phileaglesfan

Condenser has damage from rocks over the years. My 13 GS runs cool when moving. As soon as I get off the interstate or stuck in traffic the temp eventually climbs to 225. The fan then kicks up to full speed and temps drop to 220 or so. It has only been around 70 lately.

rkj427

You may want to see if there may be a radiator repair facility in your location, there is a tool, similar to a coarse wire brush that they could use to straighten out the condenser fins.

Very "old school" method, would be much cheaper than replacing it.

Just a thought................................. ........

phileaglesfan

Thanks. I will look in to it.

Patsgarage

Just google "fin comb", but they are designed more for home/commercial units. You will run into issues with the horizontal bars in the condenser.

Dano523

Normal, hence turning on the A/c, will turn the fan on to start with.

As for engine temps and the fan speed, here is the percentage that the fan will ramp up due to engine temp.
Attachment 48335485

So since everything is working fine (read fan is pulling the heat from the A/c exchanger through the radiator, so engine temp will go up when sitting still at light), would not be in a rush to change out the heat exchanger that will just get road rash peened again.

But the one thing that I would do it unbolt the heat exchanger so you can move it forward off the front of the raditor to get to the void area between them, and clean out the front of raditor, and back of heat exchanger area that can collect debris over time isntead. Hell, power washer from the back side of the heat exchanger does wonders on unfolding/opening the dented front side folds on the heat exchanger as well.

cdm747

Here's a link to a great radiator cleaning tool.

phileaglesfan

Thanks all. I cleaned it out on Saturday. No deference in temps. I will keep an eye on it.

hawkgfr

You get about a five degree drop by taking the coil covers off....

ByRiver

Sounds like the fan is doing what it is suppose to do. When you are sitting in traffic and no air is being moved through the radiator, the fan turns on to dissipate the heat. If there was no fan, your coolant temp would be far higher than 220 degrees.

Dano523

When you turn on the A/C, it turns the radiator fan on as well. At higher RPM,s the fan will turn off from the A/C turn on comand, but sitting at a stop light with the A/C on, the fan will be running to start with due to the A/C turning it on, and needs to pull the heat off the A/C exchanger through the radiator, and the engine heat will ramp the fan up if needed isntead. So no A/C at a stop light, 210 for radiator fluid heat is about normal, and with A/C on, and fan pulling heat off the A/C heat exchanger at stop light, radiator fluid at 220 is about right as well (depending on how hot it is outside in the first place).

Once last thing, and in the winter, the heater will turn on the A/C as well to draw the humidity out of the air inside the car, and this (ac being turned on) turns on the radiator fan as well. So don't be surprised to find that in the winter time with only the heater on and motor cold, the radiator fan is coming on at start up.