Over the years, I've been in numerous situations where I would have liked to know if my electric radiator fan was working and/or I wish I could have turned it on. On one unforgettable trip (when my head gasket finally decided to let go) I was experiencing typical signs of overheating. Thinking my radiator fan (actually the thermo-switch) was the problem, I did a quick road fix by splicing two wires to the thermo switch and then simply shorted them together to turn the fan on. Later I added a switch to avoid popping the hood each time to fiddle with the wires. Later, after attending to the blown head gasket, I worked the jury rigged switch into the following:
Notes:
I have found this circuit invaluable for verifying proper fan operation and also in stop&go traffic and when pulling long hills. On long climbs, I found the engine temperature begins to rise sharply until the fan thermostat kicks in at which point the temperature rise slows (and hopefully stops). With the small thermal mass of the system, I worried that it might be possible to overshoot the maximum temperature by using too much throttle. Depending on the ambient temperature and the grade, I find I'm often limited by coolant temperature, rather than engine power. Now, I can turn on the fan before the engine begins to heat and can get a much better feel for how much the temperature rise will be. I have observed no problems with my cooling system since installing this control, but it gives more information and control over it if problems do come up one day.
Parts: Multi-conductor cable Toggle switch 12V indicator lamp 2 position mounting bracket. Cost: SPDT toggle switch $5 12V indicator light 2 Misc wire/connectors 3 ----------------------- Total $10 Rating: - some knowledge for electricity required.
Visitor # 29536 since 19.SEP.2001
[Last updated: 26.March.2021]