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didn't get a picture, but...

1831 Views 19 Replies 6 Participants Last post by artsmart, Jul 15, 2005

artsmart

Discussion Starter · Jul 8, 2005

:ssr took its first (only?) flat-bed tow ride today to the local service dept. Temp was at 235 and RISING :cuss when I shut it down 1/2 mile and 6 traffic lights from the dealer. 3274 miles on the :ssr . Thanks to JimG and others I had my TSB printout with me regarding the cooling fan (who would have known I would need it soooooo soon)...never did have an indication that it came on and when I got out of the truck I could not hear it. Won't be looked at until this afternoon, so don't know what the tech will come up with. At least the service manager is somewhat familiar with :ssr as he fixed the window/seal rollover problem the first time out :thumbs and the right way :thumbs

The only positive note on this is the operator at Roadside Assistance was VERY friendly, concerned, and cooperative...plus, who else but a :ssr owner could rattle off their vin without having to look at it

Plus, while it was being loaded onto the flat-bed, no one asked what was wrong but a crowd formed to look at it and remark "how :cool your truck is"

Other downside...they gave me an 02 Malibu to drive...is exactly like my husband's county car...we're twins for a day :lol

Wish me luck!

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BlastfromPast

· #10 · Jul 8, 2005

JimGnitecki said:
The acceptable way of alleviating part of this problem is to reset the fan "on" and fan "off" temperatures, which will help notably in keeping the engine temperature under control.

Since the on/off factory logic for fan operation results in virtually 100% operation of the fan anyway, you are not affecting the life of your fan adversely.Jim G

I think there's a flaw in your logic on those two statements?

Also Jim, my personal belief is that a 180 degree (vs. OEM 195) thermostat will result in substantially less fan "ON" time. What are your thoughts on this?

I have had such AMAZING results in making the 195 to 180 degree switch in many of my past / present vehicles I have become an addict!! All of my previous "switch" vehicles have had engine driven fans however.

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BlastfromPast

· #13 · Jul 9, 2005

artsmart said:
What I am reading is that the fan setting could be changed to turn "ON" at a lower temp (181) instead of waiting until it reaches 226+???????? AND to turn "OFF" again at even a lower temp (178)...logic says this would solve the issue of the temp rising over 210 unless there is failure elsewhere????

You're right. Lowering the fan activation temps will help reduce the coolant temp in the RADIATOR, and also to varying amounts in the engine (that's where it counts!). The problem is that there are other limiting factors: The thermostat, and the overall cooling capacity of the entire system including heat exchange abilities of the radiator, coolant flow volume from the water pump, and other more suttle issues. Our SSR's have a 195 degree thermostat. That means that even with a fan borrowed from a 747, and a radiator the size of a drive-in movie screen your coolant in the ENGINE is going to be at 195 degrees before the thermostat (a valve) allows enough coolant flow for the cooling system to do any work at all. Since nothing (especially me!) is 100% efficient, and it is physically impossible to exchange all of the coolant in the engine instantaneously, your actual coolant temp in the engine is going to be around the 200-205 degree mark even with your 747/drive-in screen cooling system. Where we live, (desert southwest), in the warmer months this causes the underhood temps to increase, the transmission fluid temps to increase, the engine oil temps to increase, the power steering fluid temps to increase - which causes the underhood temps to increase more, which causes the engine oil temps to increase more, which causes the . . . well, you get the idea.

Well, now that I've said that - what should you do to keep your truck from breaking down out in the boonies on an overheat? I honestly don't know! Regardless of the thermostat temp, if you can't keep air flowing through the radiator by either the fan or forward movement of the vehicle - "She's goin' to blow, Captain". It appears that we have a cooling fan that is not up to task of keeping our "cooling challanged" trucks cool for very long. I will be interested to hear what the dealer does to address your overheat problem.

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