I fixed a thing

"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion) 05/26/2019 at 01:21 • Filed to: The inside scoop

3

15

For those of you who don’t know, the Miata has been without a functioning fan for.... Uhm. 1.5 years? Man, that sounds bad when I put it in writing.

My fix has been to just not drive it in traffic. Which works! The radiator is gosh-darn incredible, the hood vents get that hot air out quick, and an aftermarket coolant guage and sensor that’s 1,000,000 more betterer than the OEM unit let’s me keep an eye on everything . As long as I stay out of heavy traffic I’m fine, and temps stay low, no matter how hard I push the car.

Someone told me to try running the heat   to see if that would keep temps low at a stop, and whaddaya know. Even just running defrost at 2/4 will keep temps from climbing past a safe point, whearas before I 100% would have overheated. Nice. Do I leave it be, or go super deep on the bad decisions and remove the non-functioning fan entirely for weight savings? 

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > AestheticsInMotion 05/26/2019 at 01:26

0

Why not fix the fan?

AestheticsInMotion > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 05/26/2019 at 01:39

0

I'm not sure what's wrong with it. I just know it doesn't turn on when it should turn on. My wrenching desire is at an all-time low

sony1492 > AestheticsInMotion 05/26/2019 at 01:44

2

Or you could wire in a switch.

AestheticsInMotion > sony1492 05/26/2019 at 01:46

2

That was my initial plan!

Not really sure why I didn't do that. I should do that

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > AestheticsInMotion 05/26/2019 at 01:57

2

Don't... Just... Don't touch anything. This will soon be your only car.

AestheticsInMotion > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/26/2019 at 02:05

0

Ugh. You’re right.

I gotta get that apprenticeship

Future Heap Owner > AestheticsInMotion 05/26/2019 at 03:55

0

Well, if it’s worked for 1.5 years, you’ll probably be fine for the immediate future. But personally I’d try to get this fixed “soon” (like by the end of summer ) . It would be relatively cheap to have a shop replace the fan, right?

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > AestheticsInMotion 05/26/2019 at 04:22

0

Put a Volvo badge on it. That'll fix it!

AestheticsInMotion > Future Heap Owner 05/26/2019 at 05:07

0

If it’s just the fan the work itself should take no time at all. 20 minutes maybe? I replaced my radiator in under an hour and removing the fan is one of the first steps. I’m thinking it might be that and a faulty sender or thermostat

AestheticsInMotion > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 05/26/2019 at 05:07

0

Ha

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 05/26/2019 at 08:50

1

A temperature sensor could operate this switch like in most cars. I know this is a little frightening to imagine, but it has been proven effective.

just-a-scratch > AestheticsInMotion 05/26/2019 at 10:40

0

I take it that this is an electric fan.   Check the fuse. Make some temporary wires to power the fan for testing. If the fan runs on 12v then the problem is elsewhere, maybe the sending unit. 

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > AestheticsInMotion 05/26/2019 at 12:05

0

Troubleshooting this would be super easy.

I don’t really want to tell you this... But removing the fan would actually aid airflow. With it not working it just impedes it.

But your best bet here is to just listen to zoidberg.

wkiernan > AestheticsInMotion 05/26/2019 at 19:38

0

Where do you live? I d rive Miatas in Florida and I’m pretty sure it would d e s t r o y the engine, unless you c o n s t a n t l y kee p an eye on the temperature gauge and pull off and stopped the car when it g e ts too high.

R a t h e r t h a n r e m o v i n g t h e f a n , I ’ d r i g u p a m a n u a l s w i t c h t o t u r n i t o n . B u t I ’ m i n F l o r i d a .

AestheticsInMotion > wkiernan 05/27/2019 at 01:09

0

I’ll fix for it for real eventually. I’m confident i t could handle a track day in 90° weather without issue as is though . It really is just the idling that becomes a problem, and even that takes a few minutes.

I do keep an eye on the gauge, but despite driving a lot, temps never get to dangerous levels because I tend to avoid rush-hour and just general driving in places where I’m liable to get stuck in super-heavy traffic.

The Supermiata radiator and coolant reroute really made a huge difference in overall cooling performance (assuming the car is moving of course!)