Help with Taurus fan wiring..hoping to keep it simple!

So I picked up a taurus fan and a 75A switch for high and a 50A switch for low and plan to wire it up manually. I'm not going to mess with thermostats, just going to turn it on when I hop in my rig. It's not a DD.

I was also hoping to not have to mess with relays. I figure the switches have high enough Amps to not worry...?
I am using 10 guage wire and will use a big fuse in each wire too.


Do you guys see an issue without using relays in the setup? I know the taurus fan can draw alot of amps at start up...

Any opinions or info are appreciated!

Give me three GOOD reasons to pull that many amps through the firewall. Nope, you'll never convince me.

Three good reasons to NOT pull high amp wires through the firewall:
1) Shorter, high amp wire runs cost less money.
2) Shorter, high amp wire runs have less opportunity for a short to ground.
3) Getting help from someone who understands what you don't, is far better than burning your Jeep to the ground.

I hope you feel inspired to learn something new.

There are, indeed, no good reasons to eliminate the relays. If there were, the Factory would have done it.

If fact Vehicle Manufacturers did run without relays, for decades. And the vehicles had a tendency to burn right down to the ground. Then one day, a bright fellow noted that the risk of fire is removed if relays are installed.

Do you and your Heep a big favour, run the relays. And individual fuses for each leg of the fan.

The Heep you save will be yours...

Ok...you guys have me convinced. I guess now I just need to get my hands on some 4 pin(?) bosch relays and figure the wiring out. Anyone have a drawing of some sort to show how to wire the relay etc for setting it up without a thermostat? Pretty much all the write ups Ive seen are for thermostat setups.

Will a 50A relay be good for low and a 70A for high..?

Just grab a relay setup from a volvo, its the same fan as the taurus and can activate the high or low settings by just grounding a wire

XGarfX said:

Just grab a relay setup from a volvo, its the same fan as the taurus and can activate the high or low settings by just grounding a wire

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Ok, are the relays out of a certain year/model volvo..?

Many of the v70s? and other cars in the 2000s had the same fan and relay in volvos. I'm not 100% sure of every volvo car that has them but if you have a junkyard near you and there are a few volvos there I'm sure a few will have them.

When I went looking for my volvo fan I saw a few different models parked at the junkyard and 9 out of 10 of them had it. I saw only two different other setups in the volvos, one was with a belt driven clutch fan and the other was a dual fan setup.. The rest all had the same exact fan and relay setup as the one I'm speaking of, the fans are even removable from the shroud so you can make it fit however you want.

Heres a good video showing the relay and the fan... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-954_wpRWsQ

This thread also has given me many ideas even tho its for a yj its a similar concept - http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/volvo-fan-swap-1373350/

You will most likely have to cut off the fan mount on our xjs and use a shorter belt, I have been contemplating just using a stock xj aux fan and using the volvo fan that I got, I think I'm gona give the volvo fan setup a shot. I plan on using a fan switch in the upper radiator hose to activate the fan as well, I want it to work and look OEM and work reliably. Hope this helps!

XGarfX said:

This thread also has given me many ideas even tho its for a yj its a similar concept - http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/volvo-fan-swap-1373350/

Click to expand...

That is a good write up!

I don't see any amperage ratings for the Volvo relay, I like numbers. It seems pretty fool-proof in that the post says energizing both coils results in high speed operation only. I'd want to verify that voltage is not present on the low speed wire with both coils energized.

To the OP, it is important to power the high speed wire, or the low speed wire, not both at the same time. If you buy two relays to run the fan, a "SPDT center off" switch will help keep the circuits seperated. Decide what you want to try, we'll have to draw a diagram for it. After searching for simple line diagrams on the interweb, I gave up.

Hypoid said:

To the OP, it is important to power the high speed wire, or the low speed wire, not both at the same time. If you buy two relays to run the fan, a "SPDT center off" switch will help keep the circuits seperated. Decide what you want to try, we'll have to draw a diagram for it. After searching for simple line diagrams on the interweb, I gave up.

Click to expand...

Ok, I was thinking of running 2 totally separate switches for hi and low, but I should be alright if I find one with on-off-on right? Havent found any good 3 way switches locally yet. I am on my relay search now as well.
I appreciate the input!

