1991 Vitara G16A frigid

[fixkick]

Allright. Took a few weeks to find time to replace fan clutch and "what ever lambda with bosch lambda".

After removing fan clutch, it was really stiff compared to the new one. Neither of the freewheel very well, but old and new one differ like night and day. Bosch lambda had some kind of grey paste on the threads, which the unknown b$ brand did not.

I'd bet any 28 year old fan clutch on earth runs right, how could it?

After startup no fan rattle like before. (my gwad the bearings are bad too,,,, but fully 100% expected after billions of spins in 28 years)

Took a quite long test drive in following phases. (50% of the RAD still blocked by cardboard).
Keep in mind the stock gauges has no "C" numbers on it, it is only there to tell you, See yesterday I was ok but NOT NOW ! the gauge is TOY GRADE,  (it does work for sure)
NO OUTDOOR TEMPS STATED,  20C,   0C   -50C? what?

1) Cold engine startup, from suburb (less than 1 km) to road, about 3 miles (5km) @ 50 mph (80km) to high way.
2) 12 miles ( 20 km) @ 60 mph ( 100km/h ) at highway.
- Cabin heat gauge was at 1/2 of the scale, (mine never moved off center on all  3 cars I had)
- IR gun gives around 167F (75C) from stat housing. (well this always reads tiny bit low, heat sinking errors)
3) 12 miles ( 20 km( @ 50 mph (80km/h) back on the country road next to above mentioned highway
- Cabin heat gauge came down to about 1/3 scale (means thermostat closed and RAD IS AT SIBERIAN TEMPS)means thermostat is out of  control. (needs more cardboard LOL)
- IR gun gives same 167F (75C) form stat housing (my guess you stopped and engine cooling recovered. sure.... as expected as car is not moving now.
4) about 5 miles (8km) town cruising with several stop lights etc
- Cabin heat gauge came down almost the gap between Cold and "normal".. say 2-3mm (0.12 inches) above the gap between C and normal.
- IR gun gives 165-167F (72-75C) from stat housing(car is parked and rad warms up, not moving and thermostat wakes up and bingo ,normal)

After phase 1 idle rpm was allways OK.

No CEL light.

Conclusions.
- Bad fan clutch
- Bad lambda

Suspections about cabin/dash temp gauge. In this -91 Vitara for Swedish market with G16A engine the gauge seems to work logically compared to engine load. Thus I suspect it does actually measure temperature from somewhere else than stat housing. And most probably ECU reads the stat housing as I had always good idle around 800 RPM even tho the dash gauge was going anywhere between nearly cold and 1/2 of the scale.

Suggestions: If you live in country with winter temps (temp goes 5-30 below freezing), 80C ( 167F ) STAT is b$. I am going to the 88/90 (190/194F) STAT when I can find it somewhere.

Thank you fixkick for your info and help.

91vitara, not in USA, but  Swedish market coded in fire wall VIN tag. code E17 = Sweden and only parts for E17 should be used on this car,  not other markets, oK
the code 24 seen here is CODe market E24  see how I have you tag marked,? 

The G16A is 8valve engine with 8valve, intake MAnifold and all sold that year have 3 heat sensors .
2 are on the thermostat well.  and 1 far far rear for AC engine overheat that shuts AC down 100% if the engine overheats, the FSM covers this, buy FSM? used?

the dash gauge water temp has the 1 wire sensor on the thermostat well,  if you pull the wire key on warm engine, the gauge goes dead.  proof for sure that I told you as fact.

rule #2, is when the engine warms up 100% ';and hits 180F (stat markings dictates)  the gauge must not go up or down , while driving ever. (steady is NORM)
if it goes up that means thermostat is bad (stuck) or you have cooling tubes in the RAD clogged, or other reasons, even water pump impellers missing happens.
Any time the thermostat loses control , the cooling systems bad. no ifs, ands or buts.

That includes 10 milliion bugs in the RAD front. or AC condenser front, which ever is most front, now
(said all that for other readers).


in your  case the fan was dead.  simple and cave man easy cure, replace it or upgrade it or whatever,. works or works better.



all that is normal.. you report NOW,  but for a fact some folks in Siberia, run  pull up window shades in front of the RAD, as temps go to -50c the even have to pull the shade mostly up.

My buddy in Alaska , a full, ASE, and pilot (he flies to work in tiny Cessna) they  dont turn off the engine at all in dead winter,  or they will never start up,. for sure diesels.
even with 2 doubled up huge batteries,. yah.
On one back-hoe , they sprayed the engine with expanding foam . just to get the thermostats to work.  or it ran frigid full time. and nasty burn of fuel.
He works  for the state, and does all heavy machinery there.
Including RAD blocks with card board or better.
I love Listening to him on topic of ENGINES AND -50C (-70c is record there)

Id play more with cardboard, I would.   looks like you are on a ROLL!