how to wire electric fans

[black96ws6]

What is the best way to wire a dual flex a lite fan set up. I have a couple ideas but I want them to operate like stock but still have the ability to turn on the primary fan when I want to. Thanks ya'll

[mrcadillac]

what kinda car? You can wire a switch WITH a relay/fuse, to the ignition circut, so as soon as you turn the car on, the fan kicks on, and you have the ability to turn it off. I know there are some kits, where you attach a temp sensor to the radiator, and it will sense a certain temp, and kick the fans on. I think Summit or Jegs sells these. I assume you have a pre 94 caprice?

[black96ws6]

I just hooked up the fans straight to a toggle switch. I wired a fuse in between for protection. It gives you full control over the fans. The toggle switch has an LED so that you know that its good and if you dont see the light then you know their either off or something happened to prevent the fans from comming on. Is this ok to do it this way. i know it wont hurt. I also wanted to wire them to the ac circuit to enable them automatically when the ac was turned on(well only one of them) so car wouldnt over heat but I was fed up with the wiring mess that I had to unf#$%ed becuase over someone elsesbackyard skills. I do have another question though. Where on this 96 Impala is the temp sensor located for the temp gauge? And where does the wire for the sensor come out of the wire loom by the engine? Because it doesnt work. Also his dash (P R N D D1 etc)lights dont work either. The fuses are good. Could it be a burnt out circuit board? Please let me know thanks.

[mrcadillac]

I'm not sure on the 96 Impala for the shift indicator. the 96 Impala was different than the res of the Impala's, and caprices. I have only delt with the caprice's. the Temp gauge on the dash, uses a temp sensor in the passengers side head. It's close to the oil fill tube, and normally has a slight bit a silver sheilding around it. I think there is one green wire coming off of it. it is common to break them when removing the exhaust manifolds, or the whole motor. I have broken it twice when removing a motor, and once when putting headers on a car. I'm not sure where the wire taps into the harness, as the wire for that is messed up on my 96 caprice. That wire, along with a few near it had to be repaired in a hurry one time, by the previous owner.

As for the fans, the primary was originally supposed to kick on with a certain A/C head pressure, to keep the A/C cold. the primary fan was not told to kick on by the engine coolant temp, until I want to say 210*-215* or so. then the secondary would kick on with an even worse A/C Head pressure(meaning the A/C was not staying cool enough), or the Engine coolant temp of about 215*-220*. reason for such a high engine temp is, to keep idle emissions down. These cars respond very well, to a reprogram of the PCM for the Fans to kick on at about 185*, and 190*(as the stock T stat is a 180* unit). Once the coolant gets above say 190*, the performance starts to suffer. LT1's LOVE to run "cold". A common, and generally considered safe mod, is to add a 160* t-stat, and have the fans kick on at about 165*-170* to keep coolant at about 170*-180*. Since the coolant enters the heads first, the coolant is warmer than that, by the time it hits the cylinder walls, so cold higher cylinder wear is pretty much avoided. As long as the fans function as normal as a safety precaution, you should be fine with adding a fused/relayed switch, that gets it's power for the accesory/ignition curcuit. If it's hot all the time, you run the risk of leaving the fan on, and klling the battery. :)

get your self a Factory Service manual. you can get full sets on ebay for about $50-$75. It should have the wiring schmatics, and such, along with ALOT of help.

[black96ws6]

I really appreciate your reply to my thread. You have helped alot. I suppose I will be getting more in depth in this cars wiring issues. I am working on it for a friend becuase the last owner royally just chopped into everything and because he knows I do good work and I do things right and mostly because Im free. I was previously ASE certified before entering the Marine Corps. Im gonna try and get this thing right.

Also the digital part of the dash doesnt work. Are they prone to circuit board going bad. All fuses aere good. I suppose I will pull it out and see whats wrong, unless you have any idea's? Again thinks for your help.