ken.fresno-tdi
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2006
- Location
- Fresno, CA
- TDI
- 95 Eurovan EVC camper with 98 AHU engine (VeganVan02); 01 Jetta ALH engine and parts - waiting for transplant into 97 Eurovan (VeganVan03);05 BEW Beetle
My 01 Jetta has been giving me grief when the outside temperature is about >95F/35C and the engine is warmed up. Here are the conditions:
-a/c OFF and engine warmed up: radiator fans cycle off and on normally in warm weather
-a/c ON and engine cold and outside temp not too hot (<95F/35C): both radiator fans come on normally and a/c works normally
-a/c ON and hot outside (>95F/35C): a/c comes on normally at start and when engine cold; after engine warms up radiator fans stop and a/c goes off at stop lights and stop/go traffic. Above 20 mph/30kph I can feel compressor kick on and a/c works. At next stop light compressor switches off. All during this time the radiator fans DO NOT run, unless switched on by higher engine temp, at which time a/c again works! I assume this is because the high pressure switch is kicking on and off based on whether there is airflow over the radiator. So my question is why are the radiator fans switching off when the a/c is on AND it is hot outside? All the important a/c components work fine (radiator fans, compressor, pressure switches, engine temp switch for radiator fan) but something is telling the radiator fans to switch off ONLY when the outside temperature is hot and the engine is hot, exactly when you want a/c the most! I've got a hot stretch of days ahead so I'd like to figure this one out - if I wait till September the symptom (95F+) will be gone!
Thanks for any help!
Ken
-a/c OFF and engine warmed up: radiator fans cycle off and on normally in warm weather
-a/c ON and engine cold and outside temp not too hot (<95F/35C): both radiator fans come on normally and a/c works normally
-a/c ON and hot outside (>95F/35C): a/c comes on normally at start and when engine cold; after engine warms up radiator fans stop and a/c goes off at stop lights and stop/go traffic. Above 20 mph/30kph I can feel compressor kick on and a/c works. At next stop light compressor switches off. All during this time the radiator fans DO NOT run, unless switched on by higher engine temp, at which time a/c again works! I assume this is because the high pressure switch is kicking on and off based on whether there is airflow over the radiator. So my question is why are the radiator fans switching off when the a/c is on AND it is hot outside? All the important a/c components work fine (radiator fans, compressor, pressure switches, engine temp switch for radiator fan) but something is telling the radiator fans to switch off ONLY when the outside temperature is hot and the engine is hot, exactly when you want a/c the most! I've got a hot stretch of days ahead so I'd like to figure this one out - if I wait till September the symptom (95F+) will be gone!
Thanks for any help!
Ken