Sam it took a second for this to click but I get what your saying!  Honestly when I coasted to a stop in my parking space I was so happy to hear the fan I just turned off the van and hopped out.  My temp guage stays rock steady but I'll be sure to remember this tip when when I hear my low speed fan kick on.  Thanks for all the help the list has kicked my way.

Ryan
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Sam Walters 
  To: Ryan 
  Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2006 13:56
  Subject: Re: intermittent radiator fan / overheating SOLVED

  Ryan,

  When the fan comes on in a parking lot and the engine is off, it is not doing any thing constructive for the engine.  It simply cools the coolant in the radiator to the temp where the thermostatic switch turns off the fan.  Since the water pump isn't working, the cooled coolant does not get back to the engine and the engine is left with quite hot coolant in it and is about as hot as it ever gets.  It was hot enough to be putting out coolant that triggered the fan.

  After learning of this from the list, I now usually sit in the van with the engine running if the fan kicks in while I am parking or driving through a parking lot, driving up to my house (like about 15 minutes ago), so that the reduced temperature coolant gets back to the engine and cools it off.  It doesn't take very long.  With the pump running, the reduced temperature coolant doesn't cut the fan off until coolant has circulated and cooled the whole system.

  With my Syncro which has the Zetec conversion and OBD II monitoring via computer, I can see the dramatic and quick reduction in cylinder head temp that occurs when the fan kicks in and sends reduced temp coolant back to the engine.  So, I know that what was posted in the past is true.

  Sam