92 Clipper Radiator Fan possibly not operating

So I'm getting some warm temperatures and I'm pretty sure that the fan isn't operating.

In my old Mk1 the fan would kick in when the guage was just to the left of vertical, the needle not quite touching the light. Today the guage in the new car got all the way past the LED indicator and the fan had still not come on. I got scared and turned it off to let it cool. I've been reading the various guides round here since that and perhaps I'm being over cautious? At what point should I expect the fan to come on (I realise It's not exact but my old golf was rock solid, the indicator never went past the LED except the time I had a split hose).

Secondly, I've been reading the guide here (Radiator Fan operation explained? :) | Volkswagen Owners Club Forum). I'm happy to have a poke about under the bonnet and start learning but I'm really really unfamiliar with it all. I'd just like to clarify a few things if I can?

About half way down that doc it says

"On the fan Jumper the BROWN lead to ground
Jumper 12V+ to the RED/BLK"

Where it says 'ground' here does that mean literally 'a bit of metal on the car'?
Where it says 'jumper to 12v+' is that literally to the + terminal on the battery?

I understand that this is bypassing the thermoswitch/relay/fuses etc but I'm just a bit unsure as to what we're meant to do here.

Finally, can someone point me at the location of the thermoswitch please? Like the actual physical location?
 

Yes, there are 2 or 3 wires to the radiator fan motor.
Since the motor is Isolated from Frame ground, one of the wires is brown (Usually on the left as you are looking at it.).

Ground that wire to FRAME and apply 12V+ to either to of the wires on the right.

On the later 88's-93 cabbies there is an additional Fan relay that is usually attached to the inner fender of the car in front of the battery.



This relay is prone to water migration and can get rusted open.  It is the standard Bosch 40amp relay (53)
a fog lamp relay can work from a auto parts store.

There is also the Radiator Switch that you have in circuit…. easiest to check the fan first, then back track to the switch or relay.  

Thanks mate, I'll be giving it a go this weekend. Drive it last night and had to pull over every twenty minutes to let it cool down!

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You should be fine driving the car as long as you are moving as the air flow will cool the engine, the fan only should come on once the car is sat running in traffic after about 5 mins and the needle at 3/4, fan runs for about 3 mins and needle in the middle.

Worry when the needle is near the red, you can put the car heaters to Hot to help cool the coolant if needed…

mark1gls said

the fan only should come on … the needle at 3/4, fan

That's a lot higher than I remember from my old one.  

At the end of the year I had a puff of yellowy smoke on my current one when it got to 3/4 on the temp guage (I think, certainly had a puff of smoke not 100% on the temp guage).

I'll see how I do at the weekend. Thanks for the reply.