Help Please with a couple of issues

[bigmanandy]

Hi All, please bear with me as Im not mechanically gifted and I would love some help.

Last week I purchased a Recon Engine from Elite, and my mechanic has fitted it, and took it for its mot on friday morning, and she sailed through with no problems at all, so come friday evening I was really looking forward to picking the old bus up (1.9 watercooled 1983 petrol) and getting some use out of her, as we have never used her yet.
But a couple of things that I noticed are:
Firstly when I brought the van last year the owner explained that there was a problem with the cooling system where the fan would not kick in automatically, so he had wired it manually to a switch on the dash, now this worked great, you flicked the switch and you could here the fan going, happy days. Now I picked the van up on Friday and now the fan does not work, I ran the van home (about 12 miles) and the temperature gauge was about 2/3rds of the way and still the fan did not kick in, so I am pulling my hair out now, has my mechanic wired up up all the cooling system at the back because I did not tell him about the switch, and left it at that, he had to run it into town and back for the mot and he said that the gauge went half way each time so he did not suspect a problem. Now I am paranoid about driving the van because I dont want to overheat the engine and knacker a new engine up, my mechanic has now gone away for a fortnight so I cant call him ( before people start slating the mechanic he is a family friend and Ive used him for 20-25years so I trust him).

And secondly I am not sure how well the engine should be running as it does seem to take a while for it to start ticking over nicely, it maybe me and my inexperience, but I would love someone to come and have a look and offer some friendly advice. I make a great meal and a lovely cuppa, I would really like to start using the van for the rest of the year but Im so paranoid about something going wrong it is really putting me off, the missus is already having kittens about it and has already mentioned selling it
So if someone can help it would be really appreciated, Im in Northampton by the way.
Thanks andy

[Aidan]

hi Andy the fan should be controlled by the two stage switch fitted to the right side of the radiator, three pin plug goes in there, so can you find the plug and wiring bodge that's been done and get it back to standard, replacing the switch if necessary, chances are there's nowt wrong with the switch it was probably a manual switch because the engine was overheating for other reasons and po did the bodge to sell it
it shouldn't go over 1/2 by much (assuming the gauge is accurate - they do vary - mine runs a couple of needle widths below 1/2 as standard and the fan kicks in before 1/2 way, that will be due to a bent needle on the gauge, the dash was totally fubarred when I got it) before the fan comes in on stage 1 and generally on a wbx the fan will only kick in and out when in traffic, stop starting, over 30 mph the fan virtually never comes in except on the one hot day of the summer when going up a really long steep climb
is the thermostat opening ? and is the radiator and heater matrix fully bled ? I'd be checking these, if you boil the engine then the Micks might not honout the warranty
Jason, motfalia on here is in northampton and knows a fair bit and PC52 Pete is only in Weldon, but they don't read all the forums so you'll have to rattle their cages

[bigmanandy]

Thanks Aidan

[California Dreamin]

I agree with what Aiden has said, the automatic fan needs sorting. The fan obviously works and the most likely reason it was altered is probably a faulty switch (about £16.00 from Brickwerks)
You really don't want to be having to remember to manually turn the fan on.

Martin