VR4 Starter and fan issues

[Technikhaus]

Hey all,
So we recently picked up a VR4 Legnum for about $700, and have just finished doing the water pump/timing gear as well as a replacement rad.
We still have a few issues left with it though.

it can sometime take up to 20-30 turns of the key for the starter motor to kick in, during the failed attempts you can hear the fan relay click, and that's about it, the starter doesn't even attempt to turn. When it does start, the starter runs perfectly, and turns over almost instantly.

The other issue is that the fans don't kick in at all, ever...
The relay is working, and there is power getting to the controller on the back of the fans, but that's it.

I'm kind of thinking that one of the temperature sensors may be malfunctioning and the car not finding the need to start the fans?
The other odd thing is that the temperature gauge very quickly shot up (to above the red mark) after driving for about a minute, but the radiator didn't feel all too hot, and you could easily lay your hand on it.

Any thoughts here?

[PHIL069]

Check for dirty/loose earth connections and dirty loose positive connections to and from the starter.

The FTO coolant sensors are the same as the VR4, so try fitting your FTO ones for testing fan and dash gauge.

[Technikhaus]

Cheers for that, shall try and find the starter amongst the packed engine bay tomorrow, and are you able to point me to where the sensors are?
I've never had to touch them before, so have no idea

[PHIL069]

You can see them here on the VR4, one in front of the other, just to the right of the thermostat...



Here is the FTO...

Here is the VR4...

Here are the part numbers, 1 & 2 VR4 = 3 & 4 FTO...

Engine Cooling Sensors Part No.jpg (158.35 KiB) Viewed 3543 times

[PHIL069]

Oh...and here is the starter...

[Technikhaus]

Thanks for that Phil, will hopefully be able to take a look at that tonight, I'm not near ASA at the moment, but does anybody have any idea if the sensors off of a GS could fit?

[Technikhaus]

Just looked up on ASA and they are indeed the same

[Bennoz]

And Schuuuuuaaaart has a sh*t ton of them, brand new lol

[Technikhaus]

Turns out it wasn't overheating, and the the gauge cluster wasn't screwed down!
Tightened it back up and the car suddenly has half a tank of fuel and the temp gauge works fine now!

Derp....

Still having issues with the starter too, but haven't tried to trace it yet.

Now just to work out of the ticking is just the tappets and nothing else. I'll try remember to do a video this week sometime and upload it to see if anybody can pick anything out.

[Bennoz]

They're hydraulic tappets, always keen to make a noise lol

[Technikhaus]

I guess I'm just not used to how ridiculously loud they are compared to the FTO :/