Hi guys. I just got home with my new (to me) '89 IROC 5.7 TPI. It's got a single electric fan. I had to drive the car about three hours to get home. The temperature guage didn't move at all the entire drive home until I turned down my driveway. It INSTANTLY pegged itself at the top, and this *** awful whirring sound came from the nose. It's dark and I can't see it now, but I'm looking for ideas for the morning. Would it be a good guess to think that the fan is jacked first off for making that sound, and also that there is some type of short in the wiring harness to make the guage act like it does? I'd appreciate any help!

 

is most of your driving HIGHWAY driving?

 

Welcome and congrats. 89 5.7 TPI should have dual fans, in fact both TPI engines should come with dual fan setups. Look on the driver side above cylinder 1&3 and you will see a brass fitting with a single green(normally) wire. That is the guage sender. Make sure the wire has not come into contact with the exhaust manifold. When this happens the wire burns through touching ground and that will "peg" the guage. Look into the fan issue, I can't imagine anyone going from dual to single fan unless he put in a high velocity aftermarket one. Dan, 89 5.7 IROC
. Perhaps the seller still has the dual fan hardware-get it if you can. As I think, maybe if it is an aftermarket fan it's making some kind of noise. Keep us posted.

 

I know that the car had some front end damage, and that's probably why there is a single fan. The body shop that replaced everything probably tried to save some money by putting in a single fan. The frame checks out straight or I wouldn't have bought the car. Instead of screwing around with the single fan, how about putting in two 12" perma-cool's like RKK did in his car? I may be moving to the desert of Las Vegas soon, or I may just stay in the northern midwest. Either way, I want the coolant system to be able to handle the heat extremes of the desert. If the two perma-cool's won't handle the heat and I can't get my hands on a stock dual fan setup, what fan should I get?

 

Up to you, any dual fan setup should be fine. Then you already have the dual relays and wiring so depending on what way you go it should be a piece of cake.

 

I called all the junkyards around here, and would you believe NOBODY had any stock dual fan setups? What a bunch of

Anyway, I went ahead and ordered the two Perma-Cool fans from Jegs since summit was on backorder until June. If those don't keep the car cool, I think I'll just have to opt for the Stewart stage 2 water pump. Isn't that a shame? Thanks for all your input and help guys!

Oops... I forgot to mention that while I was in the buying mood, I ordered a new Jet fan switch too. I think it will turn out well.