rad fan switch failing???

[AVMECH]

Vandor, it's possible, I'll try that test again. Anyway, got other problems now. Drove it to my friends house to show him the car. While driving home at night, noticed that the battery light was faintly lit. Turned off heater blower, and light would go off. Seems like my alternator can't handle lights and heater blower at the same time. Then, two day's later, took it out to give my wife's friend a ride around the neighborhood, and it started leaking coolant into the passenger floorboard.

Soooooooo, now I'm looking at an alternator, heater core, posssible water pump, every time I drive this thing, something else breaks.

I know I can bypass the heater core, but really, I think I'll wait and just take care of everything at once.

Funny, I drove this car all the way from Cleveland Ohio, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in July, and it made it here with minimal problems. I fixed the brakes and such, got it back on the road this week, and now it can't leave the garage without Something going wrong.

Might be a while till I get this all sorted out, but I will update my post when I do. Thanks for the help.

[So Cal Mark]

your leak may be just the heater control valve and not the heater core

[AVMECH]

Sweet, I'll look. Took panels out to clean up the coolant, but it was to much a mess to tell where it was leaking. It did stop leaking when I put the heater control into cold. Really, thanks for all the help and advise guys. Like I said, I'm new to these cars, and tips like this are invaluble. The car is in really good shape, Brad Artigue looked at it and can attest to that, but it did sit for quite some time, and it seems to be in a shakedown period right now.

[AVMECH]

So Cal Mark, thanks, you guessed it. Just went to check and as soon as I move the lever to heat, water comes out the bottom of the valve. Thanks.

[So Cal Mark]

that's good news! It's much easier to replace the valve than the heater core. Your dim alternator light might also be a clue to your gauge action. Low voltage will cause all sorts of odd things to occur

[vandor]

> While driving home at night, noticed that the battery light was faintly lit. Turned off heater blower, and light would go off. >Seems like my alternator can't handle lights and heater blower at the same time.

It may be just the voltage regulator/brushes (they are one unit). A lot cheaper than an alternator.

[AVMECH]

Vandor, good to hear there is a seperate rectifier/regulator unit. I do think that is most likely the problem, but it seems for most cars I've owned, it comes as one unit. I doubt the windings are bad. I've had this problem with mant motorcycles, and you can get plenty ov voltage out of the alt, but it dribbles out the r/r. In fact, just changed one on my triumph where it idled at a good voltage, then dropped to 8V with throttle. Bad on the reg side I guess. On a side not, I do have a spare alternator in a box that I was told was bad by my grandpa. I'm sure one of them can be easily reapaired.

[rlux4]

Be very careful when you're unbolting the heater valve, the studs are brazed onto the heater core end cap and will break off easily. (Voice of experience) It'd be a good idea to use PB blaster or some such to help break them loose.
Ron

[AVMECH]

thanks for the heads up Ron, I have mouse milk and will use it generously

[AVMECH]

OK, got cash for parts!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Checked fan switch in a pot of water with a digital meat thermometer touching the switch bottom in the water (with the wife's help, I don't have the four arms required to pull this off). Switch tripped at 205-206 F. Seems too hot, especialy when you consider that the thermometer is slow and laging the true temp of the water. If you guys are saying 195, mabey 200, that switch is letting it get pretty hot. I'm going to order the fan, control valve, and a water pump and just do it all. I can't help but think there is something wonky with the pump if I can cool the car at an idle by reving the engine. I actually had a honda civic hatchback (89?) that had a water pump go bad like that. No leak, just a worn impeller that let the temp creep up at an idle. Looked at some old water pump in the inherited parts box and it looks like the impeller is plastic, also, lots of scale on the old pump. Could be possible. Will also add the t connection on the heater line as suggested. So with a mighty blast of the troubleshoting shotgun, parts are gonna fly on this car!

I'll look at the charging issue after the cooling issue is fixed. As long as I don't run the car at night with the heater blower on, it charges fine.

Thanks for the help, and I'll update this later.

[4uall]

May be too late to chime in but what the hell

http://forum.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtop ... =5&t=16398

[124JOE]

i think 205/206 is just fine
thats at the head they can handle more heat than that
after all it has to keep the stat open untill its cooled

have you thought about a diffrent size pully?
to help it spin faster at idle

[AVMECH]

OK, got time to get back to car. Replaced timing belt, heater valve and water pump. Temp now acting normal. Climbs to 0 in 190, then fan comes on and drops it down. Guess it was a bad pump. Bummer is heater valve will not stop leaking where it connects to the heater core, so I guess I got to drain everything again and put sealant on that. I figured a rubber gasket would do the trick, but I guess not.