I run the relays from the Donor Ford. Including all of the wiring. Just transplanted it and made a couple of control mods as my installation is different than others.

The Taurus relays have a small box they sit in. Three relays in all.

heres the relay if you want to buy it new - http://www.swedishautoparts.com/shop/search.php?MaxCount=10&gogo=2&extra=3523872&myCat1

Look at that thread I posted above with the install of the fan in a yj, there are wiring diagrams and everything. Ignore the fact that it says "volvo" fan becuase the fan is EXACTLY the same as the taurus fan, as in same size blades and uses the same exact fan motor. If that relay setup can handle a volvo fan it can handle the taurus fan. It also makes it easy to operate both speeds, it wont burn up the fan by running both speeds at the same time.

I just got everythign from the junkyard so I could keep all the connectors and everything so it will look more factory when I install it.

^^Would the fan being the same be due to Ford owning Volvo? I do believe it is...

Which ever fan is the least expensive is the way to go. As XGarfX has pointed out, they are the same part...

dubbleJ's said:

So I picked up a taurus fan and a 75A switch for high and a 50A switch for low and plan to wire it up manually.

Click to expand...

He already has the Taurus fan.

I had a Taurus fan once, in a Taurus, never had problems with the fan or relays.

I tried to look up relays for a '90 Taurus, the fan relay looked like the controller used in some other models. I tried googling "70 amp relay," found several online. I notice the Hella brand lists O'Reilly as a distributor. Try looking up relay on any auto parts website. I couldn't get past the Y-M-M screen, I doubt the parts monkey can do any better. Don't even get me started on the blank screen under the specifications tab.

Not to deride you in any way garf, but, would you cite your source? I have a jaded view of any information that is available on the interwebzzzzz. That is why I like to see manufacturer's specifications, ratings, etc.

Thanks!

Hypoid said:

Not to deride you in any way garf, but, would you cite your source? I have a jaded view of any information that is available on the interwebzzzzz. That is why I like to see manufacturer's specifications, ratings, etc.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

My source for being able to use the volvo relay with a taurus fan?

Can I cite myself? LOL I know for a fact that the motor on the fan laying in my garage (volvo fan) has the exact same motor as the taurus fan. I know the OP already has a taurus fan but for anyone else wanting to do a taurus fan mod or something similar I think the volvo setup is just better overall. If you watch the video I posted you can see that the motors and blades are the same, the key difference in favor of the volvo fan is that very nearby and still attached to the volvo fan is the relay pack, and the actual fan itself is removable from the shroud. If you remove the fan it still keeps the plugs, wires, and that relay pack with it.

Like I said I don't have any "numbers" per say, but what I do know is that the fans are exactly the same with those minor differences I noted above. Even if you already have the taurus fan I would use that relay pack unless your buying a PWM controller, the volvo relays are already setup so that if you activate both speeds it automatically goes straight to the high setting which prevents burning up the motor. I also like that the controller/relays are GROUND activated, meaning if you want to run it to a switch you don't have to run power inside the cabin.

Well I have finally got time to get back into this project. I have the fan trimmed and mounted, cut off the clutch fan pulley etc and am ready to wire.
I am going out to try and buy two 4 pin relays, one 40A and one 70A.

What amp will the on-off-on switch i purchase need to be? Is 20A ok if I am using relays?
I will also use maxi fuses on the 2 lines going to the battery, i just need to hit up a stereo store to get the fuse holders. Should I use 70A maxi fuses as the fan spikes at start up or is a lesser amp enough?

I found this picture on another forum, will this be a good and simple way to wire it up? Something about wiring, relays etc just doesnt click in my head lol.

Also, what gauge wire should I use for this? 10 guage from the battery to relay, and a smaller gauge for the rest of it?

Thanks very much for all the info!

If you want to eliminate the relays use the switches to close the ground circuit and make sure you have fuses on the power wires.

jeeperjohn said:

If you want to eliminate the relays use the switches to close the ground circuit and make sure you have fuses on the power wires.

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I have wised up and decided to use relays as per most people's recommendations... I just need to know the proper way to wire it up. Does that diagram I posted look right? And can I use a smaller gauge wire to run into the cab?

Here is a write up I found awhile ago and booked marked for when I ever get around to install my Taurus fan.

http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoTaurusFanInstall3.htm