Engine Temps get hot when AC is engaged

[duane v]

Hi all... New dood here.

My girlfriends son has a 2003 Honda Civic EX and I'm doing the front brakes and installing a VTEC solenoid switch. I just put a starter in last week.

As I was driving her sons car back from his dorm today and when I turned on the A/C I noticed the temp gauge needle starting to climb, so I turned off the AC and the temp gauge needle began to settle back to the normal area.

While in the driveway I let the car idle and I turned on the A/C full blast and the temp gauge needle started to climb, but the fans didn't turn on. So I manually spun the fan blade with my finger and WALLA the fans started working.

So can I assume it's just the fan motor starting to die, or could it be a relay switch of sorts. Certainly I'd rather it be the relay switch, than to having to remove the fan just to replace the motor... but if it's the latter, would you agree that my hypothesis of the fan motor being kaput is correct?

Thanks for your help

 

[duane v]

So neither the condenser nor radiator fan works? If so, which fan did you turn manually to make both fans work?

I rotated the passenger side fan blade. Both sides didn't work , but once I rotated the passenger side fan blade the driver side fan blade started to spin in unison with the passenger

 

[duane v]

So with both fans now working, is the engine no longer overheating with the A/C on?

Both fans and the fan switch ground at G301 on the chassis. Try cleaning and tightening this ground connection.

The temp gauge went down to normal once the fans engaged.

I'm not familiar with G301... please elaborate

 

[duane v]

Interesting artifact this morning:

I drove the Honda to work and when I parked and turned on the A/C in the parking lot, the driver-side fan started working, but the passenger side stayed off. I can assume that the engine temps weren't warm enough to engage the PS fan.... I even tried to spin the PS fan blade with my finger to try and recreate the same artifact as yesterday, but the fan remained off.

Last night I did change the VTECH solenoid switch (1581-PLR-A01) and the engine now revs past 4000 rpm and runs great.... I'm wondering by removing the battery during this process fixed the fan issue? But my engineering brain tells me that one should not have anything to do with the other.

I'll test with a voltmeter this weekend as I'll be changing the brakes this weekend.... Since the car will be up in the air, I will check all ground connection and clean as needed.

As a safeguard I went ahead and order the two fan assemblies just in case it proves to be a dying fan.

thanks again

 

[duane v]

Update:

I took the car to a local shop to confirm the fan issue, and after $45 the technician confirmed the radiator fan was dead, and the AC fan motor was intermittent. I received the fans Friday from 1A Auto installed the fans, added coolent and burped the system.... EUREKA!!! The car no longer heats up and the both fans are working properly.

Thanks for your help.... my girlfriends son is very happy