get it no matter what. But if the dam isn't lined up right, when you idle its not getting any air flow. All in all, my car no longer over heats! There's just so many things that could be wrong.

saturnspeed_12 · #13 04-18-2006, 12:47 PM

man you really need to learn a bit more. the 3/4 mark in the car is a perfectly normal temperature for the fans to kick in. its the same temperature as any other vehicle. the fan kicks in about 220 degrees which is the same as practically ever single other car. it seems hotter because of the gauge, but gauges are made differently. if you would install a gauge with the actual temp number showing, you would see this. if it doesnt hit the red mark, then its fine (unless temp reaches up there very quick and often).

saturns are not notorious for overheating, because they dont overheat. and about the air dam up front, its only there for air to bounce of it and up to the top of the radiator to cool it while driving. if its not there, it wont cool as good while driving. at idle means nothing, because no air is being pushed through because of no motion. where ever you got your information was totally wrong.

silverado122775 · #14 04-18-2006, 01:03 PM

To add fact to what saturnspeed is saying these cars at about these years didn't have electronic thermstats and keep the engine at one temp. the ones in these these Staturns are controled by a spring.. it flucuates has the engine temp changes.. so they are not perfect. as long as the fans kick in.. it is fine. mine will kick in at the 3/4mark to, then go back down to 1/2

SanClementeEric · #15 04-23-2006, 12:59 AM

You know I like these Saturns so much I went and found a '95 for sale and bought it. One of the points he had to tell me was the fact that I shouldn't freak out because the fan doesn't come on until way late on the temp gauge. But this new SL2's AC works fine and the fan does go on when it is switched on!!!!

But it runs great at about 175,000 miles. Happy camper!

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