Electric fan problems / questions, mark VIII and taurus fan ?'s too

Go here for the solution to your overheating issues:

www.dccontrol.com

Having been around for a few years, I've found the best way to spend too much money is having to do the same job over and over again, as you're discovering with your fan. Don't kid yourself - pay the money once, and you'll be done. The way to go is probably to score a used fan with enough capacity (Mark VIII, Taurus) and then just buy their controller.

My .02
Keep the Black Magic, or maybe get a new one if it's defective, and get a nice aluminum radiator. You have a nicely modded, supercharded GT and that looks like the stock radiator, which is nowhere near efficient enough. I got one from Granatelli Motorsports that I love, with a Black Magic fan on it and my car runs ridiculously cool no matter what. Including idling for hours in traffic in the desert on the way to Vegas with the A/C on (stupid road work). Also looks nice under the hood.

KC - sounds like you're on the right path to me. I can't give you dimensions as my set up is different. I can tell you that MANY have used the Mustang SN95 fan, MarkVIII or 3.8L Taurus fan with good reported results. That tells me that both the cfm they move and the dimensions are workable without great difficulty. Given your clearance, you might want to consider the SPAL dual 11" fully shrouded unit. It's got plenty of REAL capacity to keep things cool, and with 2 smaller fan motors that hit in between the pulleys (instead of in the center) it may solve your blower-drive related clearance issues. I'd bet I'm even tighter on space than you, and it solved my problem. Mine's so tight that I can't even remove the fans by themselves - I have to remove fan and radiator together!

Go to www.spal-usa.com

Michael Yount said:

KC - sounds like you're on the right path to me. I can't give you dimensions as my set up is different. I can tell you that MANY have used the Mustang SN95 fan, MarkVIII or 3.8L Taurus fan with good reported results. That tells me that both the cfm they move and the dimensions are workable without great difficulty. Given your clearance, you might want to consider the SPAL dual 11" fully shrouded unit. It's got plenty of REAL capacity to keep things cool, and with 2 smaller fan motors that hit in between the pulleys (instead of in the center) it may solve your blower-drive related clearance issues. I'd bet I'm even tighter on space than you, and it solved my problem. Mine's so tight that I can't even remove the fans by themselves - I have to remove fan and radiator together!

Go to www.spal-usa.com

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Or that nice ramchargers fan! As for the taurus 3.8 fan, it's at the most 4" deep and it covers roughly 80% of the stock radiator - and moves a lot of air.

HERE. Look athe Wiring Diagram I made & the install BELOW in my Sig, hope this helps.

If you get the 3.8, get it from a 90'-95' taurus/sable. Even if you find the 3.8/mark 8 fan to ever fail you, ever though of how easy it is to get a replacement motor due to the fact they are a vehicle part? Almost any electric fan motor will fail after time - that's a given, but at least you know where to get a replacement motor if either should fail.

Oh, sorry..I cant find the link, but basically the install is the Mounting part...the rest is wiring which the diagram will help with. Other than that its finding where you want to run your wires and such.

I have a 89 3.8L Taurus Fan on my 89 Notch. I also have the Go-Dan 3-core radiator.. The car is an AOD and has a huge tranny cooler sitting infront of the AC condensor and the radiator.

The taurus fan has two speeds. I currently run the Taurus fan on the low setting, as I was trying to use the fan with a stock alternator (didn't work too well). I now have the 3g alternator upgrade, but haven't wired the fan to use the high setting yet. Utilizing the low speed setting on the taurus fan, I did okay idling in traffic on an 88 degree day with the AC cranked to the max. It was running a little above halfway on the temp gauge, at the top of the "M". It was running a hair warm, but I'm sure running the fan on high will resolve the problem. However, even on the low setting the fan moved as much as my flex fan did with underdrive pulleys installed.

I wouldn't have any problems recommending the taurus fan. Just make sure you have a 3g alternator and a decent relay (40 amp rated minmum) to cycle the fan.

