Since the warm weather hit, the fan seems to be running quite a bit more than normal. My wife drove my 92 the other day and mentioned it as well. the temp gauge is normal and I had the radiator replaced last winter. Any thoughts? Is this happening to others?

 

It sounds like the A/C refrigerant (R12) needs to be recharged. For your '92 ES, I believe you can do a conversion from R12 to R134A refrigerant since that's the more accepted and modern form of A/C refrigerant, plus it is more efficient. They sell those recharge kits in Autozone and other local auto parts store readily available.

Here's another ES thread discussing A/C problems with the '92-'96 ES: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ontrol+problem

 

It's completely normal for the radiator cooling fan to switch on more often due to the higher ambient temperature. When you have your climate control turned on the radiator cooling fan(s) will automatically start whenever the compressor cycles on.

 

3vz-fe's use a hydraulic fan anyways. It's always on, you just don't normally notice it. It has a low and a high speed. You're fine.

 

^^ How do I know if my fan is low or in high voltage mode? It's spins the same speed unless, I accellarate then i see the fan spin faster.

 

I wouldn't worry about the fan speed unless the temperature gauge is reading above normal. This speed is adjusted by a temp sensor.

 

^^ yeah i'm overheating on surface street where you have to wait for the light and stuff but on the freeway it's kool.

 

Ahhhh I missed the overheating part.

Start the car.
Open the diagnostic's port and bridge E1 with OP1. That will trigger the solenoid valve in the top of the power steering pump to full flow -> the fan will spin at the fast speed isntead of the slow speed. If it's OK skip this.


If the fan doesn't speed up, the connector is disconnected, the wiring is shot, or the coolig fan ECU is malfunctioning.

99% of the time if someone has worked on the power steering belt, they bump it, or disconnect it - which causes the problem. it is reachable, but hard to reach. The best advice is an upside down 5 year old! j/k.

From the top



Close up




From the passanger's side acess panel








If it was OK start by flushing the fluid, changing the thermostat, and while you're at it change both coolant caps.
The engine cap is 12.1-16.4psi
The radiator cap is 13.5-17.8psi - Incidentally the radiator cap says don't remove. Remove the cover then remove the radiator cap. What they mean to say, is don't remove if the engine has been ON in the last two-three hours.

 

Also what radiator was it replaced with?

Many mechanics will wrongly use a 1mz-fe radiator.

If a 3vz-fe is overheating, the coolant blows out into the radiator, and when cooled down, is sucked back up. A 1mz-fe radiator blows coolant out, but sucks air back in - very, very bad causing more overheating problems.

The 3vz-fe radiator has a pressure cap -> The pressure cap gives the coolant an extra 40-80*F of temperature before it begins to boil and turn to steam. 1mz-fe radiators have no pressure cap -> lowering the coolant boiling port by said amount.



Rescently (because people are getting lazy) people are installing the 1mz-fe radiators in cars. They do fine over winter, but as soon as outside temps rise, they overheat!

 

Im having issues. I changed my leaky pump. I have bled it several times to be sure. I have checked the wiring. It's good. I've bridged e1 and op1. Still no fan high speed. Fan operated normally before pump change and flush. Fan speeds up with more enging rpm. But not with engine temp or ac. Any ideas?