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THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHengine fan not running
Leading reported evidence
Install ln engineering
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
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0
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
My 99 996 C4 has been running hotter than usual, I installed the LN Engineering
Leading evidence: 'Install ln engineering' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check engine compartment' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Suggestion
Need to check the engine compartment for the sensor, but car is located at another location out of fear of overheating as the temps increase.
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Suggestion
Going to run the AC next I am with the car and check for the sensor.
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Suggestion
Visual inspect the intakes at both corners for leaves and other debris from the front, fender liner and underneath.
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24 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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Outcome without a verified action link
That�s still not too hot on a 99 (Porsche changed this years later to prevent folks from worrying about temps).
Hi all, my car's been running hot, around 200+F I think. Anyway, I noticed the fan on the engine compartment is not running. The two fans up front do appear to run normally.
So I heard unplugging the ambient temperature sensor should cause the engine fan to always run, so I unplugged that, started up and no fan.
Any idea what my next step is to fix this fan or determine why it doesn't run?
first of all, I don�t think that the fan in the engine bay will affect the engine operating temperature.
the purpose of this fan is to cool the engine bay and usually works after the car is parked, or in heavy traffic.
if your engine is running hot, start with checking the coolant level and make sure the radiators fans are working in both speeds.
it�s very common that the fan resistors go bad and the fans (or one of them) will not work properly.
a duramatric can come in hand as it can activate the fans in both speeds, and can also activate the engine bay fan for diagnostic.
hope it helps.
You mean the ambient temp sensor in the front bumper? That will not trigger the engine bay fan. The engine bay fan uses the engine bay temp sensor located between intake plenums 5 and 6 (passenger side Bank 2). The engine bay fan rarely runs if everything is right. There are specific parameters for the engine bay fan to run, of which I don't remember. You can look it up with a search. You can test/trigger the engine bay fan with Durametric or PIWIS. Check with your dealer or Indy, or a friend, or a fellow PCA member.
From the service manual (my 2003 behaves just like this - I've gone back into the hot garage and will find it on although I left the car with it off)....
"Switch-on conditions for engine compartment fan (this fan pulls air into the engine compartment from the top) The engine compartment fan is switched on when the engine compartment temperature is > 176 degrees F or the coolant temperature is > 216 degrees F.
After-running of engine compartment fan:
If the ignition is switched off and the engine compartment temperature is more than 140 degrees F, the
DME
control module remains in readiness for another 20 minutes. During this time, the engine compartment temperature is retrieved every 10 seconds. If the engine compartment temperature is > 185 degrees F , the engine compartment fan is switched on for 20 seconds. If the engine compartment temperature is still > 185 degrees F after this time, the fan remains on for a further 30 seconds."
See this thread:
Deck lid fan - Page 2 - Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums
For a street car, 200F is fine. The engine is designed to run well up to 96-100C in stop and go traffic where airflow is low. Water boiling at 100C (212F) will not cause any cooling issues on your engine or oil problems with your car because coolant extends the upper limit by a fair amount. By that time, the fans are on full blast.
The rear fan doesn�t contribute much to overall cooling, but it will keep the engine bay from getting too hot. Mine comes on rarely.
The fans with the AC button come on low speed, unless the pressure in the AC circuit goes above 16-bar. This happens on my car when it�s really hot outside. If your fans come on high right away, someone may have bypassed the resistors as a �mod� or else the resistors have failed.
Resistor fail on fan unit.. Its a thing... I did the retrofit of Aluminum aftermarket 200Watt resistors on mine , the Porsche part is stupid design and stupid expensive.
OOPS wrong fan ignore..
Having the same issue. Need to check the engine compartment for the sensor, but car is located at another location out of fear of overheating as the temps increase.
Temp gauge sits comfortably at 180 moving but as soon as stop and go hits, I am sitting up to 200, but it drops as soon as I get moving.
Going to run the AC next I am with the car and check for the sensor. Checked Bentley guide, and there is no clear picture or diagram as to where to exactly find it. I recently had my second loss at getting to the oil pressure sensor switch, so I'd really like to get at what I need to look at without guessing. Ordered the 101 Projects book as well since I hear that is well laid out with extensive reference photos and diagrams per job.
How do you know it�s actually 200? On my car, the last white line activates low-speed fans, so that last white line isn�t red and it�s not dangerous to be there, IMO.
I am still learning what the heat tolerances are... So I apologize if this sounds like a knee-jerk concern, however, last thing I want to do is assume all is okay when I know I am due for the radiator change out in two weeks.
Posting pics from the last week or so. Stop and go with outdoor temps ranging from 60-85F
And yes, I am changing out the oil pressure sensor switch today, third attempt at that... Go me.
