This morning big brown truck dropped off the e-fan I bought from Durango Boy - thanks Matt!

It took about 4 hours to install as it was the first time I've pulled the radiator so a little bit of learning curve. Picked up a controller kit at the local auto parts store, some angle aluminum at Lowes and voila!

The only thing I have noticed is that the dash temp gauge is reading a bit higher than normal approx. 210-215. The fan comes goes on an off fine and cools fine. The thermostat probe is supposed to be a 185* on and 165* off, so I don't know if it is not in the correct location (3" below and in from the left top of the rad) or if the dash gauge is inaccurate.

She runs much smoother that with the mechanical fan.

Thanks again Matt.

Brad

 

Glad I could help out. Is it loud?

The symptom you are having is why I ended up using a water temp switch that goes int the engine. The probe being in the radiator means the engine gets hotter waiting for the radiator to reach it's turn on position. Remember, the radiator is getting air through it and the engine has NO cooling until that fan kicks on. Once the air cooled radiator reaches 185, it kicks the fan on, but by then it's let the engine reach a higher than normal temperature.

I personally LOVE doing things twice... ...but I would almost suggest you take that control kit back to the store and order this T-stat switch.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

You can install it into the passenger head's water passage, and use it as the ground for a 30 or 40 amp relay that controls the fan. Just run a 12V constant from the alternator lug to the relay for 12V constant to the fan. Trigger the relay with a switched 12V source so the fan will never run unless the engine is on, and run the ground from the relay to the new T-stat switch in the head.

The switch will not close the ground on the circuit until it reached 185. Then the relay will get a ground and so long as the IGN is on, the relay will send power to the fan, and it will run until it cools to 165. At that point the T-stat switch opens the ground, and breaks the circuit to the relay, in effect turning off the fan until the temp gets back up to 185.

Just ground the fan wire to the core support.

That's a really good reliable way to control the fan as far as I'm concerned.

 

I'm also part of the "doing things twice for the fun..." crowd

The kit I used should still work as it has the 30 amp relay, a/c wire option and all the other wiring. The probe has 2 connections - a switched/ignition on power source and the other going to the relay. So, it is providing the power trigger to the relay vs the ground. Same net result as I see it - but am open to edumacation.

Could not your type temp switch work the same way? If not, then it will be a simple re-wire issue.

Where in a stock L-82 could I add this type switch? Unlike you, I still have my heater connected.

Thanks

 

The problem is the probe. It's designed to give you a turn on based on radiator temp, and the switch I linked has a more accurate engine temp result. If you can find a way to mix the switch and the probe go for it but off of the top of my head I don't see it working well together.

The switch could easily go in the passenger head port. The driver's side port has the temp sender for the gauge but I don't recall what would be in your passenger head.

If that port is taken you can probably get a water neck that has a bung built in. So long as the T-stat opens at 180, or maybe get a 165, then the fluid will still flow through the radiator before the fan kick on.

 

DB, I agree with the probe not getting an accurate reading. For the benefit of anyone else who maybe monitoring this, the plan is to "replace" the probe with your type switch. Whether it is wired to the relay to establish the ground circuit or to trigger the relay with power shouldn't matter unless your type switch doesn't like power.