The Dewitts radiator is a great addition too, it helped mine quite a bit and so did their Spal fan upgrade.
88 cooler fan switch?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
88 cooler fan switch?
To have the fans come on earlier can I simply buy a cooler switch or do I need to buy a hypertech to do this?
Been away from C4s for too long
Been away from C4s for too long
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Ill have to look into how to properly wire that up...not my strong suit.
Never cared for the high temps these come on at. Gets warm out here and like running a 160 stat and running temps below 200 unless its getting smogged that day.
Never cared for the high temps these come on at. Gets warm out here and like running a 160 stat and running temps below 200 unless its getting smogged that day.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 804
Likes: 5
From: Fresno CA
If your car has the dual fans, the primary fan (behind radiator) is controlled by the ECU and the secondary fan (in front of radiator) is controlled by the fan switch. Easiest way to do it is use the appropriate Hypertech Thermomaster chip (or possibly a Stage2 JET chip) in conjunction with a low temp fan switch and thermostat. I do a 70/30 distilled/coolant mix and one bottle of Redline Water Wetter. While you’re working on it, remove the upper radiator mounting panel and make sure your radiator isn’t plugged up with leaves and debris.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,383
Likes: 385
From: Leland , North Carolina
Have this guy program a chip for fans to come on earlier for $100 https://tunedperformance.org/
If you have an aux. fan get a temp switch for an 87 Buick grand national. Comes on at at 212 instead of of 220. If this doesn't keep your car cool you have other problems.
Do the maintenance as described above first.
If you have an aux. fan get a temp switch for an 87 Buick grand national. Comes on at at 212 instead of of 220. If this doesn't keep your car cool you have other problems.
Do the maintenance as described above first.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 27
From: St James New York
You can install a lower minimum operating temp thermostat and program your main ECM controlled fan to come on in conjunction with the lower thermostat opening temp.
Thermostats are available in 160* 170* and 180* opening temps. Ideally you would want the main fan to kick on 5~10* after the thermostat starts to open.
I'm running that setup with a DeWitts double row radiator in my '89 and it works very well at keeping coolant and engine oil temps down.
Do you have an auxiliary pusher fan mounted in front of your condenser? If you do you can get a lower coolant fan temp. switch to get it to turn on at a lower temp. This OEM auxiliary fan switches on at 238* and off at 220* (way to hot IMO) and is controlled by a thermal plug type switch mounted between the #1 and #3 cylinders in the drivers side head as mentioned above. A Hypertech ECM chip is pretty much only good for changing the main fan turn on temp. if you could find one for your model year, they recommend using a 160* thermostat with it for cooler running temps. No wiring required.
But before you do any of that make sure the thermostat your running now is opening and closing when it should, the radiator/condenser isn't clogged with leaves and crap, and the radiator pressure cap seals and is working as designed.
Thermostats are available in 160* 170* and 180* opening temps. Ideally you would want the main fan to kick on 5~10* after the thermostat starts to open.
I'm running that setup with a DeWitts double row radiator in my '89 and it works very well at keeping coolant and engine oil temps down.
Do you have an auxiliary pusher fan mounted in front of your condenser? If you do you can get a lower coolant fan temp. switch to get it to turn on at a lower temp. This OEM auxiliary fan switches on at 238* and off at 220* (way to hot IMO) and is controlled by a thermal plug type switch mounted between the #1 and #3 cylinders in the drivers side head as mentioned above. A Hypertech ECM chip is pretty much only good for changing the main fan turn on temp. if you could find one for your model year, they recommend using a 160* thermostat with it for cooler running temps. No wiring required.
But before you do any of that make sure the thermostat your running now is opening and closing when it should, the radiator/condenser isn't clogged with leaves and crap, and the radiator pressure cap seals and is working as designed.
Last edited by mako41; Jun 26, 2020 at 12:12 PM.
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 27
From: St James New York
In this 8 year old thread you claimed in post #2 you ran a hypertech chip for the lower fan kick on temp.??
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...yper-tech.html
"Easy way to have your fan come on earlier with a 160 stat you wont gain any performance though. worked for me as turning it on early was all I was after." What model year 'vette were you referring to then?
Seems to me you've answered your own question, 8 years ago. Maybe you forgot!
Last edited by mako41; Jun 26, 2020 at 11:46 AM.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 27
From: St James New York
It's controlled by both, main puller fan is ECM controlled, auxiliary pusher fan (if you have one) is controlled by a switch found between the #1 and #3 cylinders on the drivers side head.
Last edited by mako41; Jun 26, 2020 at 09:16 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Simplest way to turn on the main fan:
-turn on the AC, when in city traffic or after a 1/4 mile pass; don't need the fan on highway
-pull the AC pressure connector from the AC line to run the fan constantly (the method I use on my '88 & '89)
The main fan relay is just below the brake MC on the fender.
You could wire a sw to turn on that relay manually from inside the cabin.
You just need splice a wire into the ground input to the relay and run it through a hole in the firewall to the new manual sw inside.
-turn on the AC, when in city traffic or after a 1/4 mile pass; don't need the fan on highway
-pull the AC pressure connector from the AC line to run the fan constantly (the method I use on my '88 & '89)
The main fan relay is just below the brake MC on the fender.
You could wire a sw to turn on that relay manually from inside the cabin.
You just need splice a wire into the ground input to the relay and run it through a hole in the firewall to the new manual sw inside.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 27
From: St James New York
Simplest way to turn on the main fan:
-turn on the AC, when in city traffic or after a 1/4 mile pass; don't need the fan on highway
-pull the AC pressure connector from the AC line to run the fan constantly (the method I use on my '88 & '89)
The main fan relay is just below the brake MC on the fender.
You could wire a sw to turn on that relay manually from inside the cabin.
You just need splice a wire into the ground input to the relay and run it through a hole in the firewall to the new manual sw inside.
-turn on the AC, when in city traffic or after a 1/4 mile pass; don't need the fan on highway
-pull the AC pressure connector from the AC line to run the fan constantly (the method I use on my '88 & '89)
The main fan relay is just below the brake MC on the fender.
You could wire a sw to turn on that relay manually from inside the cabin.
You just need splice a wire into the ground input to the relay and run it through a hole in the firewall to the new manual sw inside.