'97 TL Over heat

External Since: Jun 12, 2007 Posts: 1

Hello,

I drive a '97 TL with the 2.5 engine. The car starts over heats when
at extended idle or slow traffic. I usually prevent the gauge from
reaching red by putting on cabin heat or stopping engine if necessary.
Once traffic is moving again temp gauge moves back to normal. Revving
the engine in neutral DOES NOT lower the temp gauge.

Also there are two fans behind the radiator. The driver's side fan is
always on, but the passenger side fan (what's the name for this?)
never comes on. Doesn't matter if I have the AC on or if the coolant
is overflowing into the reserve tank. When is this fan supposed to
come on, and how can I trouble shoot this?

Thanks,
Todd

Joined: Jul 30, 2007 Posts: 18

First, check both the low and high speed http://www.overnightradiator.com/acura-radiator-buy.html (acura radiator buy) fan fuses. If OK, pull the relay marked "Cooling Fan" and (on the socket for the relay) using a piece of wire, connect the front middle contact to the rear middle contact; the fan should run on its low speed (although low speed is pretty fast). The same test applies to the "High Speed Cooling Fan" relay, except there is no "center" to the front and rear contacts (there's just the two front & rear contacts).

If the fan & resistor check out OK, you can disconnect the connector from the cooling fan switch (below the radiator), put the ignition switch in the run position and ground any of the three connections at the wiring harness connector (not the connector going to the thermoswitch). One wire (black) will give you nothing but the other two should give you low and high speed operation when grounded. If not, suspect the relay; if so, then the switch is bad.