HELP!!!Radiator and Speedometer?

bull4u2me · 06-30-2004, 11:14 AM

I have a gold automatic 1985.5 porsche 944... and SHE IS AWESOME!

I had a problem with the speedometer & odo (which werent working), so I took it to a Stuttgart trained mechanic. He changed the speed impulse transmitter, and it didnt fix the problem. THe speedo still doesnt work. HOWEVER, the minute he changed it, both the radiator fan motors went kaput and the car overheated.

I am under the impression that he caused a short circuit somewhere which in turned screwed up the radiator fans. He says its just a coincidence that BOTH the motors burnt.

Is he right, or is it possible that he caused a short circuit somewhere that caused this to happen. I really doubt his story since the fans arent connected in series so why would they burn off at the same time. IT was workign perfectly till I gave the car to him!

todd84944 · 06-30-2004, 03:49 PM

I doubt he caused that. The speed sensor that you are talking about is on the tranny in the back. The fans and all related hardware are in the front. Did you check your fuses? Are you sure that they are burned up? They are fused protected. So Cal chime in here.

bull4u2me · 06-30-2004, 05:49 PM

Thank you for replying.

However, I dont understand how both motors would have gone kaput. It was a weekend, the car was overheating after he changed the impulse transmitter, coincidence? maybe.

THe fuse kept busting out, so he "rigged" it "temporarily", and it worked for almost 5 miles, and then the car started overheating once again.

I towed the car back to him after the weekend. He contacts me by phone and says that hte radiator motors have fried.

How could they have stopped working, and both of them at the same time. Coincidence, I dont think so. Especially since the fans are not in series, and the second fan is supposed to work only when the A/C is turned on!

Gordon Rankin · 07-01-2004, 08:53 AM

What fuse did he rig?

Quote:

Originally posted by bull4u2me

THe fuse kept busting out, so he "rigged" it "temporarily", and it worked for almost 5 miles, and then the car started overheating once again.

bull4u2me · 07-01-2004, 12:27 PM

His exact words were..."the fuses have blown out" then he hands me a few busted fuses, and said..."I have "fixed" it temporarily, I managed to get one fan to work now, bring it back on Monday morning".

Bottom line is that, I want to know if a Radiator fan motor can burn out due to wear and tear. If it can, is it possible for BOTH fans to go kaput at the same time (especially since they arent connected in series).

If they do go out, is it just coincidence, or is there fowlplay, coz motors dont just burn out, thats why we have fuses!

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

I would take it to another mechanic as this one does not know what he is doing. There is no way both fan motors chould have failed at the same time. I'm suspicious to the point of thinking he caused the failure intentionally. Read on.

Never and I mean NEVER "rig" a fuse.

As the transmission mounted sender didn't fix the speedo I would have him put the old one back on and get your money back for that too.

Watch him every second he's working on your car.

The fans are controlled by a temp switch in the top divers side of the radiator and the large silver body relay in the back of the relay/fuse box. This relay is very expensive at about $150 or more.

With the car running turn on the AC and see if both fans run. If not then it's the relay. If they do then it can be the temp switch in the radiator. Is that your original relay???? hint. hint.

bull4u2me · 07-01-2004, 03:22 PM

First of all THANKS for the reply!

Man, I have never been swindled by a mechanic like this before. Well this is what happened a few mins ago...

I called him and asked him to explain the whole thing again to me. His story seems to have changed now.. he says that the fans have got stuck up coz the bearings have gone bad. Thats why the fuses busted out. He tried freeing the fan up manually, and somehow one of them started to work.

Now he tells me that the speedometer assembly itself has gone bad. THe impulse transmitter is "fine".

My thoughts:
Coincidence #1: My fans quit working after I give the car to him. He says BOTH of them have bad motor bearings, so its stuck?

Coincidence #2: SPeedometer worked after he replaced the impulse transmitter, but the gauges went kaput (by the act of god).

What I have done:
I have towed the car out of that hell hole. Taking it to a certified Porsche mechanic (who btw told me that that particular mechanic has f$#ed up many times before).
I argued with the mechanic and he has decided to refund my 152$.

THe sad part is that, the 944 is almost like a poor man's porsche. Unfortunately this humble beast costs a lot to maintain. I could hire a lawyer and sue his arse to timbuctoo, but I cant afford the time or the funds. My best bet... get the car fixed elsewhere (hopefully for less than 500$ max).

I did ask to see him as he was working, and guess what he told me at the time ..."sorry, we dont allow people to come back into the garage coz of insurance reasons". Now I understand why!

todd84944 · 07-01-2004, 03:29 PM

I agree with So Cal, don't ever rig a fuse, you a bascially lucky that he didn't burn the whole car up. If you are blowing fuses, there is a PROBLEM. Sounds like there was a short, which blew the fuses, then when he rigged up the thing, the extra current burned up the motors.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

The early three bladed fans will seize up because the front ball bearing is not sealed. The later six bladed fans don't tend to seize up because the front bearings are sealed. I have yet to know of a seized six bladed fan. Anyone???

