1987 Convertible electrical problem I created
10-09-2018, 09:59 PM
#1
1987 Convertible electrical problem I created
Hello,
I haven't been on here for so long, that I had to re-register. Time flys. Well, a few years ago, I was messing around with my '87 Convertible while it was running, and noticed that it was getting pretty hot, but the radiator fans weren't coming on. It was up to about 220 degrees - Yikes! So, I looked in my Haynes manual, and found that the green wire with a white trace going down to a sensor in the block just above and between the #1 and #3 spark plugs is the one for the fans. I pulled that wire off of the sensor and grounded it to the block, to simulate the switch in the sensor closing. Instead of the fans coming on, I heard a loud bang, and the engine shut down. I later read that the fans are not supposed to come on until the temperature reaches 230 degrees. Oops. There is no power to the fuel pump. I have replaced the fuel pump relay, I think. My manual just isn't very good at locations of things. I suspect that the problem is a blown fusible link. I'm not sure where to look for them. I checked the ones inboard of the battery. They're okay. I read online that there are some above the starter. I also read that if you have 12 volts at the big wire on the alternator and on the little red wire on the alternator, the problem is not the fusible link by the starter. I have 12 volts on both of those. Of course, without taking down the exhaust, some braces, and the starter, I can't get to that fusible link to check it. Does anybody know where there might be any other fusible links I might have blown up? Does anybody go along with the idea that it isn't the fusible link above the starter if I have voltage at the alternator? Any help would be appreciated. I have put off fixing this car long enough. Thanks.
I haven't been on here for so long, that I had to re-register. Time flys. Well, a few years ago, I was messing around with my '87 Convertible while it was running, and noticed that it was getting pretty hot, but the radiator fans weren't coming on. It was up to about 220 degrees - Yikes! So, I looked in my Haynes manual, and found that the green wire with a white trace going down to a sensor in the block just above and between the #1 and #3 spark plugs is the one for the fans. I pulled that wire off of the sensor and grounded it to the block, to simulate the switch in the sensor closing. Instead of the fans coming on, I heard a loud bang, and the engine shut down. I later read that the fans are not supposed to come on until the temperature reaches 230 degrees. Oops. There is no power to the fuel pump. I have replaced the fuel pump relay, I think. My manual just isn't very good at locations of things. I suspect that the problem is a blown fusible link. I'm not sure where to look for them. I checked the ones inboard of the battery. They're okay. I read online that there are some above the starter. I also read that if you have 12 volts at the big wire on the alternator and on the little red wire on the alternator, the problem is not the fusible link by the starter. I have 12 volts on both of those. Of course, without taking down the exhaust, some braces, and the starter, I can't get to that fusible link to check it. Does anybody know where there might be any other fusible links I might have blown up? Does anybody go along with the idea that it isn't the fusible link above the starter if I have voltage at the alternator? Any help would be appreciated. I have put off fixing this car long enough. Thanks.
10-09-2018, 10:50 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
The wire you grounded is for the auxiliary fan if you have one. The main fan is controlled by the ECM. Shorting that wire to ground should have just turned the aux fan on.
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goat roper (10-11-2018)
10-10-2018, 12:58 AM
#3
Yeah. There are two fans. Turning on a fan is what I expected. I didn't notice that it was an auxiliary fan I would be trying to turn on. Thanks for the info. Every little bit helps.
10-25-2018, 03:42 PM
#4
Okay, I have been dealing with a leaky main water line to my house, after receiving a $265 water bill. And, now that I am back on the Vette, I see that there is only one fan. I must have been thinking of my son's car, that I have also been working on. So, without a second fan, what could the green wire with the white trace be hooked up to, that would blow up something when grounded? Can anyone verify what I noted in my first post about the 12 volt reading at the big and little red wires on the alternator? I'm leaning toward the problem being one of the fusible links above the starter, but I don't want to go to the trouble of removing the braces and exhaust system to get the starter down just to see.
Thanks for any help,
Verne
Thanks for any help,
Verne
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goat roper (10-26-2018)
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goat roper (10-27-2018)