help

Hi. I need instructions to make a toggle switch for the fan relay. Fan only comes on when i use a jumper wire in the relay. So, everytime i go somewhere, i have to pop the hood, insert the jumper wire, & then pop the hood, and take out the jumper wire when i get there. i have traced the relay wires as far as i can see and reach, and checked the wires with a test light. fuse is good. replaced the relay from a "pick&pull" car graveyard. just want to do a toggle switch now. This is what i need to know:

the starting point for the wires, where to route them, & connect them

*o~o*kimberley*o~o*

 

Which wires are you jumping?

 

The hot wire tothe fan, after the relay, is where to put the toggle switch. Run the hot to the "off" side of the switch and then run a new wire from the "on" side to the fan.

 

thank you for replying. i have never toggled before so i just want to be certain cuz im a little nervous. but not afraid. the red wire is the one that lights up w/o the car on. this would be the hot? (know your laughing)
kimberley

 

The relay is there because the fan draws more current than you want to put through a switch.

The large red wire you're speaking of always has power. The normal fan switch energizes the relay by grounding the relay magnetic circuit, the other small wires on the relay. One of those wires should get power when you turn on the ignition - the other one is grounded to complete the circuit and close the relay contacts, putting power to the fan.

It would be best to use your toggle switch to energize the relay, rather than power the fan directly.

 

thank you. i understand what your saying. i will let you know how it turns out. will write on saturday night.
kimberley

 

The fans aren't designed for 100% duty cycle.
The wire you need to toggle is the one that the ECM controls unless the ECM fan driver (drives it to ground) is faulty you should trace the wire to find the disconnect and repair it, or not, just my 2 cents.

 

I agree with tracing the wires properly.
Lots of power needed for the fan.
If a toggle is The only option, At least toggle it across a higher power relay.
This would ensure that you do not have the chance of an electrical fire somewhere.
If you need a diagram for this I'd be happy to oblige.
All you would need is a 4 pin relay and a toggle switch.
I'd definitely go that way rather than just a bare switch.
However it comes to mind that if you're jumping across the relay then the relay you have may be bad.

EDIT: find attached a quick diagram of what you need if you must use a toggle.
Finding the fault would be the best bet though.

 

thank you. i put in a toggle that powers the relay and not the fan directly. i am happy with how it is performing. thank you for your help.
Kimberley
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okay, the toggle switch is installed, and working well. and im glad it is mentioned that the fault needs to be found in the wiring. i totally agree. ignoring it and going past it works, but its not the right long term solution. i hate half assed measures. okay, on my relay, the brown is the fan fuse, green/white is the ECM, and then the red & red/black. the ECM is where i think a fault lies too since i can jump the relay, and now toggle the relay.
what should i do to find the fault?

 

Well what you've actually done is the job of the ECM.
The fault most probably lies within the ecm.
I do not have a schematic for it at the moment but I'd like 1 just to have and study it.
Posibly just a blown diode inside or a dry solder joint or maybe even a burnt portion of the board itself.
It's hard to say really. Are the temperature sender/switches good?
If the ecm does not get the right info, it cannot react accordingly.

Glad you fixed up temporary though. It's a semi permanent fix though too. As long as the relay control wire is shielded. You did tape it up right?

 

There's a diagnostic you can do, but I need to know the following.

• Did you use the existing relay and connector
• New relay on existing connector
• New relay and connector
• Did you cut the wires, or splice on to them?