Overheating at idle....help....

[RobPatt]

new waterpump, t-stat and housing a few months ago, no issues at all since then. at temp, top rad hose is HOT so I think coolant is flowing, tstat opens, etc....

regular fan spins w/some resistance.... think the clutch is ok... no leaks.

last night, leaking out of the bleed screw, WTF, went to make sure it's snug an darn thing broke....

Today, new bleed screw, filled, bled, no leaks.... hoped that's it.

Still heats up to red at idle.....

Aux elec fan doesn't cut on.... jumpering it at the radiator connection, low speed won't come on, but high speed does...

Is this the resistor? What ohms should it have?

Fuse 25 and 29 are fine.... don't know about the relays.

What do I do first?
Thanks.
-Rob sends....

[RobPatt]

... at the connector by the radior high/low fan speed switch...

..aux fan spun at low and I heard the relay click...

...aux fan spun at high too....

So I cut the resistor out... put on the fluke... it said like 4K ohms....so I'm guessing it's bad?

I taped the wires together, so when the rad switch kicks low speed on it'll just run full speed.

Is this OK until I get a new resistor? ( Is the resistor bad ?)

[whiskychaser]

This might help:
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34325&highlight=fan+resistors

[genphreak]

Yes, it'll just cool too much at idle and low speed. If you are running the AC it'll make no difference as the AC energises the high speed fan circuit.

To check it I usually jumper the pins in the radiator's thermo-switch and check that both high and low speed work ok.

Of the three pins, one is the 12V feed, one the low speed wire and one the high speed wire. Work out which is 12V and then jumper to the others.

If they do, you can leave the resistor alone and look elsewhere. Does the high speed work and keep engine temp under control when the AC is on?

[RobPatt]

...when I shorted the connector (the one that goes to the rad temp switch) HI and LOW ran...

...but when I turn on the AC the aux fan didn't go.

Now I removed the resistor, and aux fan blows when AC is on.

I have a new resistor (it got 2.6K ohms) and fan clutch on the way, as the fan was VERY easy to stop even with engine temp flirting with the red....

Will keep posted... at least w/ AC on stopped in traffic temp is at 12 o'clock.

[blackpawn5]

...when I shorted the connector (the one that goes to the rad temp switch) HI and LOW ran...

...but when I turn on the AC the aux fan didn't go.

Now I removed the resistor, and aux fan blows when AC is on.

I have a new resistor (it got 2.6K ohms) and fan clutch on the way, as the fan was VERY easy to stop even with engine temp flirting with the red....

Will keep posted... at least w/ AC on stopped in traffic temp is at 12 o'clock.

What kind of T-stat did you replace with? sometimes those cheap chinese ones can break real fast.