Weird car issue

Kinja'd!!! "v8corvairpickup" (v8corvairpickup)
02/25/2015 at 00:17 • Filed to: None

Kinja'd!!!0 Kinja'd!!! 11

I went outside tonight and the cooling fan on the Prelude was running. I had been home for 2+ hours and I don't know what caused it to run on. I started and shut down the car a couple of times and the fan finally shut off the second time. I was baffled.


DISCUSSION (11)


Kinja'd!!! webmonkees > v8corvairpickup
02/25/2015 at 00:25

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In my case it's a thermal sensor that goes to ground. If the lead gets grounded, the fan runs. Might not apply, mine was designed during the Reagan era.


Kinja'd!!! TheOnelectronic > v8corvairpickup
02/25/2015 at 00:26

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The Prelude isn't turbocharged, is it? A lot of factory turbo'd cars run the oil cooling system for a while after shutdown to let the turbos cool properly.

Apart from that, my Tacoma does something similar, in that some pump or another (but not the fan) will come on at random. It's even done it in the middle of the night. I only noticed because I was sleeping on it at the time.


Kinja'd!!! Birddog > v8corvairpickup
02/25/2015 at 00:40

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Could be a relay failing. It's rare to have them fail in the On position but it can happen.


Kinja'd!!! samssun > TheOnelectronic
02/25/2015 at 02:09

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Preludes weren't turbocharged. With the exception of a single year, Japan-only Legend, and maybe some weedwacker engines in kei cars, Honda doesn't turbo.


Kinja'd!!! SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > v8corvairpickup
02/25/2015 at 07:45

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Sounds like a relay going bad to me.


Kinja'd!!! miadaman? yes please > v8corvairpickup
02/25/2015 at 08:27

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Which gen prelude is it? For 5th gen rad fan relay cannot be energized unless ignition is past IG2. So the most likely culprit is its contact wearing out and has problem closing/releasing.


Kinja'd!!! ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > v8corvairpickup
02/25/2015 at 09:24

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3rd Gen Preludes were known to run the cooling fan fr awhile after the car turned off and I had heard of it coming back on but that was rare. check out PreludePower.com. If you aren't already familiar with that sit, its an awesome enthusiast forum with a ton of info across all gens.


Kinja'd!!! v8corvairpickup > TheOnelectronic
02/25/2015 at 09:56

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Pretty much bone stock. No turbo as Jag said.


Kinja'd!!! v8corvairpickup > ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
02/25/2015 at 09:57

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I'll check it out, thanks!


Kinja'd!!! v8corvairpickup > miadaman? yes please
02/25/2015 at 09:58

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91 2.1 Prelude Si. Second gen? Unknown miles but it is over 119999.99.


Kinja'd!!! miadaman? yes please > v8corvairpickup
02/25/2015 at 13:42

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That should be 3rd gen, here's the circuit diagram for cooling fans. Fairly identical to 5th gen and the only possibility really is just a worn relay contact.