Runnin' a little bit hot tonight

[Hubes]

just as the David Lee Roth/Van Halen title suggests, my car has been running hot lately. i have noticed lately it rides on "N" and "O". i have also noticed that it seems as if the fan is only coming on then, could this be a temperature sensor gone bad? thanks for the help in advance (and you can thank for me for getting "panama" stuck in your head )

 

[Rob94]

My fan doesn't come on until the temp gauge gets into the 'N' or 'O' range either. A few years back I had a problem with the ETC switch, and it would get real hot, fan would kick on, and kick off again within a few seconds. I'd check your coolant level first, then it probably wouldn't hurt to change out the thermostat and ETC switch.

 

[3taps]

I just had the 60k done and the shop changed the thermostat with the revised "B" thermostat?. Car is running hotter than it did prior. While on the highway the car is running between the R and the M. When I stop it goes to between the N and the O, at which time the fan kicks on. The fan seems to be going on excessively, much more than prior to the 60k and the weather has been in the 70's?. My question is twofold, Is this a normal temperature reading, and at what temperature does the auxiliary fan initiate?

SHOisgettingexpensivetokeep!

 

[Hubes]

where is the etc switch and how much to replace. if that isn't the culprit then i know it is probably the thermostat
thanks

 

[V6&V8SHO]

PANAMA!!! PANAMA! HA HA HA HA HA HA PANAMA!

 

[yamahaSHO]

I say replace the ETC sensor if the coolant level is ok. I had the same problem after I did my 60k. I would replace it with the ford sensor and then resest the computer. I went with one from Autozone, but after reading a few posts on this site, I have decided to replace it with the OEM Ford sensor.

<small>[ October 20, 2002, 01:08 PM: Message edited by: yamahaSHO ]</small>

 

[Rob94]

The ETC switch is under and sort of behind the thermostat housing. Switch is something like $20. Do NOT get the switch with the plastic probe. They are crap. I went through 3 of them, and finally got a metal probed one, and have had no problems since.

 

[shojuan]

V6&V8SHO:
PANAMA!!! PANAMA! HA HA HA HA HA HA PANAMA!

You got one too many "HA"s in there.

 

[Hubes]

hey rob you where did u get the etc from? i wonder if FPN has it. torrie is a great guy

 

[Hubes]

BTW what does ETC (electronic temp control)stand for? i have been doing soem searches here on the forum

 

[projectSHO89]

Try ECT (Engine Coolant Temperature) instead. You might actually find something. "etc" is the abbreviation for "et cetera", which is Latin for "and so forth.."

The computer uses this sensor to tell it how warm the engine is. This information is used by the computer to control the air/fuel mixture during the warmup cycle and then to control the cooling fan operation. The ECT sensor has a two-wire plug attached to it and is located near the thermostat.

There is a different sensor that drives the in-dash temp guage. It has a single, push-on terminal connector and is also located on the water outlet housing near the thermostat.

Before assuming that your engine is running hot, connect a good aftermarket temp guage into the system and actually measure the operating temps. You might find that the system is normal but your guage readings are not.

There have been multiple threads over the last few weeks in which this subject was well covered.

Steve