LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Weird fan behavior

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Old Apr 30, 2019 | 11:31 AM
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Default Weird fan behavior

Hello guy's so I have a 95 trans am that I just purchased like a month ina half ago with only 28xxx miles on the new motor with a rebuild tranny. Reason i say new is because the previous owner swapped the original motor with another lt1 block from a 96-97 modal. While under the car one day I spotted a cps, but wasn't plugged up cause the pcm is a 95 so it doesn't even know what a cps is. But that not the issue, it's the fans which got me confused. When I got it I noticed everytime I started it, fans will come on right away. Even when I turn the key to the On position, fans kick on. No ses light is on and that was weird cause they will stay on the whole time Im driving until I shut it off. Also I noticed the ses will come on every now and then when I start it and will not come on other starts. So I started replacing parts like the maf, o2s, map, iat, spark plugs and wires, ect, idler valve on throttle body. Hell I even replace the gauge sensor on driver head. Fuses everything I can fix that ses. So after all that, light doesn't come on anymore. But fan still run and now it's only one (Passenger side fan) and the driver side fan doesn't work, even when I turn the ac on still doesn't. It's only comes when I pull a sensor and ses light comes on then both fans are blowing high speed. But when I plug it back in driver fan goes back off and passager fan just keeps blowing. I did notice a switch inside the car but it doesn't even work. I need some help on figuring this fan problem out. Car sometime reach 245 degrees and driver fan still doesn't come on. Only when I pull a sensor it works. Any info help thanks
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Old Apr 30, 2019 | 03:52 PM
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Try posting in one sub-forum instead of spamming this place.

Instead of throwing parts at it, maybe plug the car in and see what it is trying to tell you. Do a search for scanning options - almost all are free. The check-engine light means a code is thrown, and stored. Pull the code and fix the problem.
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Old Apr 30, 2019 | 04:21 PM
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Originally Posted by atlantadan
Try posting in one sub-forum instead of spamming this place.

Instead of throwing parts at it, maybe plug the car in and see what it is trying to tell you. Do a search for scanning options - almost all are free. The check-engine light means a code is thrown, and stored. Pull the code and fix the problem.
It comes on every now and then, but that's the only time driverside fan comes on. tried. I went to every shop/auto store and they couldn't scan it because of the obd1 system.
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Old Apr 30, 2019 | 04:29 PM
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Originally Posted by LT1DG
It comes on every now and then, but that's the only time driverside fan comes on. tried. I went to every shop/auto store and they couldn't scan it because of the obd1 system.
As I said earlier:
Do a search for scanning options - almost all are free.
I'll give you a head-start: Google Scan9495, eeHack, a GOOD OBD1 cable - not one from Red Devil River.
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Old Apr 30, 2019 | 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted by atlantadan
As I said earlier:


I'll give you a head-start: Google Scan9495, eeHack, a GOOD OBD1 cable - not one from Red Devil River.
As of right now I don't got any pc to use it. There was a gm innoval brand scanner I was going to get off of summit racing. It comes with a adapter to scan OBD1 and 2.
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Old May 1, 2019 | 06:10 AM
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Don't get an Innova scanner. Some models are notorious for giving out false info for LT1s. I'd concentrate on making sure the factory wiring for the fans was intact. The switch you mentioned could be a suspect, though you say it does not work. Unless you investigate, you don't know what wiring has been altered.
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Old May 1, 2019 | 10:55 AM
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Originally Posted by shbox
Don't get an Innova scanner. Some models are notorious for giving out false info for LT1s. I'd concentrate on making sure the factory wiring for the fans was intact. The switch you mentioned could be a suspect, though you say it does not work. Unless you investigate, you don't know what wiring has been altered.
Thanks for letting me know that shbox. Those scanner look real convincing lol. I check the wiring from that fan and to the fuse box, it all look good to me. When it comes to wiring I don't know much. I did the relay method and all three checked out good. It only comes on when ses light is present which is weird. Cause that shouldn't just be the only time.
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Old May 1, 2019 | 11:30 AM
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The fans kick on when the CEL comes on (from certain codes) as a precaution against overheating due to whatever fault is tripping the light. You can continue to throw parts at the car until you hit whatever issue is causing the CEL, but I'd pull the codes instead. It's cheaper. Even if you have to purchase a $100 laptop off of Craigslist and a $50 cable. Plus, you'll have the proper tools to diagnose issues moving forward.
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Old May 1, 2019 | 02:48 PM
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Originally Posted by atlantadan
The fans kick on when the CEL comes on (from certain codes) as a precaution against overheating due to whatever fault is tripping the light. You can continue to throw parts at the car until you hit whatever issue is causing the CEL, but I'd pull the codes instead. It's cheaper. Even if you have to purchase a $100 laptop off of Craigslist and a $50 cable. Plus, you'll have the proper tools to diagnose issues moving forward.
So is it possible for the pcm somehow bypass a dead fan to work when the ses is present? I know that when the ses comes on the fan kick on. But when I reach high temp or turn on ac it doesn't come on. Which makes me think it's a dead fan? Like I stated above fans were both working continuously when I got the car without a check engine light. What's a good scanner for the OBD1 system?
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Old May 1, 2019 | 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted by LT1DG
So is it possible for the pcm somehow bypass a dead fan to work when the ses is present? I know that when the ses comes on the fan kick on. But when I reach high temp or turn on ac it doesn't come on. Which makes me think it's a dead fan? Like I stated above fans were both working continuously when I got the car without a check engine light. What's a good scanner for the OBD1 system?
If both fans were running constantly when you bought the car, then a code was stored and not cleared. You can have a code and no CEL.
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Old May 1, 2019 | 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by atlantadan
If both fans were running constantly when you bought the car, then a code was stored and not cleared. You can have a code and no CEL.
Yeah and now it's just my passager side fan that runs all the time.
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Old May 3, 2019 | 01:33 AM
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So here the updates guys, I got my car finelly scanned and turns out my air pump is going. Makes sense cause whenever I cold start ses light comes on and that's around the time air pump is active , but warm starts light doesn't come on. It Still doesn't explain why my fan ain't operating normally like it should.
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Old May 3, 2019 | 12:38 PM
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Post No 7 states you have three fan relays.
Your fans should always operate simultaneously wether in low speed (series connection) or high speed (paralell cnnection)
Test both fans by supplying 12V directly to the fan motor terminals to determine if the problem is a dead fan or bad wiring to the fan that does not operate.
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Old May 3, 2019 | 12:47 PM
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Originally Posted by atlantadan
As I said earlier:


