Technical - Honda

[2Blade]

I drive a 1993 Honda Del Sol. Lately, my temp gauge reads hot when I'm sitting at a stop light. If I turn the A/C off and turn on the heater it cools down. I replaced the water pump 30,000 miles ago and just replaced the themostat yesterday and it still does it. It is full of coolant and it doesn't seem to over flow out of the radiator into the reservior because it hasn't lost any fluid or steamed over. I'm wondering if my gauge is faulty. Any ideas? Thanks.

[BarryStrawn]

If it gets hotter when setting I doubt the gauge is bad. First check is to see if the fans turn. Probably has two, one on an engine thermostat switch and the other switched with the A/C. Just raise the hood when she is warmed up and look.

[Rickracer]

If you have access to a laser thermometer, that is the best (cheap) way to tell. You should see pretty much even temps all over the radiator. It will be a little cooler on the outgoing side, but should be about the same top to bottom going down. If you find a cooler spot, that will most likely be where it's plugged. If so, you might be able to have it reverse flushed.

[2Blade]

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[Rickracer]

Anytime....

[2Blade]

you were right about the fan not working. I stopped in PepBoys and it is a $150.00 fix, however, I may try to dissasemble the fan motor and see what I can fix myself or if a fuse is out. Anyway, thanks.

[BarryStrawn]

If it is like my wife's Accord the fans are switched with relays in the harness stuck to the fan shroud. Could be the relay or the fan motor. Doubt it is a fuse unless Pepboys is trying to ream ya. I had a fan motor go bad in my old Acura and it made a nasty noise for quite a while but never quit. You could unplug the fan from the relay harness and jump it to 12 volts as a test of the fan motor.

[Rickracer]

Actually it was Barry that suggested the fan. I kinda jumped the gun and assumed that you had already verified that the fan or fans were working. On most of the Hondas, the temp sensor for the fan(s) (actually a switch) is screwed right into the radiator tank, if you disconnect the sensor, jumper the 2 terminals together, and turn on the key, that will tell you if everything else is working. If the fan(s) come on with the sensor jumpered, replace the sensor/switch.

[2Blade]

Thanks for the advice on the sensor, I didn't realize the fan was intermittent and even had a temp mechanism, I see that now. Last night I ended up taking the fan off and opening up the electric motor and there was a broken magnet in the motor. I'm going to pick up another one from the salvage yard. I would just leave it off, but for the next three months, temps are usually 100 and over here in Ft Worth. You guys saved me $150.00...and that is just more boat gas! Thanks Reid.