So my car's radiator doesn't work. I don't believe that it's ever worked since I bought the car. Please help, SoWo is this weekend and I can't let my car overheat and risk a break down.
Is it the radiator, or the fan? Probably the fan clutch if the car runs fine when driving/moving but heats up at a stop. Test it and replace if necessary.
Yes, I would backtrack the steps (like in pee wee's big adventure but in reverse) by first testing the big fan you see under the hood...that's the clutched fan dohcdoh is talking about. There are bunches of posts about testing this jerk ass fan. If that fan passes the clutch test, then perhaps you mean the AUX fan right behind the bumper. Jump it to 12v and see if it spins. If it does, great! (if not, test the ground post). You have bigger problems, but cheaper and easier than a fan. Check the "AUX fan" sensor in the radiator (3 prong guy, I believe). I'm not too keen on the wiring but one of those prongs should be GND, and one should be zeroed out to a prong on your fan. The other prong can suck my butt. Sorry, but I don't know much more than that. My '90iX hasn't had an aux fan since '08 and sat many hot NY I-84 hours idling and never hit 1/2 way to the 3/4 mark ( like between 1/2 and 3/4). Your overheating problem might be something else.
You absolutely don't need an aux (electric) fan as long as your mechanical fan clutch is in good shape and you're not using the AC.
Newspaper test on the fan clutch to see if it is in proper working order and check the radiator for obstructions.
nvm guys, problem solved. fan guard was catching the fan blades towards the bottom
Check your motor mounts.
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