Before I get flamed, I just wanted to say that I did use the search function for the past two days and tried everything I could find on this site and I firebirdnation.com. Now I'm lost and really starting to get mad. It is hard for me to get a response at firebird nation so hopeful you guys can help. First grap an AMP energy drink cause this is a long one. Okay, I noticed that the passenger side fan of my 89 Formula 350 never comes on. The driver's side comes on at about 240 degrees. I have a 180 degree thermostat in the car to help keep cool. Anyway, there is no power going to the relay by the firewall. Do I have the right relay? It has a red wire, black wire with white stripe, brown with white stripe, blue wire, and orange wire running to it. On this site, it is the same one pictured as a fan relay. Why does it get no power? I would like to manually control the fans with a toggle switch but be able to control them seperately of each other. Please help me fix problem. I have located the fan switch but there isn't alot of room to stick my hand in there so how do I replace it? Do I go from under the car? I know these are alot of questions and it is overwhelming but I know someone on here has the answers and hopefully can help me. Thanks ahead of time for any help that you guys can give me. I apprieciate it more than you could ever realize!

 

I can give you a little info that may or may not help. I am not up on Firebirds, I drive an `88 Iroc 383 TPI so I don`t know what differences there are between cars. Anyone please feel free to correct anything I write as I have looked for some of the same questions he asks and have not found the answers. Ok, on my dual fan Iroc, the drivers side fan is the primary with the fan relay on the passenger side radiator support. The secondary fan on the passenger side has the relay on the passenger side fender by the battery-I think Firebird and Camaro have batterys on different sides. The secondary fan only comes on when the air is turned on under 40mph or the engine temp gets over 234. The primary fan is controlled by the ECM(computer) and the fan switch in the passenger side head between # 6 & # 8. Try running your car to operating temp, open the hood, turn on your air and watch to see if the fan turns on. If it idles long enough, both fans should come on if everything is working correctly. If a fan is not working, it could be the fan switch or a fan relay. I will do a search and see what I can find. If you are new, you may not have access to all the info you need on this site.

 

Thanks! No seriously, Thanks alot! You have NO IDEA how happy I am not only to get a response but for you to tell me in such easy to understand instructions. Yes, I'm new to this forum but been on firebirdnation for quite a while. I don't post that much cause everything you need is in the search portion. With the air on and car at 240 degrees, passenger side fan doesn't come on. Still no power to that relay and I was thinking about making a switch that would ground the fan switch on the passenger side head. Would that get my car down to 200 degrees at idle? Thanks again! Too bad you don't understand how much this help me. I guess you'd have to feel like giving up and taking it to a garage to know what I'm going through.

 

Ok, hope this will help. I found an old post asking for fan relay location for an `89 Formula 350, different than my `88 Iroc, and here was the answer: open the hood, face the firewall, you will see 3 relays on the drivers side firewall. The relay on the left is the fuel pump, the center is the primary/driver side relay and the one on the right is the passenger/secondary fan relay. Lets hope someone gives you more info on this. If you still have a factory fan switch you may want to change it because of the 180 thermostat you are using. I think the factory settings are around 222 for the primary fan switch to come on, with your thermostat you can get a Jet fan switch from Summit or Jegs, maybe a parts store that comes on at 200 and off at 185 or lower. I hear that the easiest way to access the fan switch on the passenger head is from under the car.

 

It is my understanding that you can ground the fan switch wire and the fan should come on. You can hook it up to a switch if you want to. I understand what you are going through. I became disabled last year and can`t do much on my car any more but I keep trying. Do a search for Dyno Don /fan switch and if you can find his old post about this, he explains how to do it. You only want to use the ground wire, not any power wires to have your fan turn on with a switch.

 

On my 87 GTA, the middle and outer relays are for the MAF, and the fuel pump. Identical relays, and interchangeable.

 

We are looking for `89 Formula, not `87. Are both of yours the same or are they different? I believe `87 was a transition year for Camaro, I`m not sure about Pontiac.

 

If you have a single wire going to the fan switch, it operates by being grounded through the sensor, so you can connect it to ground and it will work. If you have a two wire set-up, it won't work. Charles

 

Thanks, I spliced the wire going to the relay on the passenger side inner fender and put a switch in the car, then grounded the other side. I hit the switch and the fan kicks on no matter what the temperature is outside. Best part is it shuts off when you take out the key. I left on the switch by accident and when I came out, I was like, OH MAN, but the battery wasn't dead, the fans kicked off when I turn the car off. You guys are awesome. Thanks again.