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Electric Fan Conversion

thebornotaku said:
my radiator doesn't have a port for a thermal switch.
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Use a Saab thingy. Works well. Reasons I can see for not wanting it to run anytime the car is running is 1 noise, 2 Life of the fan, 3 draw on alt (which is probably 70 amp in your car), 4 might keep the car from warming up as quickly
 
WindowsBreakerG4 said:
Use a Saab thingy. Works well. Reasons I can see for not wanting it to run anytime the car is running is 1 noise, 2 Life of the fan, 3 draw on alt (which is probably 70 amp in your car), 4 might keep the car from warming up as quickly
Click to expand...

I was going to run a saab dealio.

Noise I'm not so worried about, and I'm not planning on running it like this for long. I just need to get my old rad out (well, it's out now actually) and I figured while it's apart, I could install the fan.

I also don't mind it taking a bit longer to warm up, as it's gonna be summer soon and I intend to have it wired properly within the next month or two.

any suggestions as to where I can get a saab sensor with a reasonable temperature range, like 95-90 or something instead of the 115-110 one I have?
 
thebornotaku said:
I was going to run a saab dealio.

Noise I'm not so worried about, and I'm not planning on running it like this for long. I just need to get my old rad out (well, it's out now actually) and I figured while it's apart, I could install the fan.

I also don't mind it taking a bit longer to warm up, as it's gonna be summer soon and I intend to have it wired properly within the next month or two.

any suggestions as to where I can get a saab sensor with a reasonable temperature range, like 95-90 or something instead of the 115-110 one I have?
Click to expand...

Amazon has them, I posted a link for one but i think you could go up to the next step in temp
 
mickeys240 said:
Well Your engine is going to spew out hot water out of the thermostat (assuming you have one) at its rated temp that your thermostat opens (again assuming that you have a thermostat that opens at a certain temp say 190') If your thermostat switch is placed before it goes to the radiator, hot water would continue to come out of the engine thermostat via the vent orifice causing the sender/switch to trigger the fan for a period of possibly 30 min or longer and cause a flat battery. (the fan can cause a drain of 15-25 amps. while in operation)

After the radiator is the best place for a fan switch.

After the engine is the best place for a Temp Gauge.
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I also wanted to add that if you get low on coolant, You could face a thermal runaway if water is not transferring enough heat to activate the sensor. Especially of your sensor is mounted on top and then the only medium of heat transfer to activate the switch would be steam. (or air at that point.)

Summery, and words of wisdom. Place it on the bottom of the radiator, with the switch being placed upside down ONLY IF YOU HAVE CLEARANCE TO DO SO.

Otherwise place the sensor according to the manufactures instructions. Oddly, I have came across a few that say that they work best being placed on top. Weird if you know how these devices work. Orientation IMO should not effect function.
 
Rock auto
BECK/ARNLEY Part # 2010809 More Info
2 Prong Switch 92 Degrees, Standard Climates
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92/87 switch (might do this, few $ cheaper on rock auto but i have amazon prime so I'd get it there)

Rock auto says
BECK/ARNLEY Part # 2011545
2 Prong Switch 82 Degrees, Warmer Climates
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82/77 switch (again a bit cheaper on rock auto ymmv)

Honestly picking between the 2 I am not 100% sure which you should get, I have the 82/77 and I think I might try a 92/87 just to see if it makes the fan run less (though that might not be ideal for obvious reasons)
 
Just got my E-fan hooked up. I have a 960 dual speed fan wired up to constant 12v from the coil. It runs low speed only. I noticed that my rad has a fitting for a temp sensor in it. I will plan on using the 960 2 speed relay I grabbed from the jy. Right now just running a 940 12v 40A relay. I need to figure out what sensor will fit the port.
 
my 242 has had it's e-fan for the past week...grantid, I haven't driven the car in that time due to some u-joint failure. with it in the shoppe, i've tested the radiator mount fan switch by running the car at idle...when it's warmed up i watch the gauge to see when the fan comes on. before the conversion, my car was a good hour and a half below 9-o'clock. now it gets much, much closer to 9-o'clock, with the fan coming on just north of that.

after reading the posts in this thread, i was worried that the fan would come on much, much too soon. that the hot water from my thermostat would shoot out onto the fan switch and force it on all the time. seems to be working just right...maybe it'll be different in the real world. also now seeing how a fan switch indicator light on the dash would be useful. my dad's '84 ferrari 308 had a fan light, and i think it's been the only car I've seen with one...now i get it. :D
 
WindowsBreakerG4 said:
Odd, it should still warm up fine as the temp switch should control the fan operation and that should matter little based on if it's wired as hot all the time or not.
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It won't get over about 165. I have really good coolant flow, 3 row, no heater core (direct coolant between 3 and 4 at the head) and no intercooler or condenser in the way. But you must have missed where I don't have a temp switch, it's key-on.

thebornotaku said:
my radiator doesn't have a port for a thermal switch.
Click to expand...

Use the Saab method, it works.

WindowsBreakerG4 said:
Use a Saab thingy. Works well. Reasons I can see for not wanting it to run anytime the car is running is 1 noise, 2 Life of the fan, 3 draw on alt (which is probably 70 amp in your car), 4 might keep the car from warming up as quickly
Click to expand...
This. I will be switching mine soon enough, I don't like it running all the time.

mickeys240 said:
I also wanted to add that if you get low on coolant, You could face a thermal runaway if water is not transferring enough heat to activate the sensor. Especially of your sensor is mounted on top and then the only medium of heat transfer to activate the switch would be steam. (or air at that point.)

