Write-up: Tarus Fan Install (With Pics)

[MA70Snowman]

With the recent surface of some topics regarding E-fans, and the Tari (Thats plural Tarus) Fan, I had been asked to do a write up from a couple members on my install. So here we Go:

BASIC INFORMATION REGARDING THE E-FANS:
Flow Ratings:
~2800 CFM Low
~3800-4200 CFM High

AMP Draw:
130 during initial start up and settles at ~40 amps
(DISCLAIMER: I am not recommending, nor not not recommending that you would want to consider an Alt upgrade, Mine was already upgraded)

Came in:
late 80's early/mid 90's Ford 3.8L V6 Engines

MATERIALS LIST:
1 Ford E-FAN
2 75 AMP Relays
2 Toggle Switches
1 Radiator Fan Switch 179*F-170*F, from a 1980 VW Rabbit (PN VWW022212)
18 AWG Wire
10-12 AWG Wire
Spade Female Terminals 3x 10AWG, 12 18 AWG


First:
You need to get ahold of a Ford E-fan out of ANY 3.8L V6 from the Late 80's Early 90's. However depending on the Car the Shroud and sometimes the fan blade changes. Mine came from a 93 Tarus SHO, and it has great coverage and fan size was perfect.

Second:
Get it home clean it up. Check the wiring. Make sure it operates fine. These have a DUAL Speed setting. Ground + 2nd Wire = High, Ground +3rd wire= Low. Ground + both wires = Medium (no garuntee this is good for it)

Third:
After you've verified its good. Its time to check fitment. I had to shave approx 1/4" on the bottom center to provide clearance for my Crank Pulley, I'm however Running a 3 row Haste Aluminum Radiator.



Also I had to cut a section of the fines out on the right hand side where the water pump pulley interfered w/ it.



Fourth:
This is your choice: I chose to replace the wiring coming out of the fan, Mostly because they cut my pigtail before the connector. So I disconnected the stock wiring from the fan ON THE MOTOR (not the harness) All you need are 3 size 12 AWG Female Spade Terminals set up w/ approx 2 feet of 10-12 AWG wire. Crimp/solder/shrinkwrap.

Fifth:
Mount the fan on the Radiator. check clearances and coverage. I simply took some sheet metal and a vice and bent mine to shape drilled 2 holes in each side, and used the stock mounting holes for one side of the bracket. Then I drilled a hole in the fan on the other side of the bracket and used a nut and bolt to secure the fan to bracket.



Now its a simple drop in unit. Check fitment and pull it out for wiring





WIRING:

okay here comes the more challenging aspect (not really) . I'm leaving this brief as this will be a loose guide for you to pick and choose from.

I currently have 2 different circuits running my E-Fan. A High-Speed and Low-Speed circuit.
The way they are setup provides an automatic function for temperature control that I do NOT have to monitor. W/ the option of a High setting for heavier driving. To Activate the High setting, I simply turn off my low switch, and turn on the High-switch (this prevents the circuit from activating and putting me on the MED setting)

The High-Speed circuit, is a simple switch wired to the relay. Mounted on my drivers side above my dimmer switch.
This allows me the option of pulling that extra air, after hard pulls, stop and go traffic or hot days. W/ the amp draw of this fan its not something you want/need to have running continuously.

Low-Speed circuit;
little more complex, I did some research on fan controller options, and all those high-tech gizmos. I didn't like the push through probe styles that you just set in the fins of your radiator, you don't get a true reading, and its just another unit to wire up. I did some digging and found that 1980 VW Rabbit, had a temp switch which activates at 179, and shuts off at 170. PERFECT!!
(NOTE: there are 2 others that look exactly the same 1 w/ higher temps (approx 10* higher) and 1 w/ lower temps (approx 10* lower) I recommend this one for optimum operating temps. )



I took this Radiator temp switch and Drilled and Tapped a hole on the underside of my Thermostat housing elbow. It was the only optimum location IMO and this way you're getting TRUE block temperatures.



I put teflon tape and Coated the sides w/ FIPG to create a total seal as I was unsure and really didn't want to take this piece off again.

Next I mounted my 2 75 AMP relays where my battery used to be behind the headlight. I Put a white stripe on them to annotate which one was what circuit.



From there I just wired everything together,
Both relays being Powered directly from my battery junction box under the hood.
Both Switches pulling power from a fused location under my dash, running out my firewall, up to relay(high)/Temp switch(low) and then grounding in the same place as my Fan.

Here's a Diagram of the wiring I used, and cleaned up a little for public appearance.




Hope this Provides some insite and help for everyone. I've been running this setup for 2 w/ zero issues, Temps are spot on and as soon as the low setting comes on it starts dropping. If I hit the High Setting, it plummets QUICK. ENJOY!

[mikes_88_supra]

ok love the fitment but what i want to do is alittle different from yours i have a 180' thermostat so i want the fan to come on at 190 and off at 180 so that way it wont runn all of the time but i also want it to be automatic so that it comes on the low setting whenever it needs to. then i wanted to have a switch like yours for the high setting for whenever it really needed it( because of the high amp draw i dont want it on all the time) especially since i only have a 100 amp alternator and its kinda old and prolly is due to be replaced anyway. so what do you think is this possible or am i talking crazy? also what do you think i would need to accomplish this and will it be worth it?

[joel903]

Great write up. thumbs up to you

[mikes_88_supra]

also can you label which connetor is which on the relays ie 85,86,87,30 i believe thats the number i see on there.

