Windstar fan - plug and wiring questions

[NOPHO84K30]

Ok so now im doing it too. found the fans at the wrecking yard in great shape no cracks. Not sun damaged looks clean got both connectors. Now just have to get the wiring down. Looked at jegs for harnesses fairly cheap but want an adjustable fan controler aswell just need to find one that can handle the draw.

 

[crazy4offroad]

Your fan controller should just be like an on/off switch with no load on it, it should send a signal to a relay switch that can carry the load. Which is why I recommended getting the relays for the fans from a junkyard van from the underhood fuse/relay box. Also some adjustable temp switches come with a relay kit but I feel the OEM relays would be much more reliable.

 

[crazy4offroad]

OK Here's what I found. I took some pics of the temp gauges but they are pretty much irrelevant so I wont bother posting them. Installed the new switch, ambient air temp of about 80 degrees. I run NO thermostat simply because I was having heat sink issues with my carb and the headers with no carpet/no a/c made the truck miserable to drive with an excessively hot engine on the trail.

So after about 10 minutes of idle the fans kick on right at 200 degrees just like they're supposed to. I figured after 3 minutes or so of running they would kick off, which after 3 minutes of running, according to my mechanical temp gauge the engine was indeed cooled down to around 150 degrees. (The advertised "off" temp is 185F) They NEVER kicked off. I also took the truck for a short drive a couple miles up the road and back and they never kicked off. Running temp during the ride was 175-180F.

The temp switch for the fans is located in the front of the intake in the water passage, and the sender for the gauge is about 1.5" away in the water neck. Since I am running Vortec heads with headers installing it in the head is not an option. I'm wondering if with some run time the "off" side of the switch will "loosen up" and finally start working. I even tried lightly tapping the switch with the end of a crescent wrench to see if that made a difference, it did not. I'm not sure if it is the Hypertech brand or if I need a bigger radiator or I should swap locations of the switch and gauge sender but according to my gauge it SHOULD have shut off 30 degrees warmer than it was running. So I DO NOT recommend this switch for this setup.

 

[Scorpion]

Suppose it could just be a bad sending unit. With the sender being so close to the gauges sending unit it seems unlikely that they're seeing different temps. Can you shoot a pic of your setup?

 

[crazy4offroad]

I was wrong the stock gauge sender is in the waterneck, the Sunpro is in the intake but still only a couple inches or less away from the fan switch...

And a pic of my messy but fully functional heavy-duty fuse/relay wiring...

I believe I will have to upgrade my alternator, when they kick on the volt meter drops to just below 13v. Between the fans, lights and winch I can see the alternator not putting out enough amps for it all.

 

[Scorpion]

Now way it's getting that different of a reading. A few degrees maybe. How are the other switches (Toyota) wired in?

 

[crazy4offroad]

Main positive power wires go into the 30a fuse, then out to input side main positive power of relays. Then output side main positive power of relays go directly to the fans. Fan temperature switch wire goes to ground side of relays, and positive switch side of relays tap back into main positive input at relay. Pretty simple but it looks complicated.

Basically one fuse/relay per fan. Relay gets switch signal from temp switch (open/closed ground signal) throwing main power to the fans. Once the temperature cools the ground signal from the fan switch is supposed to go "open" and turn the relays off. I guess this gives me another thing to look at but honestly the only ground in that part of the system is the fan switch signal. I'll have to run the truck with a continuity tester on the fan switch signal wire, fans kick on, cool engine and see if signal wire goes "open" (off) like it should. If it does then the relays may be sticking "closed" (on).

 

[anubisani]

Main positive power wires go into the 30a fuse, then out to input side main positive power of relays. Then output side main positive power of relays go directly to the fans. Fan temperature switch wire goes to ground side of relays, and positive switch side of relays tap back into main positive input at relay. Pretty simple but it looks complicated.

Basically one fuse/relay per fan. Relay gets switch signal from temp switch (open/closed ground signal) throwing main power to the fans. Once the temperature cools the ground signal from the fan switch is supposed to go "open" and turn the relays off. I guess this gives me another thing to look at but honestly the only ground in that part of the system is the fan switch signal. I'll have to run the truck with a continuity tester on the fan switch signal wire, fans kick on, cool engine and see if signal wire goes "open" (off) like it should. If it does then the relays may be sticking "closed" (on).

this might be a dumb ??? but can u actually get a good ground off an aluminum intake, maybe if it were steel , prob why GM Put the temp sender in the head , I could be wrong but JUST A THOUGHT

 

[crazy4offroad]

Yes aluminum conducts electricity, your main power wires coming from the pole to your house are aluminum.

 

[anubisani]

Yes aluminum conducts electricity, your main power wires coming from the pole to your house are aluminum.

yup u r right

 

[VAL]

Agreed!

 

[NOPHO84K30]

Anyone know how to wire hi low on the large fan. Do you use a ac overide to the hi connector does that need a relay too.. I was thinking could you use a duel fan controller for hi low .it starts on low ten degrees over it kicks on hi ..using it on one fan instead of two.. I think I read that in another diagram dont remember which one ..im looking at the durale adjusable duel fan con thats in summit $142 I think its 26789 durale. Then just a reg 200 on for the driver side one was under $60 ..has anyone else tried this

 

[MrMarty51]

Yes aluminum conducts electricity, your main power wires coming from the pole to your house are aluminum.

better than steel.

 

[Scorpion]

...I guess this gives me another thing to look at but honestly the only ground in that part of the system is the fan switch signal. I'll have to run the truck with a continuity tester on the fan switch signal wire, fans kick on, cool engine and see if signal wire goes "open" (off) like it should. If it does then the relays may be sticking "closed" (on).

Seems like I encountered something like this a handful of years ago on a Taurus fan install but I can't for the life of me remember the problem. An easy test would be to check resistance when cold, then over 200 (should read 0 ohms), then recheck after the fans come (wire in a toggle switch to trigger instead) on and the temp is well below 200. Wonder if the open delta isn't open enough and the relay sees enough of a ground to stay on...suppose the switch may not be working too. You could use the ohm meter and test the switch in a pot of water like in this link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFHWpgHMAvY.

 

[NOPHO84K30]

Im just going to use the painless f5 controller it looks like its the best out there. easiest out there. Its got everything you could need