Brief history;

I have a 1988 Firebird, L98 V8 stock. I have the dual fan setup, and yes they have always worked appropriately.

Two days ago I nearly overheated and coolant gushed out everywhere from underneath (at the drive-thru). Today I finally checked it out and sure enough it was my thermostat. I replaced it as well as the gasket and let it run/idle for over 20mins several different times and temps never reached halfway...just a few ticks over 1/4 until I drove it around then it finally got to halfway (220).

This was all however without the use of fans, why? My cooling fans don't work.

I replaced what I believe is the fan relay. I think it's the fan relay because the wiring LEADS to the fans. I also replaced the relay near it, which I believe is my MAF sensor relay but I'm not sure.

Check the pic and please tell me if I'm correct in thinking the LEFT relay is the fan relay and the RIGHT relay is the MAF relay -



(Might be a stupid question but I ask because I also have a Code 54. I replaced what I believe to be the fuel pump relay, but when I swapped it out (with another used one) my cooling fan stopped working when I grounded the diagnostic port checking for codes. Not to confuse anyone, swapping this relay was PRIOR to my recent incident. Swapping the fuel pump relay which lead to one fan not turning on was over 2 weeks ago.)

This is the relay that made my fan stop working (again, 2 weeks ago), am I correct to believe this could still be the fuel pump relay? I'm talking about the relay on the left closest to the brake cylinder -



Sorry for the dumb questions but I'm trying for the life of me to get my fans working again.

They each work considering I tested them each to a 12V car battery and they both spun each time.

I used a test ligt to the D and E terminal on what I believe to be the fan relay plug and the light didn't come on (with key in the ON position). I tested it with diagnostic ungrounded and grounded and both times the light never came on when testing D and E.

 

Disregard the question about the fuel pump relay, I disconnected/pulled out the one with the red crap all over it....that's the fuel pump relay now that I searched the wire colors.

 

I went through this a few days ago. After some major head work, neither cooling fan would work. With the help of the search feature on this forum, I was able to verify that the fans actually worked by sticking a paperclip in terminals A and B on the ALDL with the ignition on. The fans should turn on. My relays are on either side of my fuel pump relay on the firewall by the brake reservoir. Since I don't plan on doing any highway driving, I decided to make both fans run with the ignition switch.

I got an old extension cord and tapped into the F wire terminal on each relay (the right relay looking at the picture was the green wire and the left relay was light gray) and then grounded both those wires to my strut tower with a nut and washer. Later on, I will run that wire to a switch in my car, but just to get it running, this worked for me.

Are your fans running if you jumper terminals A and B?

 

Sorry, it printed twice.

 

Thanks for replying.

If by ALDL you mean the diagnostic port where one checks for codes, yes I jumped them and no the fans do not turn on.

I know they are suppose to turn on when you jump them (when checking for codes) but they do not turn on. They used to BEFORE this incident but now they don't.

Again DISREGARD the code 54/relay swap I mentioned. I put in a new relay where the one with the red crap is and my fuel pump primes now.

Aside from that, in the first picture is the fan relay the one to the left? Or in the second picture is it the one in the center (center meaning second relay from the right).

I did use the search extensively which actually lead me to fix my fuel pump relay issue, and again I have been trying to circuit test with a test light but I'm not sure which relay is for the fan(s). Just need confirmation.

 

Should have 12V on the thick org wire into relay at all times.
If not most likely fusible link on wire has blown
If you haven't got 12V "key on " at the brown wire check fan fuse

see
http://austinthirdgen.org/mkportal/m...ine_wiring.gif

 

I'm an idiot, I was searching the wrong thing.

Firewall center relay IS a fan relay.

And the first picture, the relay to the left, that's the secondary fan relay? I'm using the slightly jumbled FSM that I downloaded awhile back.

Testing D and E, light does NOT come on.

 

That's one thing I didn't read about anywhere!

Thanks I'll check the thick orange wire, which looks like it's on terminal A.

If the fuse is the one between the radiator and battery (20 AMP) I replaced that earlier and have been testing since then. Fuse I pulled looked good but I still replaced it.

I'll check for 12V from the orange wire now though.

EDIT: Yes, I get power from orange wire/terminal A.

Should I jump A to..E or D to check to see if fans come on? Is that advisable? If so, which one..E or D or does it matter?

