"jim beam" > wrote in message
t...
> Gary Kaucher wrote:
> > 1994 Honda Accord EX, 4 door
> > 4 cylinder, Automatic Transmission
> >
> > I just recently replaced the Radiator fan motor, and now both my AC fan
> > and Radiator fan seem to be capable of turning on and off. However,
> > I don't think that they are turning on soon enough. With the recent hot
> > weather here in PA, if I idle the car with the AC off, I've noticed that
> > the temperature gauge needle will rise to just under the red zone (hot),
> > and then both fans (AC and Radiator) will come on, cool things a
> > little, turn off and then cycle on and off as they should, but at a
> > generally
> > higher temperature than I remember in the past. The radiator cap is
rated at
> > 13 psi. Is this the correct rating for the above vehicle? I am wondering
if
> > it
> > may have been accidentally replaced last summer.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Gary
> >
> >
>
> before worrying about the cap pressure, consider the following:
>
> when was the thermostat last replaced?
>
> in what condition is the radiator? is it clogged/sludged? filled with
> bugs?
>
> what level is the coolant? are you losing any? any bubbles in it?
> [check inside the radiator, not just look at the expansion bottle.]


The thermostat was replaced last summer. When I looked into the
radiator recently I did not see anything particulary unsightly, but I
suspect that it may have been six years and 50K since the antifreeze
has been changed. I keep the coolant level between Cold and Hot, and
I don't appear to be losing any. I thought that I saw bubbles once in the
expansion bottle, so I fiddled with the radiator cap, and they seemed
to go away. I imagine that I could be due for some kind of radiator
flush and antifreeze replacement. The antifreeze doesn't look too bad,
but I suspect I've seen cleaner.

I called an auto parts place just to see what pressure rating was listed for
my Honda Accord's radiator cap and they said 16 psi. Since the one that
I have is 13 psi I wonder if it is the wrong radiator cap, and if it would
make a
significant difference in the ECT sensor's ability to turn the fans on at
the correct
temperature.

Or, is six year old antifreeze more likely to be a factor?


Thanks,
Gary