I'll give you a head-start: Google Scan9495, eeHack, a GOOD OBD1 cable - not one from Red Devil River.
Moates makes the best OBD1 cable

other software to include is datamaster and tunerpro
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Old May 19, 2019 | 09:52 PM
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Originally Posted by RGSS
Post No 7 states you have three fan relays.
Your fans should always operate simultaneously wether in low speed (series connection) or high speed (paralell cnnection)
Test both fans by supplying 12V directly to the fan motor terminals to determine if the problem is a dead fan or bad wiring to the fan that does not operate.
I read on another tread that if wires in between the fan relay and the pcm was bad the fans wouldn't work at all, including unplugging sensor. I'm starting to think it's a pcm issue. I've heard at times lt1 pcm will somehow lose memory or parameters that causes the fans to not come on.
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Old May 19, 2019 | 09:53 PM
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Man I'm still trying to figure this issue out
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Old May 19, 2019 | 10:13 PM
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I am suspicious about that switch inside the car, and that it maybe the reason both fan was on at all time in the first place. Even thought the switch didn't work, it might be the cause. Regardless something is off and im just stamped right now and I don't know where to look at now.
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Old May 20, 2019 | 09:11 AM
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Originally Posted by LT1DG
I did notice a switch inside the car but it doesn't even work.
Like a toggle switch? Even if it doesn't work it could still be passing current. Have you tried unplugging said switch? You can also get a volt meter and do some poking around the switch to see if it is a closed circuit/passing current. You should also check around where this switch is to see if there is any hodgepodge bro wiring that's been done. Take the PCM out of its cradle and see if there are any wires attached that don't belong.

Originally Posted by LT1DG
Man I'm still trying to figure this issue out
You have already been told you need to find out what the codes are. You are going to have to do the digging into this electrical issue yourself unless you want to pay someone to figure it out for you.
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Old May 20, 2019 | 03:40 PM
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Originally Posted by SS RRR
Like a toggle switch? Even if it doesn't work it could still be passing current. Have you tried unplugging said switch? You can also get a volt meter and do some poking around the switch to see if it is a closed circuit/passing current. You should also check around where this switch is to see if there is any hodgepodge bro wiring that's been done. Take the PCM out of its cradle and see if there are any wires attached that don't belong.


You have already been told you need to find out what the codes are. You are going to have to do the digging into this electrical issue yourself unless you want to pay someone to figure it out for you.
I already scanned it, code was ect sensor. That's only cause I had brought and installed the wrong temp sensor. I replaced that with the right one and still driver fan still doesn't come on.
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Old May 20, 2019 | 03:45 PM
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Originally Posted by SS RRR
Like a toggle switch? Even if it doesn't work it could still be passing current. Have you tried unplugging said switch? You can also get a volt meter and do some poking around the switch to see if it is a closed circuit/passing current. You should also check around where this switch is to see if there is any hodgepodge bro wiring that's been done. Take the PCM out of its cradle and see if there are any wires attached that don't belong.


You have already been told you need to find out what the codes are. You are going to have to do the digging into this electrical issue yourself unless you want to pay someone to figure it out for you.
I checked the wires from the switch, but I couldn't reach that far end. It seems like someone has played around with the wires under the steering wheel.
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