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Electric Fan Override

reson46

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Kent, WA
Is there a way to hook up a relay or something to the auxilary electric fan so that it will continue to work as stock (with the AC on or when it hits a certain temperature) or through a manual switch? I would like to hook up a manual switch so that I can turn on the fan when I choose to, but I also want it to come on with the AC or when the engine warms up just in case I am not paying attention.

Thanks
 
Sure, many people have done this. Locate the relay, and run a wire from your toggle switch to the wire on the relay that receives an input signal from the ECU.

CAUTIOB: This works for the early ones. I'm not certain it's a good idea to back-feed to the ECU. To run an independent relay with your switch, just take the output from a new relay and use one of those 3M parallel taps to splice it to the power wire on the aux fan. That method requires a new relay but for your year I think it's safer than tying into the circuit with the ECU.
 
turbo city has a kit--A relay and a temp sensor/switch,on later models use a "T" fitting and plumb it into the thermostat housing along with the sensor for the ECU.place a switch in the wire from the relay to the sensor and have manual control.
Have this set up in mine so far so good.
Wayne
 
Wayne,

Do you know about how much the Turbo City kit is? I checked out their web site and couldn't find it. Or, is this something I could piece together myself?

Thanks for the help.
 
Turbo-City#640-115 $52.43 Fan Switch Kit
contains a 195* sensor/switch a relay and wire ends
Mounts to power distribution center for 12v supply, wire to hot side of fan motor,and wire from sensor/switch to relay.

Sensor closes--relay trips--fan runs.As it is set up it will run the fan with the engine off.
Wayne
 
That sounds great. Thanks for the help.
 
I might be in left field here, but i seem to remember that it is the ground that's being provided to the electric fan to kick it on. if that's true, then shouldn't it be just a matter of wiring a second ground you could control?
 
If this is true, is it as easy as hooking up a ground wire through a switch and splicing that into the existing ground wire? Would this create any problems for the existing ECU controls?

Thanks
 
I looked it up in my FSM and it's true for a 97 that the ground is provided to energize the cooling fan. I don't know if it would affect the ECU, it doesn't seem like it would to me, but hopefully someone with more electrical knowledge will chime in. If you find out anything else let me know, I would like to try this out also.
 
I am assuming that a 97 fan works the same as my 94?

Thanks
 
I have no idea if the fans are the same. My experience is limited to 85s and 97s. Does anyone know if they are the same or if the ground/switch idea would work?
 
quick question..if i hard wire my e-fan to a toglswich and ran the e-fan all the time with the eng running would that make it run to cool? i use it 90 % off road and maybe 10 % on the road..any imput would be helpfull

thanx
 
I think you'll have to try it and see. If the fan doesn't let the motor get to 210*, turn it off for a while. Shouldn't be much of an issue, probably help, when wheeling.
 
In my 90 I just wired a toggle switch directly to the relay and same with the battery. I didnt add a extra relay and have had no troubles so far. I run it mainly off road and rarely in stop n go traffic in high heat.
 
quick question..if i hard wire my e-fan to a toglswich and ran the e-fan all the time with the eng running would that make it run to cool? i use it 90 % off road and maybe 10 % on the road..any imput would be helpfull

thanx

I have an 88 and I did this. I have a toggle on my dash opposite the power trans switch. I pluged it in to the aux fuse so it turns on as soon as I start it up. I just leave the toggle in the on position that way I don't forget to turn it on while wheeln since we stop n go so much, and then it turns off when I turn the key off. I haven't had any overheating problems since I did this. It works great and I use mine the same almost all offroad.
 
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