Maximum Pumpkn!

[bananahamuck]

I hear you on that mike, I tried to use the temp switch in the vw radiator in my car but for some reason vw parts don't work right in a none vw( I know multiple people with the same problem)

 

 

If you run a 85-87 jetta/ golf setup they work pretty good and are self contained wiring wise, and easy to get replacement relays and parts for., Ran one on my brothers 82 supra for ten years till he got hit and totaled car..

 

 

I have a electric fan on my 55 and it`s a switch for high / low /off but i just always leave it on low so no worries about other drivers.

[q-tip]

The switch just doesn't work, and I think its epoxy'd in

[captaingamez]

mike and tristin both have good points here, Electric fans are incredibly reliable, and argueably as reliable as the fan belt, or more reliable than the fan belt. and if  your fan belt breaks, worse happens cause the water pump stops flowing water. its also probably harder for the belt to turn the fan than the pump, so removing the fan likely takes a good 50% of the stress off the belt making it last longer IMO

 

also, its hard for a human to maintain a precise temp with the switch, if you leave it on all the time, your likely lowering the efficiency of the engine by cooling it too much.

 

But you probably dont want to buy a really really cheap kit either, something with higher temperature rated components, or really the best thing would to build your own and select the componentry you want.

 

the only issue I see here is finding a bung to plug the temperature switch(fan switch) into, somewhere where the tip has direct contact with active pressurized coolant, and not on the engine block, the thermostat neck would probably be a good place, if it fits in one of those bungs, if not, it may require some adapters, or you could possibly find one that fits from some car.

 

Note: usually you see one of two temperature ratings on electronics, 85c or 105c, you would want to gofor the 105 to have that extra 20 degrees of temperature resistance.

[bananahamuck]

also, its hard for a human to maintain a precise temp with the switch, if you leave it on all the time, your likely lowering the efficiency of the engine by cooling it too much.

 

 

It`s not possible to overcool your engine if you have a working thermostat. The car would normally have a fan spinning if engine was running on his Maxima. Much like 98% of the cars on this website.

 

It`s 56 degrees almost everyday of the year out where Pumkin lives not,, Barrow Alaska.

[captaingamez]

you cant really over cool you engine, but lets say your running a 165 degree thermostat and your ideal coolant temp is 185-190, then  you could be running a good 20 degrees out of the most efficient  temperature range if you left the fan in the ob position at all times. it probably wont cause any real issues, but the car was designed to try to stay at a consistent temp for fuel burn efficiency. remember the coolant temperature is a direct correlation to the cylinder outer wall temperature, so keeping that temperature more steady is keeping your cylinder wall temps more steady, which results in a better running engine with more power   (in theory)

 

I just really never liked having a switch that I have to control under the dash for a fan, It is inarguable that its done more accurately by a temp switch, just a piece of mind thing I suppose, you hear the fans when they come on so its not like you have no idea if their working, the things arent quiet thats for damn sure.

 

 

the ability to stop them is also nice so you can listen for other things, the original clutch fan is loud as hell, all the time.

[LenRobertson]

I've seen farm tractors where the normal power to activate the air conditioner clutch goes through a thermostat switch. In addition, there is an indicator light to show when the clutch is receiving power (very handy to diagnose when the AC quits blowing cold). Also has a toggle switch wired in that can power the clutch if the thermostat switch fails (which eventually happens. It is hard to keep dust out of the switch in a tractor). Being able to manually switch the AC clutch off and on is a lifesaver on a hot day when the thermo switch dies.

 

I imagine the same idea can be used for a thermostatically controlled electric radiator fan, if you want to go to the trouble of wiring it in. Depends on how paranoid you are about the thermo switch failing.

 

Len

[Pumpkn210]

I bought a good kit at the parts store, the sender just went into the rad between the fins... I was just kinda hoping to be able to run it on the ECU instead of adding another temp sensor. I do have an extra bung, but it's under the thermostat. Will have to look around for systems....

[tdaaj]

Hehe, you said bung.

[Pumpkn210]

An extra one....

[ftlallday]

you know what they say, two bungs are better than one....