Radiator Fan doesn't come on...

[Doug96CamaroRS]

hey guys, 96 3800 camaro. I was starting to suspect the fan wasn't turning on when I noticed that the engine began to run pretty hot at most stop lights/drive throughs/etc... and coolant is topped off and does not leak (recently replaced water pump though). so the other day after a good 45 minute drive, I started it and let it idle for like 5 minutes. It had reached like 215 degrees (fan had not come on) and normally runs at just under 185 degrees. I then turned it off...the fan should have turned on by then, right??? redline is close to 260. does anyone know the solution and whether or not it is common for it to go out on these cars? and is it fine to run it hot, as long as it isn't up to the redline? i hope it is just a relay, but I don't have anything to check them with.

[meissen]

I'm not too familiar with the 3800 series engine, but the temperature sensor that tells the PCM when to turn the radiator on is definitely broken. For the LT1, there are two temperature sensors and I'd imagine it's pretty much the same for the 3800. One is on the water pump and the other is on the driver's side head. One tells the PCM when to turn the radiator fans on, the other one tells the gauge cluster how hot the coolant is. Chances are the PCM one is bad.

[1BADAIR]

sensor, relay, fuse , fan are some things
the high fan should come on with defrost or a/c though

[98blackbeauty]

the relays and fuses are marked and in fuse box under hood. Check easy stuff 1st. maybe got fan unplugged changing water pump. I think the 3800 has 2 fans just like the lt1's, 1 for A/C and both work for low speed.

[Doug96CamaroRS]

yeah... I'll check the relays first and then the sensor... thanks guys.