Coolant fan switch question
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,387
Likes: 691
From: Boise ID
Coolant fan switch question
I have a 180º thermostat and recently purchased a 200º/185º fan switch from MAD. Well the fan turns on at 195º and I presume it wants to close off about 180º. Trouble is my thermostat closes about 182º. Should I spend my time sending the switch back hoping for one the shuts off at higher temp or just get a 160º stat and be done with it :confused:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,040
Likes: 2
From: BowlingGreen KY
Re: Coolant fan switch question (87SAM)
I've got a 180 thermo and the fan switch, I've had no problems with the fan shutting off. I would check on a slightly lower thermo if your fans are not shutting off. Do they make a 175 thermo? Depending on how old your 180 is maybe you should get a new one and see if that helps.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Re: Coolant fan switch question (87SAM)
Opinions seem to be all over the map, on this on this subject. I thought mine ran too cold with the 160* stat. I went to a 180* stat and a switch that turns on at 205* and off about 195*. The only time my fan comes on, now, is when I'm idling or really creaping in traffic, even on 100+ degree days. To me, this is an ideal situation. You'll get other opinions, but I would go for a different switch. I think I had a MAD switch for a while. None of them operate precisely as advertised. I ended up at a friendly auto parts store where they let me "play" with their catalog. In the back of the book there was a "numerical" section with pictures and specs. I picked the ones that had a connecter that looked like the one I wanted. Then I verified the thread size, and finally the on/off temps. I paid less than half MAD's price. Because of tolerances, my on /off isn't exactly what the book showed, but the 205*/195* that it IS, works well for me. Happy hunting and good luck.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 900
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Re: Coolant fan switch question (87SAM)
Do you by any chance have a primary and secondary fan on your car? I have a dual fan set up on my car and I wired the fans to work in tandem when I installed the low temp fan switch. The fans kick on at about 200-202 degrees and they shut off at about 180 degrees. I also have a 180 degree thermostat. The set up works very nice and I haven't experienced any over or under cycling of the fans turning off or on.
