1996 Volvo 850 GLT overheating MVSolved, bad new part

npharper · Post by **npharper** » 20 Jun 2012, 21:55

I've had this car for about 6 months, and I've been putting a lot of time and work into it, so I hope I can solve this latest problem with your assistance. This forum has been a great resource for my repairs up to this point, but this one is proving more elusive.

Today, while in stopped freeway traffic in the afternoon sun, my 1996 850 GLT Wagon started boiling over, with the temp needle pegged to the top of the red. I was able to get off the freeway and pull over within a couple of minutes of this happening. I then bought some more coolant to refill the reservoir, waited for it to cool down, and drove it home, stopping a few times to let it cool when the needle jumped back into the red. All told, it boiled over three times, and I was probably in the red or very near it for about 10 minutes, although not 10 consecutive minutes.

I haven't seen the needle climb above 3 o'clock until today.

The fan doesn't turn on when I start the car and turn on the A/C, and when I got the car up to speed on the freeway, it cooled right down. So I'm sure it's something with the fan, but I'm having a hard time getting more specific than that. I can't tell if it's the fan itself that is bad, or the thermostat, or the ECT sensor, or possibly something else. I used a wire to ground the little nubs in the middle connector of the fan relay, and I heard a click each time, but the fan didn't start. I can easily move the fan by hand, so it is not jammed.

So I have three questions:

1) Did I do the grounding thing on the fan relay properly?
2) How likely is it that I did serious damage during the 10 minutes that I drove it hot?
3) Based on what I've said, can you tell which component is faulty?

Right now I'm leaning toward the whole fan being broken, because of the clicking I heard when I did the grounding test. But I'd really appreciate some expert advice from anybody willing to give it.

Thanks,
Nick

npharper · Post by **npharper** » 20 Jun 2012, 21:59

I should add that the check engine light came on, but my reader doesn't show any codes.

npharper · Post by **npharper** » 20 Jun 2012, 23:55

Update: I connected the fan directly to the battery, and it runs just fine. Since the fan didn't run when I grounded the connectors on the relay (with the car running and the A/C on), I now suspect that the relay is the culprit. Am I right? Should I go ahead and order one?

Post by **jblackburn** » 21 Jun 2012, 00:09

Yes, Sounds like the relay.

Please dont drive that car until you fix the relay. Or leave the fan connected to the battery and pop the hood and disconnect it when you get where you need to.

These engines overheat very easily and can do thousands worth of damage by warping the aluminum head and engine in only a few minutes.

npharper · Post by **npharper** » 21 Jun 2012, 02:16

I ordered the relay from FCP, and with rush shipping I should have it in a few days. I'll pick up some thick wire to hook up a direct connection between the fan and the battery tomorrow, and maybe a switch to make it easy.

Thanks for your help.

npharper · Post by **npharper** » 21 Jun 2012, 02:17

What do you think the chances are that I already did engine damage? How would I check?

Nick

Post by **jblackburn** » 21 Jun 2012, 06:21

Keep an eye on your coolant level the next few days to see if it drinks any. Also see if you notice any power loss.

Post by **rspi** » 21 Jun 2012, 14:26

Here is a link about coolant temp. I generally think that damage is done when a car overheats but maybe not.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/overheat.htm

I have been having coolant level raising in the res tank but the car never gets hot, usually stays under 220 degrees. I think I have a breach in the head gasket and will go get a coolant testor (chemical test kit) to check the coolant for exhaust gases.

npharper · Post by **npharper** » 21 Jun 2012, 15:41

I decided not to bother wiring up the fan for a the few days before the relay arrives, so I won't be driving it until I get the new relay in. Then I'll look for any up or down fluctuations in the coolant, and see if I notice any power loss. Thanks again.

Post by **MoVolvos** » 21 Jun 2012, 16:01

npharper wrote:I decided not to bother wiring up the fan for a the few days before the relay arrives, so I won't be driving it until I get the new relay in. Then I'll look for any up or down fluctuations in the coolant, and see if I notice any power loss. Thanks again.

Good idea as the direct wiring is suitable for testing only. I had

a red 83 VW GTI with Gold BBS wheel that I wanted the fans to stay on longer before shutting it down or remain on longer in heavy traffic so I installed a direct wire to the fan. A switch and fuse was part of the system so if it did short it would not suffer a melt down, fire or potential damage to other electrical systems.

Blessing,
BKM
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