ok, so i baught this 1986 z28, its runs good except for the fan isnt turning on. so at idle or in stop and go traffic it overheats. i was thinking that i could wire the fan to a swich. is this a good plan? if so could someone give me instructions on how to do it? i have reaserched it on the forum a bit but i just cant really find what im looking for i guess.
thanks,
Josh

 

I had the same problem and I couldn't figure it out, i think the thermostat was ffffed up so I just tapped into a hot accessory wire, so now the fan runs whenever the key is in the ignition....keeps it cool enough i guess

 

well does the fan turn on when the ? it should because we have an override in our cars so make sure your fan operates properly before you do it lol.

I had this issue and i decided to wire them to a switch mounted on my center console, very clean, tapped into my fuse block so its a protected circuit.

I HIGHLY suggest getting a relay for this, if you dont its just gonna be a hassle. I got a relay wiring kit off jegs to save myself the headache, it only takes about an hour if you know what your doing, i mounted it on the passenger side by the battery and ran the wires under the front using some conduit from autozone, drilled a hole in the firewall and ran the lines through then sealed it with silicone ( i suggest putting it through and existing hole if you want a factory look)

to break it down if you got the kit, the "switch" side of the relay would go to your fan, and the coil side would be run up into the cabin for the toggle switch, keep in mind the toggle switch would be used to turn on and off the power to the coil, which when closed, would close the contacts in the relay and turn the fan on. Its been a while since i did it but i remember it being pretty cut and dry with the instructions they provide.

Also nice on cold mornings when you wanna warm it up

 

Firstly, check for power at the relay, it should have 2 sources, an 'always hot' and a 'switched' power. If all is good, tap into the ground wire (was green on my '88 V6 single fan), and hook up a switch to ground.

When I first got mine, I had no 'always hot' power, turned out to be the fusable link was shot, I just bypassed it with a fused supply from the battery. Now the factory fan setup works, and I have it on a switch when I need it.

Sara Lou

 

First of all on the overheating issue I'd drain the rad/coolant from the block, remove the rad (should be 4 bolts on the top and two tranny cooler lines+hoses) take it to a rad shop and have it cleaned out. It should cost you about 55 dollars or so. You might also want to check into a better radiator since there isn't much airflow to it to begin with. A good 3 core will reduce your over all temps, and as for the fan, make sure its good (working motor and all) and then just wire up a toggle switch. Its not that hard, its what I did (but I brought the wire in thru the grommet in the firewall)

Just cause Im an idiot, what size are the upper fan bolts that hold the fan to the shroud on the single fan set ups? In my idiocy I neglected to tighten them back down after installing my new radiator (so naturally w/my luck they worked themselves out) and now my fan angles out. I dont want to just stick something there to hold it up, I'd like the actual bolts. Anyone able to help me out?

 

not sure exactly what size the bolts are but i can check...if you can't find any around that fit, just go to the JY and grab 2 out of a car

 

thank you for the quick responses. does anyone know the specific switch to get? i found a couple on jegs but i dont know witch one would be best. also, if you get the kit to wire the fan to a toggle switch, does it come with instructions? how could you test for a bad fan motor? sorry for all the questions, i just want to get my car working so i dont have to take the bus to school.

 

Any car toggle switch should work for the circuit, you just have to be able to cause an open in the circuit, the idea behind a simple switch.

heres a link to the jegs kit i got, comes with a circuit breaker, and relay so you just have to tap the power from a hot wire in the car, comes with instructions that are really easy to follow:

http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS/758607/10002/-1

 

tell me if I'm missing something here but....

jegs wiring kit = $30-$55

scrap wire and a RS switch = $.59

 

Uhhh Yeah I've got a grand total of about 5.00 in mine and w/the exception of the damn bolts backing out on me (from when I swapped radiators) it works perfectly. Its got an inline fuse some wire and a toggle switch. all purchased from autozone for the afore mentioned 5.00 usd. Its not hard at all.

 

im all for ghetto rigging but the kit is preffered, the wiring pays for itself because its all hooked up, it took me like an hour to do and its well worth it. Even though our cars CAN function on the inline fuse thing, i still dont think its smart to skimp on a wiring job especially something as important as your fan. Just need that, and add in a toggle switch and have fun

That kit will save your butt without the hassle of trying to run the wires yourself because that can be a bit overwhelming for some people

 

Good point MD, running wiring is not for everyone. I've been wiring up amps and various other things for the better part of 2 decades so its second nature to me. As for ghetto rigging, eh not so much, the wiring is concealed for the most part and the only thing readily visible as out of place is the inline fuse. The toggle switch is just a normal rocker style that I put in my dash. Its not fancy but its not just thrown together either. If I can find my damn camera chord I'll throw up some pix.

 

I didn't find tapping into the ground wire at the relay and running it through a switch to ground too overwhelming.

Works great, leaves the factory settings as they are, turns off with the ignition so it won't drain the battery, and no having to run lots of power feed wires everywhere (just one wire running to ground).

Sara Lou

 

well some people want a factory look, and some people steer clear of at home relay taps because if the car is ever sold, it makes a complete nightmare for the next owner trying to figure out wtf was changed, an aftermarket relay is much easier to spot than guessing how he/she rigged something

but to each his own.

 

Nightmare??
Its one wire, if you snip it, you have the factory setup left still fully functional (assuming the factory setup works), bit easier for the "new owner" to fathom than a whole rewire, new relays, power feed wires running everywhere, etc.

But each to their own....

Sara Lou

 

ok so i baught the kit off jegs, is sould be here within the next couple of days, i may need some help geeting it all right. also i have this sinking suspicion that the whole current fan setup is ghetto rigged. does anyone have a picture of a stock fan wiring? thanks again for all of the responses