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Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

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Old 09-11-2017, 07:19 PM
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Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

Hi, I have a 1988 Pontiac Trans Am with 305 tpi motor,can someone please post of photo of where exactly the fan switch lead is to ground out one fan so it runs all the time. Or how to get both fans to stay on until the key is turned off.

Its been over 100 and they aren't coming on until it's dangerously close to the red zone and then they run only for a little while. I've been running the ac so the fans would run all the time but the compressed blew the seal today and now I have to replace that.

If someone has an easy way to just get them to run so I don't overheat that would be great.
Old 09-11-2017, 07:45 PM
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Re: Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

I know the fan switch was in different locations on different size engines. Hopefully someone can help me figure this out tonight so I can drive this thing without worrying about overheating
Old 09-11-2017, 08:55 PM
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Re: Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

This thread may help you....

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/cool...an-switch.html
Old 09-12-2017, 02:47 AM
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Re: Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

Thanks I read the thread. What is the "Aldl" people keep referencing? I wish people would not always use acronyms for everything and just assume all the rest of us know what it means.
If someone just has an easy answer to getting both the fans to run,that's what I am interested in.
Old 09-12-2017, 02:54 AM
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Re: Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

Can someone post a photo showing exactly where this connector is so I can jumper it to run all the time? I can't tell from this photo. (Again,I have an 88 trans am,305 tpi) I assume the thin white wire is the one they added?
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Old 09-12-2017, 01:48 PM
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Re: Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

I am a newbie myself, but spent a lot of time recently doing research on fan issues because I had a problem with my fan which the previous owner had rewired in let's just say not a normal manner.

First, the term "ALDL" from the thread I had posted for you to look at - I believe what they are referencing is the connector under your dashboard (driver side) that let's you read engine codes from your ECM - sometimes referred to OBD1. I believe there is a trick out there that basically you manually connect a ground wire to one of the pins, and your rad fan should automatically start running.

That said, I believe both your primary fan (driver side) and secondary fan (passenger side) have a relays near the radiator. I believe the secondary fan relay is near the passenger side headlight motor, and the driver side relay is on the passenger side near the radiator.

The primary (driver side) fan relay should run off a temperature switch that is on the passenger side of the engine. The secondary (passenger side) fan relay should run off a switch connected to your AC.

Because the previous owner of my car had already hacked the wires, I basically just found the wires from the fan, disconnected them, and ran them off a brand new relay I installed that is triggered on when the car is running. I plan to eventually add a new temperature sensor that could trigger the relay when the car is hot but for now it just runs as soon as the car is started.
Old 09-12-2017, 04:08 PM
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Re: Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

I'm unsure about the relays on dual fan cars, I think it's just a relay for each fan. They should be on your firewall to the right, near the brake booster. It'll have a thick black wire with a red stripe going into it. On my car the relay is roundish and all I did was run a Ground from the green wire and my fan comes on with key ON. Love running 130F in dead stopped traffic

You're probably gonna need ur fans on with all the bad guy chasing you do!
Old 09-12-2017, 08:31 PM
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Re: Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

Each fan relay has four wires. One big one is from the positive terminal near the battery. The other big one often black with red stripe goes to the fan positive side. One small wire is 12 volts with the key on. The other wire gets grounded either from the ECM (driver side fan relay and fan) or the fan switch
(passenger side fan and relay) and actuates the relay, making the 12 volts
going into the relay go back down the other wire to run the fan. Other side of fan is connected to ground causing it to run! All you need to do is tap into the wire that gets that ground signal and grounds it to somewhere. Now the fan runs with key on whether or not the engine is running. Piece of cake. That's more fan running than you will need or want, but gives you time to work on getting it better. Have fun!
Old 09-14-2017, 02:59 PM
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Re: Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

Did that work OK for you?
Old 10-13-2017, 08:23 PM
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Re: Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

Aot of owners want this fixed correctly.truth is ,install a switch hot wire ground wire, run it when you want.works for most (87 305 carbureted base model) as far as forgetting to turn it of?unless your hard of hearing you will remember. Or get to know your wiring harness. myself I have other things that need attention on car also, problem solved simply.
Old 10-14-2017, 05:54 PM
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Re: Need help jumpering fans 88 trans am

Evey one should book mark or save to file this link = https://chevroletforum.com/forum/gen...cronyms-11094/

Just scroll down to see the "acronyms" you will need.

The ALDL looks like this and is under the front dash by the drivers left knee.
Its a small plastic square box with a open front that looks like this.


Last edited by Ron U.S.M.C.; 10-14-2017 at 06:01 PM.
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