[MA70Snowman]

Originally Posted by mikes_88_supra

also can you label which connetor is which on the relays ie 85,86,87,30 i believe thats the number i see on there.

85,86 are the coil, 87/30 are the switch

Originally Posted by mikes_88_supra

what i want to do is alittle different from yours i have a 180' thermostat so i want the fan to come on at 190 and off at 180 ... i also want it to be automatic so that it comes on the low setting whenever it needs to. then i wanted to have a switch... for the high setting .... so what do you think is this possible or am i talking crazy? also what do you think i would need to accomplish this and will it be worth it?

What you're looking for is NO different then how the write up is. All the materials are listed at the top of the page. and If it wasn't worth it... I wouldn't have done it. Here's an excert, re-read it and you'll see it has all the information you are asking.

Low-Speed circuit;
little more complex, I did some research on fan controller options, and all those high-tech gizmos. I didn't like the push through probe styles that you just set in the fins of your radiator, you don't get a true reading, and its just another unit to wire up. I did some digging and found that 1980 VW Rabbit, had a temp switch which activates at 179, and shuts off at 170. PERFECT!!
(NOTE: there are 2 others that look exactly the same 1 w/ higher temps (approx 10* higher) and 1 w/ lower temps (approx 10* lower) I recommend this one for optimum operating temps. )

Here is the part number for the Higher temp Temp switch

VWW022209

Originally Posted by joel903

Great write up. thumbs up to you

Thanks man, i'm hoping it be of help to some people

[mikes_88_supra]

hey got another question for you. Does the low circuit automatically turn on when it heats up or do you have to have your toggle switch on. i would also like to use the ignition switch for this instead of a toggle switch, for this would i just tap into a 12v source that is only hot when the ign. is on like what is used for the radio. my other question is a repeat but im kind of a newb to relays so when i asked for the numbers to be labeled i meant on the diagram so i no what each one does ie where the wires go that hook in to them. other than that thanks alot for all the info you've really help me understand all this alot better im pretty confident that after these last few questions get answered i wont f**k this up.

[MA70Snowman]

The low Circuit is turned on Automatically by the Radiator Temp switch. its a switch that is heat activated. (if Temp >= X then it turns on. If Temp is <= Y it turns off) The one I listed for you is 189 activator and 179 deactivator. So essentially this makes it automatic.

Now as far as wiring it into your ignition switch. 2 reasons I wouldn't do this. 1) Its nice to have t he fan continue to keep running after the car is off, it cools it down quicker which IMO is less stress on the engine then heat soaking your parts. 2)If you look at how it is wired, and a small mention I made at the "MED" setting. IF the low circuit is on the Same time as you hit the HIGH setting. it will not flow at its full power.. essentially a "MEDIUM" setting. The only way to activate HIGH is w/ the LOW off. and I don't see you Using your HIGH setting unless your temp is above normal or at least above 189 anyway. Which leads to the next part. yes you would have to have the "LOW" Toggle switch on all the time. just remember to flip that off. and flip on the HIGH setting when you want to adjust and vice versa for going back to low. Or you could simply get a Double Pole Double Throw Switch (DPDT) but I couldn't find any I liked.

[mikes_88_supra]

ok thanks for all that but what about the relay part any help im really a newb when it comes to that so if you can somehow edit in the numbers for each contact of the relays in your diagram it would be awsome

[figgie]

be curious to see datalogged tempratures.

[MA70Snowman]

Originally Posted by mikes_88_supra

ok thanks for all that but what about the relay part any help im really a newb when it comes to that so if you can somehow edit in the numbers for each contact of the relays in your diagram it would be awsome

For the picture:

86 87
| |
[ ]
[ ]
| |
85 30

Those tabs correspond w/ the diagram I drew
85 and 86 go to the switch circuit
87 and 30 go to the fan circuit
Polarity doesn't really matter

All a relay does is allow you to activate a Higher amp circuit from a lower amp circuit. its a simple magnetic switch. when the coil is energized it creates a field which closes the other switch allowing that circuit to activate. once you understand the concept the numbers really don't matter aside from indicating which are the coil and which are the switch.
for Exe. If you attempted to run the fan w/ the 16 AWG wire you would melt you wires and switches due to the AMPS the fans motor is drawing. if you took out the relay and ran 10 AWG wire all the way through you would need a switch that could handle those types of AMPS (and most of them are bulky and ugly) hence why we run the relay.

Originally Posted by figgie

be curious to see datalogged tempratures.

Well here's the thing figgie there's just to many variables IMO. I'm sure If someone took the time to create a control (namely the vehicle) then a detailed documentation could be provided however

I have no before information for a comparison.
I'm running an aftermarket radiator on a freshly rebuilt motor w/ improvments all around, to include an oil cooler, TB and ISC heaters bypassed. and EGR deletion, a quality temp gauge.

I could use my setup for a control. then swap back to the clutch fan get numbers. then switch over to the Efan for numbers. however if you plot temp over time both graphs will be noticably different as the clutch fan is always running. this is only running when its needed. maybe try and get it to a set temp. and then start the timer and see how long it takes to reach another set temp while its idling. I dunno.. just way to many factors IMO to create a DEFINITIVE Resolution. This write up is here for those that want to convert, I'm not here to say its better for this reason or that reason. for some it could be as simple as. a clutch and a new shroud are to expensive and this could be a cheaper alternative. or I want to free up the 2 HP the clutch fan robs me of. It could all be placebo. but maybe I'll try and pull some temps from my maft pro and publish those.