wanna install electric fan on 94 pickup

[yotalifer]

Hey ive read alot of threads about installing elect fans on rigs...i would love to have one
of those 2-speed taurus fans on my 94 pickup. the only problem is im not sure what to use to control the fan. Can i use a one wire water temp switch in my thermostat housing and an relay to get it goin?

[MTL_4runner]

Brian (mastacox) gets full credit for all this info since he went through it a while back and hopefully he'll chime in for you but here's the gist of what he had mentioned. :thumbup:

1) Ford Taurus Electric Fan, 2-speed model from 3.8l V-6
2) Variable controller from Delta Current Controls (FK-35). http://www.dccontrol.com/fk35.htm


The fan goes right in place of your stock fan and shroud. Don't skimp on the controller, get the FK-35 because it is the best and WAY worth it. Also have the "linear indicator" for it which helps tremendously. The fin Probe comes with the controller and gets wedged in the radiator near the engine return. Seems to work fine. the contoller itself is screwed down in the engine compartment, wherever you want. Set the FK-35 for 14 degrees below default of 190, so about 176-ish degrees. It keeps the needle right in the middle of the gauge. This is the temperature of the water being returned to the engine though, not the actual engine temperature.


Pics:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Electric%20Fan/ElectricFan004.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Electric%20Fan/ElectricFan003.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l70/mastacox/Electric%20Fan/ElectricFan002.jpg

[yotalifer]

hey thanks for the info... Ive seen a write up from bamachem showing a controller he used but its out of my budget at the moment. How much do these run?

[MTL_4runner]

The FK-35 (which is the best) was about $110 last year, not sure about the current price. You can also use a Hayden fan controller (P/N 3647) which is about $40 at most auto part stores. You can do fixed temp wiring but I don't really recommend that because you have no way of tuning it for your engine and it may run too hot (fan doesn't come on enough) or too cool (fan never shuts off).

[yotalifer]

preciate the info.

[mastacox]

Hey I found this thread finally... I need to wander a little more I think :confused:

Everything MTL said is exactly right. You can usually find a "junkyard" Taurus fan in good condition for about $50-$80, and the controller costs about $120 with shipping. I would also recommend getting the "Linear Indicator" with it, it's a little LED light you mount on your dash that changes from green to yellow to red, depending on how fast the fan is going (green being slowest, red being fastest). It can help in being a good indicator of how hard the fan is having to work in any given situation. Remember, wiring up the fan will take about $20-30 in wire and connectors as well, you'll need medium-large gauge wire, I think I used 10 or 8 ga. IIRC. BUT, the DCC controller comes with wire, so you're actually saving some money by using the nice controller.

Understandably, the controller might be a little hard to swallow due to its price, but there are MANY points that make it an excellent choice over a standard on/off controller, including more uniform engine temps, colder A/C, programmable temperature, and lower "startup" load from the fan on your electrical system. If you can swing it, definitely try to get the "real" thing :thumbup:

Mounting the fan is a snap; you'll want to remove the entire radiator to make it easiest. On one side I used two bolts in mounting tabs on the radiator (first pic) and on the other side I custom-bent myself some aluminum brackets, and used some spacers to hold the shroud in place. In theory, if the brackets are bent exactly right you don't need the spacers at all. I trimmed all extraneous stuff off of the shroud when I got it with a Dremel too, you can see in the first pic I trimmed the entire side. With the radiator out you'll be able to see what you need to trim and where to get the best fit. Then, I put "foam tape" on the edge of the shroud to get a nice seal with the radiator's fins.

Also, just so you're aware, it would seem that automatic transmission equipped vehicles in hot climates may be more prone to overheating than their M/T counterparts when switching to electric fans. If you're Auto, it's yet another argument for the variable controller to try an minimize trouble in the future.

[mastacox]

Oh yeah, one more thing too, you might need 2 or 3 washers per stud on the pulley to make up the difference when you take the mechanical fan off... just to make sure you can still tighten the nuts down on the studs and hold the pulley in there.

[yotalifer]

thanks for the info...this is hard to beleive but ive had trouble finding the right fans around here. I can find all the single speed fans i can haul..but no 2speed. Still searching.

take it easy guys,
pb