Michaellaruccia

So I just put the RX8 performance cooling fan control kit in my car to cool it better and noticed a problem with one of my stock fans not running all the time . The car overheated and I moved the wire and the fan turned on . While troubleshooting the problem the connector broke off . So I replaced the fans with the mishimoto performance fan kit and while driving my car it seams fine and cooling ok until I get on the gas . When I do the temp starts to go up . I replaced the radiator, water pump , thermostat , and expansion tank 10,000 miles ago . The coolant is new . I think it might be the thermostat so I pulled it and I’m waiting on the new one . When I tested the old one if my thermometer was right it opened at closer to 200 degrees then the 180 mark . I’m going to replace it but is there anything else that could be causing my car to act like this ? Also I live in Las Vegas and it was about 103 outside and I had the A/C on . But before I put the cooling fan controller kit on I had no overheating problem with the temp outside of 109 but sometimes the A/C would shut off . I’m pretty sure that was because of the fan that was intermittent. So I was going to have to change the fans anyways . So I’m just asking to see if anybody might have any different thoughts. Thank you

Loki

iTrader: (1)

Do you still have the plastic engine undertray ? You really need that to convey air to the radiator.
I'd put it back to stock fan triggers if possible to eliminate extra sources of problems.

Michaellaruccia

Hi . Yes I do still have the under tray . So you think it is the fan triggers ? I will see how the thermostat goes and if I still have the problem I will definitely put the stock fan triggers back . Thank you .

Michaellaruccia

So I put the new thermostat in and put the original fan triggers in same problem . I don’t know what to do next .

Loki

iTrader: (1)

So which fans turn on at what temperature? You should see the fans turn on low around 205F and on high after 212F while sitting still, with A/C off.
Does the car overheat sitting still only or at speed only or both?

Fans do slow down over time, but as you say it starts to overheat only when you get on the gas, I'm thinking fans aren't the problem. Is there foam around the radiator? There is supposed to be foam preventing air from going around the rad. Since you had the rad replaced, you need to make sure that foam was put back/replaced.

Michaellaruccia

I figured it out ! I changed the radiator cap . Even though it’s only two years old . It’s only $10.00 and next on the list . So after I changed it I went and drove the car like I did before no problem . So then I went into the freeway and opened her up and the temp stayed around 219 with the A/C on and 106 outside . The stock gauge never moved . Thank you for your help and hopefully all this will help out someone else in our club too .

Loki

iTrader: (1)

Cool, that's an improvement. 219 is still pretty borderline though... I don't know how cars behave in that kind of heat, but I'd still seal around the radiator and give your rad the best chance to do the job. You definitely don't want to overheat these engines. they survive that about as well as russian roulette.