I dont see any problem with your dash. the coolant temp is right and is no where neer when the fans turn on. U need a scanner that can read the water temp. Thet r a lot cheaper to buy then throwing parts at your car that u dont need. Go buy a durametric.....im only the 10th guy here that has told u this.
Also about your thread title.... "engine fan" usually reffers to the fan under the rear deck lid. U r reffering to the radiator fans.
Yeh I�ve been accustomed to the engine fan running on a few occasions when hotter but dawned on me after your post that it was likely due to the AC running.
For stop and go coolant temps, with the caveat I have a small forward passenger rad leak but am not pumping coolant into the car to keep the tank up, what�s the general tolerance? My Cayman never budged and my F80 was consistently pegged to around normal temp even after HPDEs.
Obviously have more reading to do and apologize for the stupid assumptions.
No apolgize needed, u r learning. The dash gauge is a refference at best on these cars and it will move around but usually only when u r stopped in traffic. While moving the fans will never turn on. Gt3 cars only got 1 fan and cup cars dont have any.
U will be very surprised at how far that needle goes before the fan turns on but as others have said just turn on the ac. The fans should come on low speed. Sometimes the low speed fan resistor does burn out. A $10 amazon resistor can be used or u can get a factory unit for a couple hundred.
i just dont believe in replacing parts without knowing the problem so a duremetric or other good scanner can tell u a lot and pay for itself quickly
Visual inspect the intakes at both corners for leaves and other debris from the front, fender liner and underneath. The AC condensers are first. Many remove the bumper to thoroughly clean. Your coolant temps don't look too high. As "steam" stated it takes a fairly high engine compartment temp to get the fans to run after an aggressive drive. I track a 981 and its compartment fans only run after a session on a warm/hot day. I don't know an easy way to check. I suspect a PIWIS or other pro tool can activate the compartment fans.
Your cayman had a dummy gauge that stayed at 175f no matter what, or at least until it was too late. I notice my vw stays at 200f but will see variations when towing via an obd reader. I believe they did this because of people obsessing over the temp moving up and down. What they did bring back was the oil temp gauge which is really much more important than water.
100%. When I had an air-cooled 911, we spent a lot of time talking about temps - those temp needles would swing around even more, and **** 911 owners (no way!) would obsess over it. Countless threads. It was mostly a waste of time back then too.
Check out @Coopduc's thread "digital temp gauge". He developed a digital temp gauge to measure the oil temps that fits on the instrument panel. Many of us bought one. Mine should be on my car this month. Imho, a much needed tool for our cars.
Sweet, I will look it up. I am going to put together a "getting back into it thread" that consolidates a lot of what I am learning thus far, and the intent is to just keep it going. The mid-year updates, interchangeable parts (not even factoring in the 997.1's first year), and other idiosyncrasies that come with each car - especially after multiple owners - makes the 996 generation... a puzzle
?
I hear you. Stay at it, it will all come together. Funny thing is every model and generation has these things. Good news is the 996 and m96 have been around a long time with a big ownership base. There is a solution to prevent or fix every issue and a cheaper part somewhere if you know where to look. Keep pushing ahead. The car is worth it.
My 99 996 C4 has been running hotter than usual, I installed the LN Engineering
low-temperature thermostat on my last water pump R&R.
Using D
uramatric software I was able to turn both
front radiator fans to work. When the engine is running a little hotter (Close to 200F) I don't hear the fans running.
I understand there are cooling fan resistors, but I'm not sure using the Duranatric software will override the resistors.
So two questions: Is it possible the resistors are bad? What controls the fans coming on?
200F isn�t enough to activate the fans (in the front of the car) even at low speed. You need to be over 206F.
First, turn on the AC and verify the fans turn on. This is low speed activation. If that works, the resistors work, and the only other issue would be the ECTS (engine coolant temperature sensor) is bad and not activating the low speed fans when the coolant reaches 96.75C. I believe there are two sensors, both integrated into the same sensor, one that controls the DME and one that controls the dash gauge. This is why it�s possible for one reading to be off from the other reading.
If the low speed fans come with with the AC button depressed, if it�s a very hot day outside, your fans may get to stage 2 because of the AC needing more cooling. Set the AC to LOW and after awhile, high speed fan activation may trigger when the car is stationary. I would warm the car by driving it and then idle once warm to get the fans to bump up to high. Don�t worry if you dash gauge points all the way past the 0 in 180 and even hits the last white line. That�s still not too hot on a 99 (Porsche changed this years later to prevent folks from worrying about temps).
High speed fans don�t get activated by the DME until 102C or if the AC fluid pressure exceeds 16 bar.
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
