Thermoswitch / cooling fan switch question

[ejp2fast]

I was wondering about how to tell if the thermoswitch (turns cooling fan on and off) coming out of the water outlet/thermostat housing is bad. According to the haynes manual, it says that there should be NO continuity between the prong and the base when the engine is cold and continuity when hot.
Another point they mention in the manual is that when the ignition goes on, without starting, the cooling fan should come on... well, as my cooling fan switch is likely bad, i have just disconnected it and the fan still comes on all the time. so what is the correct way? should the fan come on even when the engine is cold and the ignition is on (not started) or not?

[GenevaDirt]

if you take the wire off the fan will stay on all the time. My fan does not come on when I just trun on my key....unless the car is hot enough for it. They have to be really warm for it to turn on. Let it idle....mine turns on more often when I am just sitting idling then when driving. But you could try heating the switch or your housing to try and turn it on and see if it is working....other then that....pull one from a JY car and put it in or get a new one from the parts store and that shold fix it. The fan runs so it should just be the switch.

[jglutz]

^^me to...fan does not cycle when the key is turned unless temp is high.

GenevaDirt states the best test...when the key is on and the connector is removed..the fan should be on continuously...if not the problem is not the switch but rather the wiring....relay....or...fan

[ejp2fast]

thanks guys, thats what i thought, and yes, right now i just have it disconnected so my fan is on all the time.