Which is it with the speedo? First you said that the new transmitter didn't fix the problem then you say it did -- but the rest of the gauges went out.

The 944 is a very dependable car for something 20 years old. You have to maintain the critical components such as the timing and balance belts, fix any coolent or fuel leaks immediately and keep an eye on the oil level and engine temps. But for what you get in return (even with an automatic) is worth it.

Where do you live?

todd84944 · 07-01-2004, 06:14 PM

I have heard of the later cars guages not working with a low battery. If he had a direct short, and it pulled a ton of amps off of the battery, that could be the guage problem. I doubt the fans just wore out and locked up. I have parted out cars with fans that were "stiff", but I have never seen one that was locked up.

bull4u2me · 06:26 PM

Hi,
I was quoting the mechanic.
BIG STORY SHORT....
Radiator fan aside, I just realized that that mechanic has no idea of what he is doing. Its either that, OR, he is taking me for a ride.

The reason I left the car with him was because he showed me pictures of a himself working on a porsche 959 in Charlotte NC, and a training certificate from Stuttgart from 87-89. We all know that there are only 4 959's in the US, so I figured this guy knows his stuff. I stand corrected.

His explaination for the speedometer... get this... its funny, HE says that the speedometer worked with the new impulse transmitter, but its just a COINCIDENCE that the speedometer gauge cluster went kaput immediately after that, so he is now suggesting that I get a new cluster. I havent seen teh speedometer work at all. HOWEVER the odometer did run for one mile and that quit too!

The car was in SFO Cali, but I got it shipped here to SouthCarolina a couple of months ago.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

SFO? San Francisco/Oakland?

You can check the fans yourself. With the engine off and cooled down just see if you can spin the baldes by hand.

I'll work on which pins you can jump after pulling out the large expensive relay from the fuse box.

I strongly suggest you be prepared to do most of these lighter repairs yourself.

bull4u2me · 12:47 PM

Yup... San Francisco... CA, Oakland! My bro was using her in Sunnyvale...which I guess is pretty close to SFO. I got the car from him, and now he is running around in his brand new BMW330ci, the lucky bastard.

As for the car, she has migrated to a much warmer and more humid climate, in South Carolina!

Well, I finally got hold of my car, I popped the hood and turned the blades mechanically... AND THEY TURN SMOOTHLY! NO problems at all. The mechanic was lying.

I had it towed to a certified POrsche Mechanic, they will let me know by this evening whats wrong.

bull4u2me · 07-02-2004, 02:23 PM

well the official word is in!
The fans have gone bad!.
I need two fans with their motors.... used preferrably... I cant afford new ones... any suggestions where I Could get them?

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Go back to the crappy mechanic and get your originals back. Right. I don't trust him.

I also don't think that both fans have gone bad. Have the mech stick 12 volts to them directly and show you they are bad. Reason: It's usually the $150 relay that takes a poop. Followed by the $15 temp switch on the radiator.

Anyone live near by that can take a knowledgeable look at this car?

bull4u2me · 03:19 PM

Well.... I did take my car to another mechanic.. and this one is definitely authorized! HE says that one motor must have gone out a long time ago, and the second one just broke down recently. I probably didnt even notice it. He did fix it to a 12 volt battery....and it didnt run. The relays are perfect.

I managed to get my hands on two motors (without the blades) for 140$ including shipping and a 30day warranty..........
I should get it by next weekend. Lets see how things go from there.

Just my luck, I am stuck here on a long weekend without my baby
The other mechanic was definitely a crook, he took forever to diagnose a problem.....and he is known to screw things up every now and then.

Thanks a lot for all the replies, I really really appreciate it. Makes me wonder why I didnt join this forum much earlier!

I just found out that my bro had changed the timing belt on this baby 10 months ago, I have a new brake master cylinder and new brake pads on her.... my investment over the last 6 months including labour and parts..... 400$.....so far! SHE IS WORTH EVERY PENNY!

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bull4u2me/album?.dir=/19be&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/bull4u2me

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Seen fan sets go for $50 on eBay including the shroud.

So it looks like the first mech may have been correct.

Make sure the motors are for the later 944's or they will not fit the blades.

Rock · 07-02-2004, 07:33 PM

Id be pissed off. I would go in there and corrupt his shop or bust out his windows. That bastard doesnt **** with my Porsche.

Rock · 07-02-2004, 07:36 PM

Your car is N/a and says Turbo on the back? Unless im mistaking?

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

bull4u2me, What city in SC are you in or near?