Good relays ?

1

10secgoal

Active Member
Dec 1, 2003
2,801
3
49
San Diego
#1
Sick of these off the shelf pieces from Auto Zone burning out every 6-8 damn months. I am seriously thinking of just going to the JY and picking up a small fuse block and running a OEM unit. I don't care if the things cost 40 bucks a piece at this point. I am that sick of them burning out. Was thinking about getting one for like fuel pump. Something that is built to take the constant on and off without burning up. they don't even get carbon build up inside before they stop clicking. :fuss: :bang:
 
#5
Bosch relays are not that good, as you have already found out. You need to find out what the highest amp draw is on that circuit, which will be the in-rush. Get a relay that can handle that load. So if your fan draws 15 amp when running on high, it may draw 40 amps for less then a second during the in-rush (when the motor turns on). SO if your in rush is 40 amps, you want to get a relay that can handle 45 amps or so.

My personal choice is the relay center out of a licoln town car, it holds 3 relays comes with a wiring harness and is water proof. The relays that you find in there run the fuel pump and the ECM. I only use two spots in the center and use the other spot to hold a spare relay, in case I need to make a road side repair.

Mario
 
#7
I think it is like an early 90's lincoln, the relay center is right in front of the driver side shock tower and the cover slides off.

What is the amp rating of the relay you are using? Also how many amps does the fan draw? What you can do is take 2 relays (say 20 amp relays) and wire them in parallel, that would give you a 40 amp relay. This should stop your relays from buring up.

Like I said before the in-rush on some of these fans are crazy. My Taurus fan has a 130 amp in-rush, and draws 40 amps on high. The relays from the Licoln are not big enough to handle that power.

Two things are happening that are causing your relays to fry:

1. You relay is too small or
2. It is in a bad location and either getting too wet or hot.

Mario
 
#9
The tranny fan is very small. Dunno the rating. I thought about the two inline, but didn't seem needed only because they don't come like that from the factory. The the rad fan is factory, but all the sudden has been kicking off the self-resetting circuit breaker I have. It just gets hot, and then kicks back on when the breaker cools down. So I was thinking maybe stick it on a relay with ignition power. Reason being is I have a thermostat that controls the fan. Only problem is the copper goes in the top tube of the rad. So when I shut down the car, the hot water is sitting there keeping the fan on. Even though the water temp is fine. It has killed my batt more than once. Do licolns even run a relay for the fan. I think this is a MarkVII fan, maybe 8. I guess I can do two. Jus didn't want to wire in two, just to have to replace two when the things burn out. They aren't getting hot, or wet though. These relays now are 30 amp. What size if you know, did Ford use for a taurus fan, if any ? I don't know what the draw is of the rad fan. I know it's not as much as the old one I would assume. The old one was just a beast through and through. But I got this one for free, and it works better because it has a large shroud, were as the old one didn't.
 
#10
iskwezm said:
do you happen to know who makes the relays for ford with no name??guess???We also replace them with bosch(I worked for Ford)
Click to expand...

Why do you think I carry a spare relay around with me. :)
I used to work for Audi as a tech, I replaced so many bosch relays there. I would get a better relay, but I like the relay housing I have, and it came with the relays. Besides, my junk yard gave me a bunch of free relays one day. When I run out of them, which I don't think will happen I will buy a better relay.

Mario
 
#12
You have to use a relay to controll these fans, unless you have a switch with a high amp rating. Not sure about the rating of the relay from the factory for the taurus fan, but I use a 135 amp relay.

When you use two relays at one, you do not wire them in series or "in line, like you said" that would still burn up the relays. Instead you wire them in parallel, with the load being on both relays at the same time.

Also you can use the alternator output for teh signal wire on the relay, this way when you shut your car off the fan will turn off.

Mario
 
#14
I have an alt from a camaro right now. One ignition, one to the batt, and one to feed the volt meter(OEM). Right now the batt goes straight to the batt. And the ignition and volt post are connected together since I don't run a volt meter. The switch for the thermostat has to built strong enough for the rush-in. So maybe the lead for the fan off the volt meter post, and have the thermostat do the relaying. I will have to test the Alt to make sure that that post is only hot when running though.
 
#16
I thought of that about two weeks ago. So I tried to pop of the fan to try and clean the motor hoping that may be some of the problem. Maybe it's causing a larger load on the electrical. I pop the clip off the back of the fam, but it doesn't want to come off the spindle. :shrug: Gonna test the post today and start to re-wire. I'll find out pretty quick as long as I can find my test light.
 
#17
10secgoal said:
I thought of that about two weeks ago. So I tried to pop of the fan to try and clean the motor hoping that may be some of the problem. Maybe it's causing a larger load on the electrical. I pop the clip off the back of the fam, but it doesn't want to come off the spindle. :shrug: Gonna test the post today and start to re-wire. I'll find out pretty quick as long as I can find my test light.
Click to expand...
take a file and clean the burr off the end of the shaft and oit it,the fan should slide off.I replaced those alot too :p
 
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