Quick Relay Question
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Car: 1986 Camaro IROC-Z
Engine: 305 4-bbl carb V8 VIN H
Transmission: Standard
Quick Relay Question
What's up guys, I've been trying to diagnose the overheating issue due to the cooling fan not kicking on. It used to work and sometimes the relay for it clicked on and off rapidly at times trying to turn on the fan. I ended up replacing the relay... well, that did nothing and the original relay is fine. I tested the wires by jumping them and all of them work. I found this other relay next to the battery on the passenger side with the same color wires as the relay on the fire wall that triggers the fan. It seems to have no effect on anything when I disconnect it, but it has the same color wires... what do the colors specifically control in that case?
Relay found next to battery and cooling fan wires

Cooling fan relay on driver side firewall.
Relay found next to battery and cooling fan wires

Cooling fan relay on driver side firewall.
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Lawrence KS
Car: 91 z28
Engine: LS1
Transmission: 4L60e
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.42
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Lawrence KS
Car: 91 z28
Engine: LS1
Transmission: 4L60e
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.42
Re: Quick Relay Question
I'm educated guessing off above diagrams.
The white relay is cooling fan with the fuseable link replaced with a fuse (blue wire).
The black relay is throttle kicker relay with really faded wires. (due to fading) The pink and black appears as a tan and black.
The white relay is cooling fan with the fuseable link replaced with a fuse (blue wire).
The black relay is throttle kicker relay with really faded wires. (due to fading) The pink and black appears as a tan and black.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Car: 1986 Camaro IROC-Z
Engine: 305 4-bbl carb V8 VIN H
Transmission: Standard
Re: Quick Relay Question
It's still a bit strange that the relay was clicking so rapidly. I changed a number of parts on the car already like the coolant temp sensor on the passenger side of the block, fan relay, thermostat. It seems impossible to see why the fan won't kick on anymore. My last option would be installing a manual toggle switch for it. Any suggestions?
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Lawrence KS
Car: 91 z28
Engine: LS1
Transmission: 4L60e
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.42
Re: Quick Relay Question
Sorry missed the cooling fan not working, thought it was a "what is this" question. I'm showing vin H as a single fan.
1. Jump fusable link wire (now BLU fused) to BLK/RED. Fan should turn on. Tests good move to next step, =fan good. Use a heavy gauge wire (fused for safety) small gauge will get hot fast.
2. Check for 12v (battery voltage) on BRN/WHT. Tests good move on =fuse good
3. Jump DK GRN to ground. Fan on = bad coolant fan switch, wire short.
You stated the relay tested good, so the above takes into account a known good relay.
1. Jump fusable link wire (now BLU fused) to BLK/RED. Fan should turn on. Tests good move to next step, =fan good. Use a heavy gauge wire (fused for safety) small gauge will get hot fast.
2. Check for 12v (battery voltage) on BRN/WHT. Tests good move on =fuse good
3. Jump DK GRN to ground. Fan on = bad coolant fan switch, wire short.
You stated the relay tested good, so the above takes into account a known good relay.
Last edited by camarotucker; Mar 10, 2015 at 08:32 PM.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Car: 1986 Camaro IROC-Z
Engine: 305 4-bbl carb V8 VIN H
Transmission: Standard
Re: Quick Relay Question
Sorry missed the cooling fan not working, thought it was a "what is this" question. I'm showing vin H as a single fan.
1. Jump fusable link wire (now BLU fused) to BLK/RED. Fan should turn on. Tests good move to next step, =fan good. Use a heavy gauge wire (fused for safety) small gauge will get hot fast.
2. Check for 12v (battery voltage) on BRN/WHT. Tests good move on =fuse good
3. Jump DK GRN to ground. Fan on = bad coolant fan switch, wire short.
You stated the relay tested good, so the above takes into account a known good relay.
1. Jump fusable link wire (now BLU fused) to BLK/RED. Fan should turn on. Tests good move to next step, =fan good. Use a heavy gauge wire (fused for safety) small gauge will get hot fast.
2. Check for 12v (battery voltage) on BRN/WHT. Tests good move on =fuse good
3. Jump DK GRN to ground. Fan on = bad coolant fan switch, wire short.
You stated the relay tested good, so the above takes into account a known good relay.
Supreme Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,482
Likes: 10
From: Northern, CA
Car: 1989 Iroc-Z Camaro
Engine: TBI,5.0
Transmission: Automatic 700R4
Axle/Gears: Eaton Posi,3.42,LPW Ultimate Cover
Re: Quick Relay Question
The relay with the wires showing would benefit from straightening them out, cleaning them and then use liquid electrical tape on them.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Car: 1986 Camaro IROC-Z
Engine: 305 4-bbl carb V8 VIN H
Transmission: Standard
Re: Quick Relay Question
Yeah I think they were pulled out once to test them probably... I found the slot for the fuse and what do you know, it blew. But what could have caused it is my next question. Now that a new fuse is in, I have power at blue, brown, and green. I jumped the blue wire, fan turned on, then the brown one (as it was still rotating) and did the same thing right after to the green one. If I grounded the green one nothing happened, so the temp sensor is fine. When I jumped the green one, the fan actually turned on, but the relay was buzzing whenever I jumped it. Another thing is that when the car was on, i pulled the fuse for the fan from the fuse box and it buzzed until i reinstalled the fuse...
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Lawrence KS
Car: 91 z28
Engine: LS1
Transmission: 4L60e
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.42
Re: Quick Relay Question
Ok, lets try this a different way. Remove the relay. With key in run position, using a voltmeter, check each pin on the connector that the relay plugged into and report back the voltages.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Car: 1986 Camaro IROC-Z
Engine: 305 4-bbl carb V8 VIN H
Transmission: Standard
Re: Quick Relay Question
Okay, I got blue: 12v, Brown: 12v, Green: 0.3v, and black/red 0.3v with the relay disconnected. While I was there again, I swapped the white relay with the original that was in the car. I jumped the black and green and the buzzing was gone and the fan turned on... I disconnected it and reconnected it and tried it again, but it clicked on and off rapidly like before, so I can see that I have to fix the green wire from the connector.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Car: 1986 Camaro IROC-Z
Engine: 305 4-bbl carb V8 VIN H
Transmission: Standard
Re: Quick Relay Question
I took the green wire fixed the clamp that goes to the connector. I tested both relays and now they are both flickering rapidly when it is trying to turn on the fan at approx 220 degrees. I jumped the green wire again, released it and it stayed on until it got cool, but started flickering again when it got to 220
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
db057
TBI
10
Aug 11, 2015 10:11 PM