K.C.90gt said:

My radiator is a GDI 433138 Go-Dan 3-core copper radiator (http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2001/10/radiator/) from Pep Boys and fairly new. I can either stick with the black magic and fix or replace the PC circuit board or get another fan with more flow. I just wanted to know if anyone knows the dimensions of the junkyard fans and the CFM. I think my radiator is sufficient enough now but the fan is the weak point. It gets hotter than I would like when Im sitting still idling for a while like goin through drive thru at a fast food joint.

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After having done the MK VIII install, I'm not sure I'd go that route again, or at least I'll do it a bit differently.

That SPAL system looks good about now. The MK VIII unit I received from Houston Performance has so much play in the shaft that the fan actually wobbles at speed, and when it gets hot in the engine compartment, the whole motor support slowly gyrates if you watch it closely. Either I got a bad one, or I'm just anal. I cut it down less than any online instructions said, and it moves so much, that the blades occasionally hit the radiater when decelerating and turning. Some gyroscopic forces I guess. I'm sorta bummed about it and will eventually change it out or alter it seriously.

Mark VIII Install information:

http://members.tccoa.com/392bird/markviii.htm

Forget that relay junk. Listen to Michael Yount and get the Delta Controller. You dont have to buy the whole fan kit, but do get the controller. I just finished installing it along with the taurus fan last weekend and I cant believe how good the results are.

Yes, I have the Bosch 75 amp relays and I'm having troubles with them heating up and needing to cool down a few minutes before they will cycle back on after they have been running a bit. Doing it again, I'd definitely listen to Michael Yount and get the controller. If I don't find a solution to this soon, I will submit and get one as well, hehe.

Unfortunately, I bought two relays, the Porsche temp switch, a new T-stat housing, and that oddball 22mm tap to thread it with, etc... I'd sorta like to see "that" stuff work as I have invested in it, and at the least, I'll be able to knowledgeably comment on the workings of it all.

That controller is truly sweet though, me want....

I'm also getting ready to pull my fan and space it out a bit more with aluminum angle stock and see about relieving some of the raking of fan blades on the radiator from the the loose shaft and gyroscopic effect on turns. Prolly have to relocate the radiator and condensor a bit to get some room though... But, I should have it licked at that point, and a mega cool mounting job as well

Gotta love mods, hehe... I'll improve next time around, hehe...

double post, oops

John - it may be easier to put smaller sway bars, brakes, wheels and tires on the car so it won't corner/stop quite so hard - that ought to keep the fan out of the fins. Laughing with you bud....

I had the same dilemma - I am the proud owner of no less than 3 $59 Hotronics temp. switches (195-180, 210-195, 220-205), 3 t'stats (170, 180, 192) and multiple relays, along with a double 40A fused power distribution block from my local stereo store, having both my radiator and my t'stat housing tapped for the temp switches -- all as I tried to get twin fans to work independantly at different temps in some kind of reasonable fashion. I was able to get a system that worked pretty well in the summer (170F based), and another that worked well in the winter (192F based), but never one I was happy with all the time. Not to mention the "hit" the charging system took with the a/c on with both fans hit at the same time. You could see the voltmeter take a big swing to the left.

I just laugh at myself now when I see how seamlessly the DC controller works. Not only is the control much better (on mine within 2 or 3 degrees), the fans don't work near as hard. They ease on as the current ramps up, so I don't have the short-term 80-90A hitting the system with both fans coming on full. In fact, I went back and installled the indicator light Brian sells because I couldn't even tell they were coming on at all so smooth and quiet is the operation. Now I'm mesmerized watching the light change colors from green to yellow to orange to red as the fans speed up and down keeping the engine cool. Pretty amazing stuff. And, it saves wear and tear on both alternator and the fan motors. It really is a better mousetrap with no downside.

Don't stay attached to your equipment for too long - even if you get the bugs worked out, the switches/relays can't even come close to working as well. Bite the bullet. Me - I'm selling my temp switches, and am gonna use my relays/fused distribution power block to power up my headlights more directly off the alternator output. My lights run through the ignition switch and headlight switch before hitting the relays. I'm gonna use the voltage off the current light plug to 'trigger' the relay - and use short runs of 12 gauge wire from the switched relay output to power up the lights. I can pick up somewhere around 14% more voltage at the bulb which translates to about 30% more light on the road. Now that's a great application for relays!