ISSUE #1: I just got my car, and I am trying to figure out everything that is wrong with it, and one of the things I noticed is that when I brought it home (45 miles) it was running at 200+ degrees and would not go down. So when it cooled down I checked the coolant level and it was good. Then I pulled the thermostat and it was good. So then I started it and let it heat up, and thats when I discovered that the cooling fans were not kicking on. Could the battery being bad have something to do with this, or is it going to be some deeper and more expensive?

ISSUE #2: When I pull the headlight switch out to turn the headlights on my dash and radio go super dim. If I mess with the switch it will brighten up enough to see in the dark, but nowhere as bright as it should be. Is this related to the crappy battery, the switch its self, or a combination of both?

And finally since I don't have enough money to afford the optima bettery I really want what is the best cheap battery out there, and what size should I get?

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*~Ryan~*
2005 Suzuki Forenza, Black
1992 Bonneville SSEi, White (GONE)

#1: Tha battery shouldn't prevent them from turning on. If there wasn't enough juice to run them, the car wouldn't run either. Do the fans come on if you turn the AC on? If they do, the low speed fan relay might be dead, or the fuse is blown. If you pull the MAXIFUSE RELAY CENTER cover off the firewall, you'll find a number of fuses and relays. They are labeled under there (sometimes on the bottom of the cover). The fuses are under the smaller underneath the main cover, and the relays are towards the right. Check the fuse(s) for the fans, and swap the relays around (keep track of which is which justg so you know) and see if the fans start working when you have one of the other relays in the low fan position.

#2: I'd suspect the headlight/dimmer switch. Is the dash brightness different when the twilight sentinel turns the headlights on?

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WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights

The battery is to bad to turn the heater or a/c on.
When I turn the twilight sentinel it doesn't do anything.

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*~Ryan~*
2005 Suzuki Forenza, Black
1992 Bonneville SSEi, White (GONE)

I don't think the battery is the problem. Maybe the battery is shot, but if the car runs, so will the accessories to some degree since the alternator will be making voltage everything needs.

There's two sensors on the trim at the base of the windshield. I forget which is which, but one is a light sensor. The twilight sentinel only turns on the lights when it's dark. Cover the sensor with a card or something to trick it to thinking it's dark.

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WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights

yes the twilight sentinel works... and i get get the gauge cluster to work good enough to see at night by turning the headlight switch hard to the left just before it clicks on the dome lights on, so that one is narrowed down to the headlight switch.

As for the fans, they clicked on with the a/c on, but not until it went WAY! over 200 degrees before it went down. I'm going to change the thermostat and see if that helps out any.

Does anyone have inputs on a cheap battery? And what size to get? I can't afford optima or interstate.

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*~Ryan~*
2005 Suzuki Forenza, Black
1992 Bonneville SSEi, White (GONE)

I think Duralast (from Autozone) works pretty well.

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WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights

200 is right about normal operating temp. not sure when the pcm wants to turn on the fans, but its prolly close to that. 195 maybe? can anyone confirm that?

as for a battery, id try to get a 78 group size. A 75 will work if you have to go cheap as possible, but id stick with a 78 if you can. I think duralast are still made by JCI, which are decent batteries. but with batteries, like with most things, you get what you pay for.

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92 Olds 98. L67, Gen 3 M62, 2.55 pulley, FWI, PLIM, 1.8 YTs.

This is my 3rd Bonne, and I have never seen the temp go this high on the other two. so I don't know. I will just get on intense and get one of their thermostats, and see what happens from there. Maybe a flush to. Although the coolant looks pretty good, and I can't see much corrosion in the radiator. Who knows when it was last done if ever.

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*~Ryan~*
2005 Suzuki Forenza, Black
1992 Bonneville SSEi, White (GONE)

Well I got a new battery so once I get done with my deep clean on the engine I will let you know how the car acts with the new battery.

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*~Ryan~*
2005 Suzuki Forenza, Black
1992 Bonneville SSEi, White (GONE)

Well I installed my new battery and headlight switch, and now the fans work, and the gauges work, the headlights don't come on when pulling the switch, but if I turn on the twilight sentinel they work fine.

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*~Ryan~*
2005 Suzuki Forenza, Black
1992 Bonneville SSEi, White (GONE)

Sooo... you're saying I was wrong?

I'm glad it was simple, though. I'd keep an eye on the voltage to make sure the alternator keeps up. A bad battery can kill an alternator, and visa versa.

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WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights

No you werent wrong and I am glad. I will be sure to monitor the voltage.

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*~Ryan~*
2005 Suzuki Forenza, Black
1992 Bonneville SSEi, White (GONE)

Sorry to bring up and old post, but I installed a 180 Thermostat today, but my temp gauge is still staying well over 200 degrees. I don't know what else it could be. Should I try a coolant flush? Any ideas?

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*~Ryan~*
2005 Suzuki Forenza, Black
1992 Bonneville SSEi, White (GONE)

Do the fans kick on? How high above 200?

On warm days and/or in city traffic, where there's little airflow through the radiator, don't be surprised when the temps go higher than the thermo setting.

I think we have a write up somewhere on a high speed fan switch that is real easy/cheap to install. It lets you turn the fans on whenever you like. If you did that, and let them run while driving in the city, and the temps didn't come down to 180, I'd be concerned.

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WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights