Ecklers fan kit confusion..
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 378
Likes: 1
From: Fremont NH
Ecklers fan kit confusion..
On my 1989 L98..
I am slightly confused by the 'apparently' easy directions that come with this kit... I got the kit with the sensor that goes in the drivers side head between 1 and 3 and has a 2 wire 'harness'
I had previously put a 180 stat in the car and now I want to add the kit..I got the one that turns on the fan at 195 but according to the directions my cars main fan is turned on by the ECM.. and the kit turns on the aux fan?
(Yes, my car has the aux fan according to the RPO codes)
Is there a way to wire this so the main fan turns on at 195 instead of 226 (or thereabouts)?
Cruising down the highway the car runs just over 180 but in traffic on a 90 degree day it climbs right up till the fan kicks on.. I'd like the fan to kick on sooner so I'm hoprful this kit will do the trick but it's late, my brain is tired from hours of reassembly and I really want to add coolant and get this thing fired up tomorrow.. (just replaced head gaskets)
Thanks,
I am slightly confused by the 'apparently' easy directions that come with this kit... I got the kit with the sensor that goes in the drivers side head between 1 and 3 and has a 2 wire 'harness'
I had previously put a 180 stat in the car and now I want to add the kit..I got the one that turns on the fan at 195 but according to the directions my cars main fan is turned on by the ECM.. and the kit turns on the aux fan?
(Yes, my car has the aux fan according to the RPO codes)
Is there a way to wire this so the main fan turns on at 195 instead of 226 (or thereabouts)?
Cruising down the highway the car runs just over 180 but in traffic on a 90 degree day it climbs right up till the fan kicks on.. I'd like the fan to kick on sooner so I'm hoprful this kit will do the trick but it's late, my brain is tired from hours of reassembly and I really want to add coolant and get this thing fired up tomorrow.. (just replaced head gaskets)
Thanks,
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,884
Likes: 3
From: Magnolia Mississippi
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
You can just wire in a switch (radio shack) to manually turn on the main fan, its here somewhere, just search, advanced, include archives and you should find it... then you can just turn on the fan anytime....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,838
Likes: 31
From: Australia
The ECM turns the fan on by earthing the relay.
By cutting the switch you have, into the line to the ECM the new switch will turn on (earth out ) the fans at the set temp.
The ECM will still turn on the fans if the switch fails.
As vinnies87 said , has been well documented here.
Not sure about the "2 wires" .Early models only had 1 wire to the switch which only controlled the 2nd fan.
By cutting the switch you have, into the line to the ECM the new switch will turn on (earth out ) the fans at the set temp.
The ECM will still turn on the fans if the switch fails.
As vinnies87 said , has been well documented here.
Not sure about the "2 wires" .Early models only had 1 wire to the switch which only controlled the 2nd fan.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
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Cruise-In II Veteran
Not sure if this helps,but on my former 86 with the back up fan,I bought the kit to turn on BOTH fans at the same time.
What I had to do with the kit was use a splice to hook it up to the main fan relay-one of the wires from the harness- its under or near the brake booster area and then run the kit wire to the back up fan relay near the hood up front and splice in.
Basically,youre taking the signal from the main fan and passing it along to the back up fan so it activates the same time.So it makes both fans come on the same time.
The kit gave me a a small plastic splice to crimp on the signal wire on the main fan relay and attach it to the back up relay up front.Does this help any?
The back up fan wont come on until the car overheats,and running both fans,albeit noisy,really does bring down the temps under there during HOT summer days.
Hope this helps some.I think I got my kit from MAD vettes years ago.
Wish I could remember it word for word.
What I had to do with the kit was use a splice to hook it up to the main fan relay-one of the wires from the harness- its under or near the brake booster area and then run the kit wire to the back up fan relay near the hood up front and splice in.
Basically,youre taking the signal from the main fan and passing it along to the back up fan so it activates the same time.So it makes both fans come on the same time.
The kit gave me a a small plastic splice to crimp on the signal wire on the main fan relay and attach it to the back up relay up front.Does this help any?
The back up fan wont come on until the car overheats,and running both fans,albeit noisy,really does bring down the temps under there during HOT summer days.
