Overheating, Radiator Fans Won't Kick On?
 

I just installed an autometer water temp sender in my t-stat housing and come to find out my car is overheating. So, I checked over the car and it came to me....... The F&^K*N fans aren't turning on. Like a good guy I called the Mazda dealer and ordered three Type B fan relay's (That's what my diagnotics told me I needed). Put them on, let the car warm up. The gauge hit 180 and still no action with the fans :( Let it warm up somemore to 210, still didn't turn on. Anybody have any ideas? I checked the fuse for the fan relay and it looks fine and the wires to the fans look connected. I can't understand what's wrong? Thanks

The fans don't come on until 226F with the stock thermoswitch without any extra electrical load.

You can turn on the parking lights which will increase the electrical load and bring the fans on earlier.

So if that's the case. What temp does it have to be at to say that it is overheating?

At least 240F or above.

226F seems a little too high doesn't it, for the fans to kick on? It's kinda pointless, because your motor will be blown by then.

put a manual switch on your fans and have them on to at least low when your car is running (over 150 degrees) or your gonna really regret it...

The motor is not blown at 226F. Not at 230F or 240F either.

I had my fans set to be turned on high all the time. It droped the temps dramaticlly.

Anytime it's hot out 90F plus or I'm sitting in stop and go traffic I just turn my a/c on low and that kicks the fans on.

Is there a thermoswitch out there that will fit the 7 and turn on the fans around 180 or close to that? Or would it be easier to install a manual switch. I'm kinda confused because I had my car up to 248F still no fans kicked on, but when I turn on the A/C they do. I'm thinking the thermoswitch is bad instead of the relays.

The stock thermostat is just beginning to open at 180F. You want you car to be a good operating temp as things such as oil perform best at certain temperatures. Anywhere from 190-205F is a good cruising temp.

If your fans aren't coming on and your temp is approaching 250F, then something is wrong. Where is your sensor located for your temp gauge?

The sender is located in the t-stat housing. The fans won't turn on at all no matter how hot the water is. I think it is the thermoswitch.

I was reading another thread and they said they used a Miata Thermoswitch. I think I will try that.

Yes, that should bring the fans on around 210F instead of around 226F.

It should be an easy install, right? Just take the old one out and put the new one in. Connect wires and everything, you probably have to solder though?

The connector is different. Most people use a spade connector to mate it (cut off the old connector on the harness, use a spade connector to hook up the Miata Thermoswitch). The main thing to watch out for will be that the wires are going to be extremely brittle in that area.

Eureka! I fixed the fan problem although I have no idea what I did. I took off the intercooler piping and messed around with the water pump and thermoswitch. The fans turn on now although I have another problem. My add coolant buzzer is going off???? I added more coolant but the thing is still on. When I turn on the air conditioning, the air seperation tank (I think that's what it is, the silver tank by the intercooler) is making bubbles, and there's no coolant in it. Should there be? Maybe I have to burp the system, but how??

Actually the Silver tank is in front of the battery close to the headlight and intercooler shroud on the drivers side. I don't know if it is the AST or not? That is where it was bubbling when I turned on the A/C. Also next to the water pump there is a blue connector and on the inside of the connector it's orange. Where does that go? I don't know if it was connected to something or not when I was messing around near the water pump.