Hey guys, I work at a Toyota Dealership in the Call Center, our employee labor rate is $45/HR and that works out much better than paying $110/HR at GM to get my clutch done. I did have the confidence, tools or time to pull it off in the driveway.

So, I had them install a KY Stage 3 Clutch, stainless clutch line, oil change, and new OEM plugs gapped to .03, figured id just get it all done at once and it only cost me 9.1 hrs total @ $45/hr. All data calls clutch replacement 8 hrs alone so I felt that was more than reasonable.

Here's the problem. Car drives great but.......OVERHEATS! Cooling fans don't kick in, hit 245 in traffic the other day and first noticed it, shut down immediately. Thankfully as soon as I go 25+ mph its fine, due to the big grille on the HHR and my ZZP intercooler.


So, the guy I had do my clutch used to be a GM tech years ago, said hes jumped the fan, works, checked all wiring and everything is fine. There is no pulse width modulation signal coming out of the ECM tell the fans to turn on and the GM dealer will have to see the car because he doesn't have the computer to communicate with it.

Thoughts?


At first I was it must be improper/bent/broken pin connection because the ECM is removed with the fuse box when getting to the transmission. So now the pain in the ass local GM dealership which I don't know anyone at, books a week in advance. So id have to drop the car off and they would work it into the schedule whenever that might be or wait a week for an appointment. My tech's here say there is nothing more to be done with what they have.


HELP!

 

any thoughts?

 

first thought is change the thermostat. or air in the cooling system.

 

Thanks for the reply. Fans aren't getting signal from ECM to turn on, thermostat is ok.

 

Update, friend got a job with gm and has a tech 2 hes going to let me know use tonight, he just started and doesn't have much experience so I wanted to ask a question here.

My a/c doesn't turn the fans on, so lets say I CAN turn the fans on through the GM scan tool but Im not sure what I need to do to diag the ecm's condition. Gm tech here at Saturn said take it to GM, I made appointment 6 days in advance and left it there all day and they never even got to look at it because they were short staffed.

So im just annoyed. Ready to wire the a switch in but that's not a great solution. So the main question is, anyone experienced with a Tech 2? Im just curious if you were a GM tech, what are the signs that you would find wrong with the vehicle that would make you recommend replacing the ECM?


I have a list of my issues above to recap:

No fans
don't work when a/c on
fuse good
wiring good
fan jumps good
only happened after removing ecm to do clutch, tech working on it states replacement ECM needed.

also, where is the relay for the fans on an SS?

 

pull the fuse cover. tighten all the bolts up or remove the fuse panel to access all the connectors. clean up anything if there is any dirt. connect it all back together. after that is said and done. check for a connector near the firewall behind the brake booster i believe. i know there a connector there. some people take it off. dont ask. dunno. but check if that connector is connected. i dont recall having to take off the coolant reservoir ever on any trans job ive done BUT, the connectors on the fuse box do need to be tight. they control all type of stuff. also check the fuses if any popped.

 

should've added, already removed fuse box and checked all connectors, and retighted all bolts. Everything points to faulty ECM just want to know what a GM tech would do to confirm that in this situation. I realize its easier said than done.

 

Sounds to me like that fuse block and box was all removed hot, likely because the guy couldn't find the battery. Things don't just spontaneously go array like this for no good reason. I know that doesn't help your situation, but the guys who worked on your car really gave you a good dicking.

 

Seems like it, I did see him removing the fuse box or at least in that area with the battery disconnected though. And he's a very good technician but, obviously not done a newer GM FWD clutch before. He told me so, and said I can do do it, shouldn't be that hard. and now I have suffered this hiccup. Because it was done at internal labor rates, my manager said he cant help and he warned if I go to the owner (who I think would help me actually hes a great guy) He said it would be the last straw with employee labor rate and it would be gone forever because things like this happen.

Anyways, im gunna poke around with a tech 2 tonight and see if it turns the fans on after HPtuners couldn't then wire a switch this weekend.

 

Yeah HPTuners has no diagnostic fan controls support in the E69, or any diag control support for the E69 at all for that matter. Your "tuner" should have already known that though, I'm sure.

The Tech2 should have all those areas covered though as long as it's all up to date. All diag tests can be completed through that puppy.

 

Local friend has HPT just had him check to see if he could set the fans on with no luck. And John whats the deal with a relay on these fans? All their is is a 40 amp fuse in the engine fuse box, I forget what my mechanic said something to the fact that it was ok or their wasn't a main relay for it I cant remember.

 

Need to replace my ECM. What is the cheapest way to do so? ZZP PCM? I have a local guy selling one for $150, but can I use one out of a random vehicle used or what?

 

Was about to dig into this a little more today and here is what I found.



Did have any more time for diag just was able to use a friends scanner before he left shop for the day. Wasnt able to confirm the power side of the relay. This HAS to be a wiring issue so im just going to tear the car apart this week. After confirming with the mechanic who originally did the clutch, I was under the impression he had check "all relevant wiring" now its "I checked wire from ecu to fan module to make sure no short or broken wires".

Tips appreciated. Would really love to pay someone to diag the car at this point but a few financial issues are making that difficult. This is cross posted on the cobalt ss gang fb page as well because there is always a difference in opinions, of course I trust opinions on this page more.

 

bump

 

I'm still not 100% convinced it's not an issues stemming from the fuse block. Tough call to make without looking at it though.