Bad day for the X. FIXED!

BrianM

BrianM

'74 - Blue Bomber
Today was a bad day for the X.

Left work early to get to the tire place to get my rims properly balanced and centered to rid myself of the vibration at 60 MPH. Turns out 2 of the 4 rims are bent. They will have to be professionally straightened or junked.

Then on the way home I hit traffic which I thought was good since I can't go over 60 when the temp started to rise. Once I got going again it went back down, but when I stopped back up again. This is a classic symptom of the radiator fan not working. Sure enough, I checked, deadski.

Have you guys successfully installed new replacement fans? How about 2?

BrianM
 
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Great thread but...

Mine don't wobble they are straight until one spot where they go out an inch. The guy thinks bottomed out hard in a pothole.

I may stick with good old stock steel. Anybody powder coat stock rims?

BrianM
 
For the cost of "professionally straightening" those bent rims.. It might be less expensive to get a better set. Do check on this before spending on this work.

Check the fan fuse and all it's connections first, then the fan relay and the thermo switch. The thermo switch connections to the relay can be jumpered to check if the fans are really dead or if the problem is else where. Fan failures are not common, thermo switch, relay or bad connections including the fuse is more common.

If you need a wiring diagram or FIAT service instructions, send me a PM.

Bernice

BrianM said:
Today was a bad day for the X.

Left work early to get to the tire place to get my rims properly balanced and centered to rid myself of the vibration at 60 MPH. Turns out 2 of the 4 rims are bent. They will have to be professionally straightened or junked.

Then on the way home I hit traffic which I thought was good since I can't go over 60 when the temp started to rise. Once I got going again it went back down, but when I stopped back up again. This is a classic symptom of the radiator fan not working. Sure enough, I checked, deadski.

Have you guys successfully installed new replacement fans? How about 2?

BrianM
Click to expand...
 
rims

rims are tricky to find but I would go with forged ones not cast there more money but stronger. as far as the overheating try bleeding the radiator with the bleeder in the front trunk the coolant might be too low for the switch.
 
BrianM said:
Mine don't wobble they are straight until one spot where they go out an inch. The guy thinks bottomed out hard in a pothole.

I may stick with good old stock steel. Anybody powder coat stock rims?

BrianM
Click to expand...

A rim that is out an inch you would be able to see by eye and would show up clearly when you take the rim and tire off and put it on the ground. You could also easily see it when you spin the rim on the car.

I suspect they mounted it on the machine improperly. Several members have had much better success in having them mount the rim facing in on the machine so the conical section of the clamp nose fits into the tapered back edge of the rim rather than the square edge of the opening in the front of the rim.

Yes you can get them powder coated, it may not be needed as the car isn't likely to be driven in too much inclement weather.

As I recall there are existing mounts for a second fan to be added alongside the other fan. Most people don't need that, it depends on where you live. The fact it is now over heating after thirty years suggests the problem isn't just the "fan". More likely a combination of other issues, with the sensor in the radiator being the culprit. Easily tested by touching the two wires that go to it together and seeing if the fan comes on.
 
Check out the posts in the FS&W by bg82x. He has some rims for sale. I bought a set last week and he is extremely friendly and reasonable. Knows a lot about our Xes, too!:thumbsup:
 
FIXED!

Thanks B-

It is a bad thermo switch. I hot wired the relay to run the fan all the time, when car is on...

BrianM

Rupunzell said:
For the cost of "professionally straightening" those bent rims.. It might be less expensive to get a better set. Do check on this before spending on this work.

Check the fan fuse and all it's connections first, then the fan relay and the thermo switch. The thermo switch connections to the relay can be jumpered to check if the fans are really dead or if the problem is else where. Fan failures are not common, thermo switch, relay or bad connections including the fuse is more common.

If you need a wiring diagram or FIAT service instructions, send me a PM.

Bernice
Click to expand...
 
Got a set of rims!

Hey, thanks for the tip!

I got a set of powder coated rims from Bob on ebay today. What a great site. I solved all my X-problems in 3 days.

Wow,
BrianM

jasco said:
Check out the posts in the FS&W by bg82x. He has some rims for sale. I bought a set last week and he is extremely friendly and reasonable. Knows a lot about our Xes, too!:thumbsup:
Click to expand...
 
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