I was wondering if anyone here knows the location
of the coolant fan switch is on the 3.1L V6?

I want to replace it with an aftermarket one ( Hyper
Tech) since I hate to see the temp. gauge go up to
245* when in traffic.

I know I don't have a cooling problem. I know this is
normal , but I don't like to see this gauge climb that
high up before the fan turns on.


Any help appreciated...

 

Their is no "TRUE" coolent fan switch. It is controlled via the ecm thru the Engine coolent temp sensor. If you search for a posting buy me, less then month ago, where I ask about how to get a square plug out, will show you the location it needs to be put in. Then run a wire from your new sensor, up to the drivers side firewall and tap into the fan realy switch into I belive the green/white wire.

 

Dale, that's a 3.1 thing? You guys don't have anything in the rear outer corner of the passenger-side head?

 

Don't believe the V6 has one. Don't quote me on that though. Only workaround I know is to fool it by buying a lower thermostat.

 

We have a plug, but its a pita to get to, and easier to do the plug in the intake.

No sensor back their. Do you 2.8l guys have one?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong...isn't there a way to manually kick on the electric fan via the ALDL port? I think it'd be a much easier solution if your car runs cool MOST of the time, to just have a switch available so that if you DO sit in traffic, you can flip it to keep your car from overheating.

 

I don't believe there is, Nixon... the fan will come on when you put the ECM into diagnostic mode, though... and we can't drive our cars around in that mode, so it can't be the same thing you're talking about.

Yeah Dale, we've got a fan switch. It's in the outer rear corner of the passenger side head; it was there for 85-89 2.8's. (Not sure for 82-84 models.) This was in addition to the regular coolant temp sensor in the front of the intake manifold.

Seems like GM got rid of the redundancy for the 3.1! Thanks for the info!

 

Thanks everyone for your replys.

Looks like I'll have to bear with the stupid problem, huh?

 

You can't fool it with a lower temp. t stat! The only way to
"fool" the fan to come on earlier is to either get a lower
temp. fan switch, which NO ONE here seems to know about,
or wire up a seperate fan relay kit described in the cooling
section of this forum. But I would rather do the switch
if it does have one.

When the cooling fan system is stock, either the ECM turns
on the fan when a certain temp. ( 245*!) is reached, or
when the A/C is on. That's it.

 

Why couldn't you just by-pass the relay with a switch? That is let the fan come on on its own, or turn it on when you want.

 

Yeah, I could do that. But I would have to remember to turn the
switch on for the fan. Cause bypassing it will either be left on,
or off, with a switch.

I don't know, but I 'm going to probably end up doing the
wiring thing ( "cooling it down" section has more details).
Where I get an adjustable fan relay kit.

 

I have installed that hypertech sensor, in the intake, and for now, routed a wire to the fan realy. It now kicks on at 165 degress.

After I get my lazy butt to the salvage yard, im am going to get another fan wiring end, going to wire up my second fan to that switch, then leave the other fan back at stock setting. So..

One will kick on at 165
other will kick on at 220, just like the v8 system.

 

Very cool; I like it! Hm; one question though. With the one fan kicking in at 165, and the other one coming on at 220- think the second fan would ever come on? Seems like the first might always "toy" with the temp, and it'd never hit 220 for the second fan. Not slamming the idea; but it'd be a bummer to never have the second fan kick on.

 

The car gets drove ALOT in daily traffic jams, and the summer temps here reach 100+ easy.

I am also thinking of going to the 185 switch so that I dont put and electrical drain on the system. 165 is what I had laying around, so I used it.

 

Stupid question, but, are both fans the same size? Do you know if the motors are the same part # (same speed)? You weren't able to get pictures up of this, right? Can you tell I still love the dual fan idea?

 

Yes, fans same size. I belive I did post pictures of it when I finished. Do a search on me, with "fans", I bet it will pull up. If not, I can get some and send them to ya.

Appears motors are same part number. Looks like I could even swap the fans left to right, etc.

 

did it for ya tom, https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...&highlight=fan

 

Hey guys,

I have one of those low temperature fan switches on my car too. The motor I have is the 2.8 V6/60 with the MPFI. There is a temperature sensor that supposedly plugs into the end of either of the cyl heads, however, that's usually capped off. ONE of them should be used however. BUT.. that sensor is merely for displaying the temperature. You need to make sure that you replace the correct sensor. One of the sensors on the intake manifold is responsible for turning on or off the fan. THIS is the one you want to replace. I too have the Hypertech LOW-Temperature fan switch. However, I am NOT using it with the 165 degree thermostat. I am completely against using the 165 thermostat. Instead, I use it in conjunction with a regular 180 degree thermostat (down from the 195).

My car runs VERY cool.. probably right at 180 degrees. I never EVER see it get any hotter, regardless of wether I'm sitting in bumper to bumper traffic, or doing triple digits.

The fan stays on almost 90% of the time.

 

A 165 degree thermostat? *** damn...that's WAY too cool....

 

No switch back there for my 83

 

Holy hell, nobody believes me here.

The 85-89 FIREBIRDS AND CAMAROS have a fan switch in the passenger side head, rear outer corner!!

They ALSO have an idiot-light or gauge sensor in the driver's side head, front outer corner!!

I'm gonna scan the damn sheet in out of the '86 GM Service Manual that lays out the whole frickin' fan operation.

The point is moot anyway because the original poster asked about a 3.1, and Dale says there's no redundant cooling fan switch on the 3.1. The Fiero must follow the same wiring scheme as the 3.1.

 

Hey TomP, It's possibile....

I know that the V6 Fieros have 2 coolant sensors, one for the fan, and one for the temperature guage. But the 4 cyl Fiero in 1984 (Iron Duke), has 3 coolant sensors. One for the temperature guage, and another for the HIGH fan setting, and another for the LOW fan setting.

 

Tom, I belive ya. Keds 3.4l swap right up talks about removing that stubborn plug in the head so that you can put a sensor in it. I looked at my 3.1l and its plugged, no sensor. So obviosuly their are differences amongst these engines.

Also, why would a 82-84 engine that has mechanical fans, need a fan kick on switch??