drumstixer

I've been having some problems that I just want to fix and I'm coming to the pros....

• Temperature gauge reads 100 degrees at all times, from cold start, to hot.
• Radiator fan does not turn on. This has happened since I bought the vehicle a couple years ago and I've done everything I can think of, while trying to keep the car out of the overheat zone ( until the gauge broke)
• Engine leaks about a quart of oil a week. I've checked probable leak points and tightened bolts and oil filter, nothing.
• Vehicle drives rough from 70 mph on up.

• Oil pressure at running temp is low. Around 15-20 at idle and around 30 when driving above 45.

This is my daily driver and I commute 50 miles a day to work until I go back to school and I would like to fix as much as I can while I can. Any help at all? Thanks!

camaronewbie

Need to know year, what engine, what induction, single or dual fans - need more info

drumstixer

91 firebird, 305 TBI, Single electric fan

camaronewbie

OK - for the temp guage, only 1 of 2 possibilities - the guage or the sender. I can't tell you about the guage - it's digital isn't it? The sender is on driver side head, between #1 and #3 spark plugs - single wire connector with a standard spade terminal.

Fan - 1st - does car have a/c? If it does, then turning on the a/c should make the fan run automatically - if it doesn't, then might skip down and check fan by directly applying 12v and a ground to the fan.

There is a fan switch located pass side head between #6 & #8 spark plugs - there is a single wire connector with a funny round connector on it - you squeeze the round sides of the connector to remove it from the switch - 1) make sure it's plugged in, 2) unplug and ground that wire with key on - the fan should run. If it runs, then the fan is good, fan relay is good, fan switch is bad - replace.

If fan doesn't run, then check relay - there is a black metal bracket on the driver side firewall between the brake booster and the fender - two 10mm bolts hold it to the firewall. Attached on the inside of the bracket are 2 relays, they should be identical. Grab something and mark the tops so you know which is which, then swap them on their connectors, turn key on, and ground that fan switch wire again - if fan runs the relay is bad, replace it. The fan relay connector will be the one that has a large black wire with a red stripe.

If none of this made the fan run yet, then try connecting 12v directly to the fan - obviosly if it doesn't turn, the fan motor is bad, replace it.

Costs: fan switch ~ $12 fan relay ~$8 fan motor ~$20

OIL:

Hard to find an oil leak once the oil has been leaking for awhile - it gets all over everything and makes a mess. Get the car up on car ramps, crawl under, hose the crap out of everything dirty" with some degreaser (Gunk, Simple Green, etc.) - let it sit 5-10 minutes, and hose it off. Now take a ride for 10 minutes and come back to the car ramps, and look to see what are the leak seems to be occuring at. Alot of time the rear of the intake will leak, and it's hard to see - just makes a mess all over the bottom rear of the engine, the flywheel dust shield, and the tranny bellhousing and back. Intake gaskets are an easy fix, but time consuming - to really seal it up you need a day off that you don't have to drive.

An oil leak that significant will show lower oil pressure I'd think. Unless it's not a leak and your burning that much oil - car smoke alot while driving? You could also need a new oil pressure sending unit - but worry about that after you determine the cause of oil loss.

70+ mph driving - is it the engine running irradically or just vibration? Vibration could simply be a wheel out of balance, a bad u-joint, etc.

Hope any of that helps - gives you a few things to check anyway - let us know what you find.

drumstixer

Thanks much camaronewbie, I'll check at least the gauge and the fan tonight or tomorrow and get back to you. There is no A/C on the car because the previous owner ripped it out in a pretty much ghetto fasion. Also the shaking apears to be more like vibration of the car and not the engine. The engine shows no sign of shaking even at high rpms.

Thanks again and Ill get back to the board later with updates.