 

I'm thinking I just have an open/short circuit.

I'm getting power from A but not E or D. Diagram says OPEN/SHORT.

No idea where the short would be, considering this relay is ALL the way on the firewall and the fan wiring is well away from that.

 

Brown wire with white is D terminal, and no I do not get power from it.

Is the fuse you're referring to the one that I checked? From the diagram it looks like the 20 AMP fuse near the bottom...between the battery and radiator. Yes that fuse is good.

Appreciate the help btw.

 

Jumped A (orange wire that does have 12V) to E (red wire) and the fan does NOT come on (tried with key in ON and OFF position).

PS I also checked the other 20 AMP fuse that's inside the cabin where the hood release lever is, and the fuse is good..labled C/H FAN.

 

Then you have a problem with the wiring to fan or the ground for fan.
If as you say you have power at A then connecting to E puts power direct to fan bypassing the relay altogether.
When you tested the fan where did you apply power?

To test relay ;turn key on and jumper the grn/ white wire at connector to ground; should hear relay click

 

As for the first part of your post, the way I tested the fan to ensure they work is by getting under the car and directly connecting two wires/terminals to the fan. I cut some wire up and put an inline 20 AMP fuse and tested this wire straight to the battery, and doing so I tested both fans. Both fans worked.

Jumping A to E did nothing as stated earlier.

I will test the relay just as you stated, however I have read on other posts a green/white wire coming from the center relay (being the fan relay). What terminal is that? I ask because the only wire colors I have are; orange, red, tan with white, black with white and blue.

Green/white wire would be which terminal? I'll ground it out as soon as I find out. Guess not ALL my wire colors correlate with everyone else's.

 

Color/terminals as shown in my (suspected to be) fan relay/wiring -

Terminal A; ORANGE
Terminal C; BLUE
Terminal D; TAN W/WHITE
Terminal E; RED
Terminal F; BLACK W/WHITE

 

I know the topic has been beaten to death and the constant mention of a green/white wire is actually terminal F.

On my relay, terminal F is a black/white wire. Yes I pulled back the wire loom, it's still black/white all the way back.

Anyway, I cut in the center of the wire and grounded it. Key ON/OFF, fan doesn't turn on still.

What's getting to me and the fact that the other posts/threads aren't helping is that my wire colors are different which is why I'm only going by Terminals.

 

Starting over........................

Ok after reading maybe 20 other threads, and with different setups/etc I am going to start over.

I have; 3 relays on my driver side firewall and 2 relays on my passenger side near the bumper/air cleaner.

The only relays with the black/red or green/white wires mentioned are the relays (BOTH) that are near the air cleaner.

Have I been testing the wrong relay? I thought my factory manual showed the MAIN fan relay on the firewall? But then I saw another page and it said passenger side near radiator/support.

So, I immediately went and grounded the green/white wire and yes my relay clicked. I am going to perform circuit testing the way I did on the other relay.

 

On the circuit diagram for '88 TPI car I linked above
http://austinthirdgen.org/mkportal/m...ine_wiring.gif

tan /white + black / white are on the fuel pump relay (top middle of diagram)

As shown in the circuit diagram ( bottom RH corner of diagram) ; they would be the fan relays
Fan relay(s) have the colors most commonly mentioned in the threads you have read

 

I finally followed/found the wire.

It was a hot/orange wire that leads to the relay connectors by the battery. It had shorted/disconnected completely.

That's done! Now I have an even bigger issue.

My steering column was loose/sheered. No, not the 'common loose steering wheel' problem but something was literally broken.

Today arrived the one I bought on ebay, perfect swap (TPI/Auto/w-key) anyway...got it installed, turns properly and isn't loose at all. Thing is, the cylinder is STUCK. Won't turn toward me to shut off car, won't turn away to turn on car, completely stuck. Figured it's the rod/screw that fell and is jamming the cylinder, and the screw/rod I'm talking about is one that engages the steering wheel lock because the steering wheel does not lock at all, and didn't lock with the key OUT.

 

PS Both relays near the air filter were indeed for the fans.

I thought I read somewhere in my searchs on 3rdgen that it was on the firewall for the primary cooling fan.

My 3 on the firewall are as follows; Fuel pump relay, MAF relay, Burn off relay.