Summery, and words of wisdom. Place it on the bottom of the radiator, with the switch being placed upside down ONLY IF YOU HAVE CLEARANCE TO DO SO.

Otherwise place the sensor according to the manufactures instructions. Oddly, I have came across a few that say that they work best being placed on top. Weird if you know how these devices work. Orientation IMO should not effect function.
Click to expand...

Why mount it upside down? There is no real reason for that.

Mounting in the top of the radiator has the best control for even coolant temps in the system. If the coolant is low then you need to fix your leak! Don't band-aid the car for a problem, fix it properly.





I have a 92 degree switch going in a Saab adaptor and an 82 degree switch going in the radiator. The redundant system will protect if a switch fails or a motor speed fails (happened on my Knoxville trip).

It will be wired in a fairly safe fashion- a 30 amp relay controls the main power to the Volvo 2 speed relay, key-on. The power will run from that relay to the Volvo relay, fan power will be triggered by the 82 degree switch for low speed, 92 for high. That's how it was in my last 2 cars and it worked just fine. Never got hot and the fan didn't run too much.



ALDEN- I have a spare NIB 92 switch, you can have it if you want to try it. I don't think I would go lower on your car, I don't think you are running too cold. What's your operating temp at cruise with the fan off?
 
My issue is that the fan runs (it seems) when I am on the freeway so I am trying to eliminate that, it doesn't need to run. I'd love to try that.
 
Dumb question - the temp switch in the radiator has two prongs - why two? I guess I had assumed this switch grounded through the radiator, but the more I think of it maybe I am wrong.

If one side should be hooked to ground, I assume it doesn't matter which side.
 
Doesn't ground through the rad, that could cause electrolysis (which is bad). Technically that switch doesn't need power, I use mine on the ground on my relay. When it closes, it gives the relay a ground completing the circuit.
 
Yea I've been happy with the way Alden and I have the system setup on our cars.

Ground through the SAAB thingy, sender in the lower hose and power to the relay.
 
scottyd said:
Yea I've been happy with the way Alden and I have the system setup on our cars.

Ground through the SAAB thingy, sender in the lower hose and power to the relay.
Click to expand...

mine is similar to this but im using the upper temp sensor in the radiator. Im in Dallas and Ive seen temps up into the 103? and the temp gauge goes slightly above center. Im loving the 940 efan relay.
 
I apologize for the basic question, but when using a 940 relay and the Saab sensor in the T-fitting will the temp sensor essentially be functioning where the ECU was before and sending the signal to ground? Am I getting this at all?

My conception is that there is one power to the relay, the harness from relay to motor can remain unchanged, and the Saab sensor will be wired from the yellow/brown wire to ground for high speed or from the green/orange wire to ground for low speed...

Are there any tradeoffs between running high or low speed?

If I am confused in my thinking, could anyone explain it to me in extremely simple terms?
 
I kept my e-fan on the key-on circuit and it worked fine all week including at the autocross. Still runs a little cool, so the switch will happen soon, but it's not a priority.
 
PaulSimonon said:
I apologize for the basic question, but when using a 940 relay and the Saab sensor in the T-fitting will the temp sensor essentially be functioning where the ECU was before and sending the signal to ground? Am I getting this at all?

My conception is that there is one power to the relay, the harness from relay to motor can remain unchanged, and the Saab sensor will be wired from the yellow/brown wire to ground for high speed or from the green/orange wire to ground for low speed...

Are there any tradeoffs between running high or low speed?

If I am confused in my thinking, could anyone explain it to me in extremely simple terms?
Click to expand...

Here you go:
c70c43d2.jpg


When using the relay and the saab temp sender, ground one terminal to the chasis and the other terminal goes to the Green/ Orange wire on the relay. That is if you want the saab sender to run the low speed.

I keep my high speed on a toggle switch in the dash on my 240 incase I see high temps in Dallas here. The low speed has kept up with 103? here. I am using the radiator temp sender on the top of the radiator which is a little to warm for me. I will be changing that soon.
 
Texas240 said:
Here you go:
When using the relay and the saab temp sender, ground one terminal to the chasis and the other terminal goes to the Green/ Orange wire on the relay. That is if you want the saab sender to run the low speed.

I keep my high speed on a toggle switch in the dash on my 240 incase I see high temps in Dallas here. The low speed has kept up with 103? here. I am using the radiator temp sender on the top of the radiator which is a little to warm for me. I will be changing that soon.
Click to expand...

So far my 940 e-fan has been performing great in the Dallas heat, now over 3 yrs.
I use the low speed for general engine cooling, with the upper radiator switch being the NAPA 87 deg on/82 deg off, completing ground for the main fan relay. I switch the main relay by a small 12v/10amp relay with power off the coil + wire to go on only with ignition.

The high speed fan is switched by the pressure sensor in the A/C line to go on when the A/C pressure drops at idle. This has been the best part of the whole conversion, giving me 48 deg at the vents at idle.

Also, I took out the temperature compensaion board and jumpered the pins to by-pass it. This gives you accurate temp readings. My gage is sitting at 8:30 most of the time (winter is about 7:00) and gently rises to ~9:30 then back down to 8:30 when the fan goes on. Prior to putting the lower switching NAPA switch the temp rose to nearly the bottom of the red, then came down when the fan went on.
 
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