Hope this helps some.I think I got my kit from MAD vettes years ago.
Wish I could remember it word for word.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,845
Likes: 30
Not sure if this helps,but on my former 86 with the back up fan,I bought the kit to turn on BOTH fans at the same time.
What I had to do with the kit was use a splice to hook it up to the main fan relay-one of the wires from the harness- its under or near the brake booster area and then run the kit wire to the back up fan relay near the hood up front and splice in.
Basically,youre taking the signal from the main fan and passing it along to the back up fan so it activates the same time.So it makes both fans come on the same time.
The kit gave me a a small plastic splice to crimp on the signal wire on the main fan relay and attach it to the back up relay up front.Does this help any?
The back up fan wont come on until the car overheats,and running both fans,albeit noisy,really does bring down the temps under there during HOT summer days.
Hope this helps some.I think I got my kit from MAD vettes years ago.
Wish I could remember it word for word.
What I had to do with the kit was use a splice to hook it up to the main fan relay-one of the wires from the harness- its under or near the brake booster area and then run the kit wire to the back up fan relay near the hood up front and splice in.
Basically,youre taking the signal from the main fan and passing it along to the back up fan so it activates the same time.So it makes both fans come on the same time.
The kit gave me a a small plastic splice to crimp on the signal wire on the main fan relay and attach it to the back up relay up front.Does this help any?
The back up fan wont come on until the car overheats,and running both fans,albeit noisy,really does bring down the temps under there during HOT summer days.
Hope this helps some.I think I got my kit from MAD vettes years ago.
Wish I could remember it word for word.
Last edited by Da Mail Man; May 26, 2007 at 06:57 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,642
Likes: 5
From: One day you're a Comet...the next day you're dust... Arkansas
On my 1989 L98..
I am slightly confused by the 'apparently' easy directions that come with this kit... I got the kit with the sensor that goes in the drivers side head between 1 and 3 and has a 2 wire 'harness'
I had previously put a 180 stat in the car and now I want to add the kit..I got the one that turns on the fan at 195 but according to the directions my cars main fan is turned on by the ECM.. and the kit turns on the aux fan?
(Yes, my car has the aux fan according to the RPO codes)
Is there a way to wire this so the main fan turns on at 195 instead of 226 (or thereabouts)?
Cruising down the highway the car runs just over 180 but in traffic on a 90 degree day it climbs right up till the fan kicks on.. I'd like the fan to kick on sooner so I'm hoprful this kit will do the trick but it's late, my brain is tired from hours of reassembly and I really want to add coolant and get this thing fired up tomorrow.. (just replaced head gaskets)
Thanks,
I am slightly confused by the 'apparently' easy directions that come with this kit... I got the kit with the sensor that goes in the drivers side head between 1 and 3 and has a 2 wire 'harness'
I had previously put a 180 stat in the car and now I want to add the kit..I got the one that turns on the fan at 195 but according to the directions my cars main fan is turned on by the ECM.. and the kit turns on the aux fan?
(Yes, my car has the aux fan according to the RPO codes)
Is there a way to wire this so the main fan turns on at 195 instead of 226 (or thereabouts)?
Cruising down the highway the car runs just over 180 but in traffic on a 90 degree day it climbs right up till the fan kicks on.. I'd like the fan to kick on sooner so I'm hoprful this kit will do the trick but it's late, my brain is tired from hours of reassembly and I really want to add coolant and get this thing fired up tomorrow.. (just replaced head gaskets)
Thanks,
You will need a 22mm socket and a pan to catch about 3 quarts of coolant when you pull that sensor. Also use anti sieze when you put it back in.
This is what I did, and my main fan has yet to come on this year except with the AC on.
BTW you won't need the wirig harness, just use the existing plug.
Last edited by BADDUCK; May 26, 2007 at 10:19 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 378
Likes: 1
From: Fremont NH
Another option is to just install the switch sensor to turn on the aux fan (boost fan) early. That way you can cool in stages. Aux on at 195* and off at 180*. Your main fan will stay under control of the ECM and come on at 228* and off at 217* IIRC. That way you are not pounding both fan motors all the time. Your aux fan motor should be pretty fresh since it doesn't come on now until about 238*.
