how can i make my fans come on when the car is running?

[JumpInTheFire.com]

how can i make my fans come on when the car is running?
i currently have the manual fan switch and i forget to turn it off sometimes and runs the battery down. plus i wanna sell the car soon and the manual fan switch doesnt sound too good. i'd rather have it rigged up to come on by itself. what wire would i have to tap into? its a 98 firebird 3.8

[97rs4life]

Re: how can i make my fans come on when the car is running?

well your pcm will tell the fans to come on when it gets hot enough...manual fan switch is just a bypass to turn them on earlier if you want to

now if you want to get them to turn on sooner then you have to retune your PCM

[JumpInTheFire.com]

Re: how can i make my fans come on when the car is running?

oh

i dont want to explain the manual fan switch to someone looking at the car to buy it. because it overheats without the fan switch turned on.

[97rs4life]

Re: how can i make my fans come on when the car is running?

oh

i dont want to explain the manual fan switch to someone looking at the car to buy it. because it overheats without the fan switch turned on.

then you got other issues other than a manual fan switch. You should not overheat without the manual fan switch. I sure hope you wouldn't sell the car knowing something is wrong like that. Fix the problem before even thinking of dumping it on somebody.

You need to find out why it is overheating

[87SC/SS]

Re: how can i make my fans come on when the car is running?

The fan should turn on automatically whenever you turn on the A/C or at a certain temp. (I believe 220* is the factory setting). If the fan isn't coming on automatically, is the manual switch interfering keeping it from coming on? From what you said, it sounds like the fan doesn't come on without the maunal switch turned on. In that case the car would eventually overheat if there was no airflow. On my thirdgen I hooked a relay up to the + Ignition to kick the fan on when the ignition is turned on. I wouldn't recommend this on a 98 FB though, big difference between an OBDII car and a computerless car.

[kristen]

Re: how can i make my fans come on when the car is running?

it's over rated. i have the slp manual fan control. i never use it.

[JumpInTheFire.com]

Re: how can i make my fans come on when the car is running?

my fans dont come on at all. (unless i have my manual fan switch on)

its my 98 firebird. they used to come on when i had the original radiator and fans in it. it only overheated when i used the A/C. then i took the radiator and fan out of my 97 Camaro and now it looks like the fans dont come on at all. i guess i'll swap the fans back. dont wanna swap radiators again. i dont wasted alot of coolant. i'll change the fan and see what that does.

i still wouldnt mind having the fans on when the car is on. someone on ls1tech said i could tap into power windows (which i dont have) or the ignition wire.. but i dont know where the ignition wire is? anyone know?

[landj]

Re: how can i make my fans come on when the car is running?

I have a 95. In the fuse box on the driver's side there is a slot labeled "acc" or something like that. I have the CD player power hooked up to that as well as a LED display of the O2 sensors. When the ignition is off, the power to that is cut off too. I would think the easiest thing to do is use that to power the switch side of a relay that will power up your fans. DON'T RUN THE FANS OFF OF THAT POWER TAP, only run that to the relay, and BE SURE TO FUSE IT TOO. I can only imagine that the fire department will eventually need to be called if you do.

On an aside, it would be much better if you could figure out why the fans aren't coming on to begin with and just fix that. And be honest with your buyer... God kills a kitten every time someone misrepresents their car to a potential buyer.

[JumpInTheFire.com]

Re: how can i make my fans come on when the car is running?

not sure how to do it. can u be more specific.