odd charge light causing fan to turn off

[Kevtar]

This is my first post and I'm looking for some insight. When I turn my 84 tercel on the charge light is off, arter a minute the charge light comes on. After idling with the charge light on my fan wont turn on so it starts to overheat. I can keep my car cool by driving because once I get to 35mph my charge light turns off and the fan will proceed to turn on. Only thing is that when I slow down to about 10 mph the charge light turns on and the fan turns off until I reach 35mph again. I don't believe it is the alternator or voltage regulator because I had put in new ones after this problem started and still no luck. :O I think it might be the radiator fan relay or main relay but I'm not sure. So if anyone knows can I please get some advice on what the problem is

[Petros]

welcome to the list!

You should have your battery and alternator checked, most places that sell batteries will test them for free. That is just to make sure your charging system is up to snuff.

Even if the alternator was working intermittently, that should not cause the fan to act like that. You might try replacing fan the sensor in the bottom of the radiator (get one from a wrecking yard, they are pretty reliable and used ones are a good bet a lot cheaper). Also, veryify the ground is good in the fan, that could be bad/corroded and causing to work unreliably, and all the connectors are making good contact. Check there is no corrosion around the fuse for the fan (in the black plastic box next to the battery).

Good luck.

Where do you live? Tell us about your Tercel!

[Kevtar]

I live on oahu and this is my first tercel I had an 84 hilux prior to this and had gotten the rod knock so I sold my truck and bought the tercel DDD so you're saying the fan dying out on me has nothing to do with my charge light problem? Because once the charge light come
s off my fan comes back on.

[marlinh]

How long is the car idling for before it starts to overheat? Is the coolant level up, no air lock in the system. Do you get heat in the car? The fan should come on after the engine reaches operating temperature and then climbs above 180 F, around 195. Does the upper rad hose get hot to indicate thermostat opening? Maybe the fan has an internal short and is drawing the charging level below 12 volts. Do you have access to a multimeter so you can see what is happening with the charging system when the light comes on?

[Petros]

It is possible one causes the other problem, if your wire bundle or fuse block is charred or corroded, causing a short circuit.

I have seen this on British cars, where you turn on the head lights and the windshield wipers also come on, and you turn on the radio and the wipers stop. Very strange, the wire bundle was melted and fused under the plastic cover.

So check your circuit. You live in a nice place, but not nice to old cars. Very corrosion prone. Amazing an old Tercel is still running!

Welcome to list again, great to have a member from the island.