Thermal time switch

[dbethune]

Can anyone tell me where it is located and the easiest way too remove it?

[mazdaverx7]

Its threaded into the radiator about mid way down on the driver's side near the fan. You can remove the radiator to get it out or you can remove the fans and in doing so, that will give you more access room to remove it. You'll need a 30mm deep well socket.

[M. Murphy]

Yes, the location is about right. Make certain to drain the coolant enough to get the fluid below the switch. Nothing worse than removing that thing and having coolant drench your face!
Access is greatly improved by removing the electric cooling fan assembly. Disconnect the two fans electric connectors then remove the 10mm head bolts that secure the fan assembly to the back of the radiator. On my car (83 NA) there was one at each corner of the fan assembly as well as one at the top center. Once the bolts are out you may have to do some furious jiggling to get the thing to drop free. Once you do, be careful the fan assembly is surprisingly heavy and you don't want to drop it and fracture some of the frame.
Once that sucker is out of the way it's easy to see the brass of the switch. Remove the electrical connector and you may be able to get it out with a set of channel locks. That's how mine came out and the new one went in.
I farted around trying to find the right size socket and ended up with one that came close but didn't fit the thermo switch. Channel locks for me were easier.

[944 Ecology]

The OP is looking for the thermo-time switch on his 81 924, which operates the fifth injector (cold start valve) when the engine is very cold. The part number is 928.605.101.00, and a picture can be found in the Pelican Parts catalog.

I believe that it is located in the rear of the block.

On my audi CIS cars, they were such a pain in the butt that I wired in a momentary on button in the dash to manually control the fifth injector when starting cold. A lot cheaper, too.

[M. Murphy]

Perhaps I should have picked up on "time". Oh well.

[bobt4945]

thanks M. Murphy, i have an 88 turbo s and a 89 turbo and both of them had the thermal switch go out (bloody heck) and your insight encourages me to fix the 89 (my daily driver (till the snow flies)) which now i just disconnect the battery after driving and then tackle the 88 which only has 55,058 miles and i am the 2nd owner.

[M. Murphy]

These things have become ubiquitous and I think I hate them. I'm speaking of the switches that control the radiator cooling fans. I have had them go out on VWs, Audis and now a Porsche. My brother had one go out on a Nissan Versa that he had left running with the air on in sunlight. He had left his dog in the car while he went in for a beer. Came out the car was not running and the dog was dead! Dumb move if you ask me. They're everywhere (thermo switches and stupid people).