1.9D getting hot easily on motorway/up hill

[dumdum]

Good good glad you got it sorted, the hidden maxi fuses aren't designed to be user serviceable, so no manuals mention em most probably... All pugs have em tho for major circuits, interior fan and exterior fan, think there's one for the ignition barrel, plus two or three more from memory

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The resistor is very common for corroding and breaking as it's a coil of steel wire

[chronyx]

I'm suddenly intrigued by this radiator resistor switch you mention! Mine is an aftermarket non OEM part and maybe this is missing? Do you have a pic or anymore details? I've just been out in the last of the French evening light and taken a look at the engine fusebox but it does not correlate with what the Haynes or your post says - good old french cars! Only 50 and 70 amp maxi fuses underneath. I did however see a blank space on top with metal contact showing so bunged a spare 10a in there out of interest. Will see how she runs on the road tomorrow. Thanks again for everyone's help

[JasonP]

I dont have a picture of it but if you get low and look through the gaps in the bumper you can see it, it has a blue (i think) plug on it with 2 thick wires running to it, it lives on the left hand side of the radiator as you look at the front of the van.

On my fusebox the blown fuse was a 50 amp maxi fuse, it was in the slot at the top nearest the ecu. Im pretty sure my van has seen plenty of action before I bought it so it might not be in the original place. If you fan works then I guess this fuse is ok.

Good luck mate

[chronyx]

Thanks again Jason I'll take a look this morning!

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[chronyx]

I had a brief look before we hit the road but could not see anything obvious by the rad. I'll get underneath tomorrow.

As I started it up to board the ferry in France, the EML lit up but she got home fine - about 400 miles today. Disconnecting the battery did not clear it (This worked when I once started it with MAF sensor disconnected by accident and caused EML to come on)

As adding that 10A fuse to the random empty slot did not solve the over-heating I will remove it and see if that clears the EML.

It's such an annoying fault as the thing actually runs brilliantly for what it is!

[chronyx]

Well, I'm stumped. Pics below but basically I seem to have only a single speed fan. The two relays behind a cover on the rear side of the radiator both work. I removed them, cleaned the contacts, tested with a 12V trigger supply and verified continuity across the load terminals.

I had an 'A-ha!' moment when I saw that the two relays do indeed have different size cables going to them - thinking they were low/high speed supplies to the fan.

However, the smaller wires instead go to a connector on the front of the fan cowling, which on the rear has a coil. I have no idea what this is for. A heater? The size of the wires suggests at least some current draw.

There is a permanent 12V feed at both relays (Waiting to be switched on by them) and I manually linked out both relays with spade terminals and a bit of wire. The fan came on fine when I did that one, and I assume whatever the hell that coil does, it was doing it when I linked that one across.

I also checked the stat was the right way round, and found it is impossible to install it back to front anyway.

So for now I have cut some holes in the thermostat surround to increase flow, and will probably just run it is as it is until/when/if it goes bang.

Thanks very much for your contributions guys.


Random coil

[Image: 20140726_110101_zps803b86d0.jpg]

The two relays I checked

[Image: 20140726_110047_zps73f30263.jpg]

The top down view of the smaller cables coming from the relay to the fan surround coil

[Image: 20140726_110056_zpsfb284d00.jpg]

[chronyx]

Well, I have found out why the fan was only operating at high speed when the engine was well over 100 celcius.

The resistor for the low speed fan has corroded and caused an open circuit.

[Image: 20140727_171225_zps9a30255c.jpg]

[Image: 20140727_171214_zps9a3a49c8.jpg]

I managed to change it without removing rad etc (You will need a ridiculously long Philips head screwdriver and a hook to retrieve it from the bottom of the engine bay!) but will mount replacement on the PAS pipe bracket nearby.

Hopefully this will sort out the original reason for the post - engine getting hot easily on hills and on the motorway over 60mph.

Thanks to everyone who helped here and to the Honest john forums!

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I dont have a picture of it but if you get low and look through the gaps in the bumper you can see it, it has a blue (i think) plug on it with 2 thick wires running to it, it lives on the left hand side of the radiator as you look at the front of the van.

On my fusebox the blown fuse was a 50 amp maxi fuse, it was in the slot at the top nearest the ecu. Im pretty sure my van has seen plenty of action before I bought it so it might not be in the original place. If you fan works then I guess this fuse is ok.

Good luck mate

I'm just quoting you here to clarify a couple of bits Jason, as the resistor is not on the radiator itself but to the left of it, on the surrounding plastic.

The reason I'm being a bit pedantic is that apparently some Citroens DO have a switch in the radiator itself and the new radiator in mine even seems to have a blank plate for it, but there is no cable anywhere on my particular van for one of these. (Example below).

[Image: $_35.JPG]

I ended up tying myself in knots a bit looking for blue connectors, green connectors, switches, sensors.....:lol::lol::lol: