DIY mechanics?

[Wilmslow]

Planned to take my Mark 1 MX5 to work today, but tested it out last night locally – the rad fan is not kicking in.

There are four usual causes – Thermoswitch not working, fuse blown, relay failed, or the fan itself toasted.

Not sure if I am game for some diy diagnostics, or, if I should just take it to a garage and let them handle it. Just relieved I tested it out before the motorway queues which would have killed it off, and got me stranded.

The joys of hobby cars.

[scooby]

can you not short out the fan so its on perm?

[TimberWolf]

Planned to take my Mark 1 MX5 to work today, but tested it out last night locally – the rad fan is not kicking in.

There are four usual causes – Thermoswitch not working, fuse blown, relay failed, or the fan itself toasted.

Not sure if I am game for some diy diagnostics, or, if I should just take it to a garage and let them handle it. Just relieved I tested it out before the motorway queues which would have killed it off, and got me stranded.

The joys of hobby cars.

Got a Haynes manual? I've managed to avoid toasting a car with a dodgy radiator in the past by putting the internal heater on full blast, as a temporary measure. I'd be up for tinkering with my car if I had the space and the equipment to do so.

[DiscoStu]

can you not short out the fan so its on perm?

You can, by bridging the two connectors to the thermoswitch on the radiator with a blade fuse, but it's not recommended.

[Wilmslow]

You can, by bridging the two connectors to the thermoswitch on the radiator with a blade fuse, but it's not recommended.

Don’t think it is the thermoswitch as when the aircon fan is on, the rad fan should be on at the same time, hence thinking a toasted fan, or fuse going to the fan. Will have a tinker over the weekend and see what I can find, then give up if not dealt with by Sunday evening I think. It is sunny, so will grab a beer and tinker.

[malvolio]

Don’t think it is the thermoswitch as when the aircon fan is on, the rad fan should be on at the same time, hence thinking a toasted fan, or fuse going to the fan. Will have a tinker over the weekend and see what I can find, then give up if not dealt with by Sunday evening I think. It is sunny, so will grab a beer and tinker.

If you short out the connection and it runs, it's not the fan, it's the thermoswitch. The fuse almost certainly runs half a dozen other things; what else isn't working?

[ThomasSoerensen]

How about this cunning plan:
1 - Become a highly paid contractor.
2 - Let your mechanic solve the problem.

[Lucy]

MX5 & Wilmslow


What a combination.

[oracleslave]

MX5 & Wilmslow


What a combination.

I was surprised at that too. I always pictured wilmslow as a cyclist in a tweed jacket.

[Rymez2K]

The fuse almost certainly runs half a dozen other things; what else isn't working?

So I was driving along last night minding my own business,
when all of a sudden I see this guy pull onto a A road in a old MX5 with no lights and no indicators.