You will need a 22mm socket and a pan to catch about 3 quarts of coolant when you pull that sensor. Also use anti sieze when you put it back in.
This is what I did, and my main fan has yet to come on this year except with the AC on.
BTW you won't need the wirig harness, just use the existing plug.
You will need a 22mm socket and a pan to catch about 3 quarts of coolant when you pull that sensor. Also use anti sieze when you put it back in.
This is what I did, and my main fan has yet to come on this year except with the AC on.
BTW you won't need the wirig harness, just use the existing plug.
Seriously?
Just plug the existing single wire connector into the new sensor? easy as that?
That just seems to easy
( and nothing ever is for me 
)Can I make sure the aux fan works by grounding that single wire that attaches to the sensor? or is it not that easy?
edit: This first picture shows the sensor in the radiator.. Is that the coolant temp sensor for the display on the dash? or is this the one that reports to the ECM so the main fans can be turned on?
This next picture is of the new sensor from the Ecklers kit installed in the drivers head.. I used the new plug since the old one had broken plastics. I just spliced the 2 wires coming out of the new plug together and then joined them to the original wire that went to the old sensor.. it was a green wire with a white stripe.
and this last one of the 2 relays up next to the brake cylinder on the inner fenderwell... Is it safe to assume these are the fan control relays for the main and aux fans? (If the old wiring hooked up to the new sensor doesn't work, This is where I can run the new 'harness' wires to?)
Thanks~
Last edited by SEA4; May 26, 2007 at 12:48 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by SEA4
Seriously?
Can I make sure the aux fan works by grounding that single wire that attaches to the sensor? or is it not that easy?
Can I make sure the aux fan works by grounding that single wire that attaches to the sensor? or is it not that easy?
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Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
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From: The Top of Utah
The sensor in the radiator is the low coolant sensor. The ECT (Engine Coolant Temperature) sensor is located in the front of the base of your intake manifold. It is the ECT sensor that feeds the ECM which controls the main fan. You can't sub, or mess with, the ECT sensor because the ECM uses that info to control the engine, also. The left head has the aux fan temp switch, as you know. The same hole in right head (toward the rear of the head) has the IP temp gauge sending unit.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 378
Likes: 1
From: Fremont NH
I've pulled the codes before and had the fan come on.. I assumed it was the main fan and not the aux fan.. I want to be sure the aux fan runs before I commit to that one being the one that turns on at 195..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,642
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From: One day you're a Comet...the next day you're dust... Arkansas
If you sit in the car as it warms up you can actually observe the fan come on. It will slighty dim the digi-dash for a second and the temp will stop climbing as fast once you reach the switch temp. Just remember those two sensors aren't exactly in synch, so it may not be exactly at 195 on the digi-gauge.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 378
Likes: 1
From: Fremont NH
Success~!
Head gasket job is done.. and the fan kit works fine.
At first the car wouldn't start.. Did you know that you need 8 wires attached to the spark plugs, not just 4??
completely forgot the passenger side before trying the key
Once the car was running I got some smoke under the hood from stuff burning off the exhaust, but the car is running smoothly with no apparent leaks. Throttle response is good, even the coolant has stayed full since I was able to fill the system through the thermostat opening.
Once the temp hit 199 the aux fan kicked on and the car stayed right at 196 - 200 for 5 minutes until I shut it down.
After the kids go to bed I'll put the front tires back on and take it off the jack stands and take it for a spin.. Can't wait to drive it again instead of wrench on it ~
Head gasket job is done.. and the fan kit works fine.
At first the car wouldn't start.. Did you know that you need 8 wires attached to the spark plugs, not just 4??
completely forgot the passenger side before trying the key Once the car was running I got some smoke under the hood from stuff burning off the exhaust, but the car is running smoothly with no apparent leaks. Throttle response is good, even the coolant has stayed full since I was able to fill the system through the thermostat opening.
Once the temp hit 199 the aux fan kicked on and the car stayed right at 196 - 200 for 5 minutes until I shut it down.
After the kids go to bed I'll put the front tires back on and take it off the jack stands and take it for a spin.. Can't wait to drive it again instead of wrench on it ~
