Want to give some kudos to Sean Roe!

[Mike Brunton]

I bought Sean Roe's cooling fan kit last week so that I can keep my fan running using a switch. I got the kit and installed it (ignoring the fact that it said "RT/10" at the top). When I tested it, the horn would just sound...

Doh!

I emailed Sean, and sent me a new kit the very next day, even though I hadn't sent the old one back. I guess something happened when I ordered and it came through in Sean's system that I had an RT/10 - I probably forgot to select GTS or something.

Anyways, I installed the new kit and it seems to work fine. Amidst all of the negative tuner experiences, I wanted to say that Sean Roe really went above and beyond, and I would recommend him to anyone. He even told me how I can modify his kit so that I can run the fan on a switch whenever I want, without affecting the automatic nature of his kit.

I took some digital pictures of the install, and I will put together an article (what do we call those things again?) if anyone is interested.

So, two thumbs up for Sean Roe as a tuner, and two thumbs up for his fan kit for the GTS Viper - works like a charm.

Sean if you read this, I will send out the old kit back to you ASAP.

 

[RoyV101621]

Hook the "fan on" switch to the mystery switch. We will save money and will not change the appearance of the car.

Shoot, that means Sean will have to inventory 6 fan kits.
Old GTS kit,
old RT kit,
new GTS kit with fan on switch using mystery,
new RT kit with fan on switch using mystery,
new Canadian GTS kit with fan on switch including an extra switch,
Canadian RT kit with fan on switch including and extra switch.

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The inventory would be too much of a head ache for me.

Okay Mike, how'ed you do it? I don't have the kit but I myself was thinking it would be easy. Would the auto turn off relay still work or does the switch bypass the relay?

 

[Mike Brunton]

Roy,

Don't worry about the Canadian versions of the kit... we all know that Canadian money isn't worth the paper it is printed on, so we should never accept money from those Canadians.

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(Just kidding guys).

As for the kit, you know how it works right? There is a temp sensor on the cooling fitting on the block, and it allows the fan to run even when the engine is off - it runs until the temperature drops to a reasonable level.

Now, I have a switch wired in which just grounds the gray wire of the relay. When I flip the switch to "On", the fan runs. So, if the switch is OFF, then the kit runs as it was intended - running the fan when the sensor says the car is too hot. When the switch it ON, the fan runs no matter what (even if the engine was stone cold.

You bring up a really good point though Roy... I think I am going to go to radio shack and get a switch with 3 settings.. one will be "automatic mode", one will be "fan on" and another will be "kit disabled". This will allow me to turn off the kit totally in case I am storing the car and want to avoid the potential for the fan to come on. Thanks for the tip! I'll post details and pics when I'm done!

-Mike

 

[Mike Brunton]

Well, I just got back from RadioSpank, and they didn't have exactly what I wanted in a switch. I am sure DigiKey would have it (www.digikey.com), but I don't feel like waiting

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So, I got a RadioShack part number 275-702, which is a "auto flip switch panel assembly". I am going to put this puppy under the dash. I *wanted* to do it so that the middle position would be "off", one side would be auto mode and the other side would be "always on" mode. They didn't have that switch, so the one I got has 2 flip switches on it. I am going to mount it under the dash near the pedal adjustment knob. One of the switches will turn the fan kit on or off. The other will set either fully automatic mode, or always on mode. Not an ideal solution, but it works for me.

Maybe someday I will find a better switch and wire it the way I wanted to...

I'll do up some pics for those who are interested

 

[Sean Roe]

Do you guys want manual switches as an option? I can make that possible. With a single, interior mounted "on" switch, the fan can be turned on at anytime, such as in traffic. If in the off position, the fan kit would still function automatically, as intended, with the engine off when too hot. I don't think a 3 way switch with manual "fan kit disable" is really needed. The fan kit won't come on unless the engine is over 200 degrees and engine is off. Those little temperature snap switches in our kit are medical grade, stainless steel and hermetically sealed, (about $36 each) and we haven't had any failures with them.

 

[treynor]

"Medical Grade" snap switches which come on at 200 degrees? The mind boggles at their medical use.

"PING your patient is now dead. Wait an additional 5 minutes for medium-rare...."

 

[Mike Brunton]

Sean,

I think a manual switch would be great. There are a couple of leads on the "Fan control relay" that you can just connect with a switch, that will cause the fan to run, but if there is a switch with your kit allowing the fan to run anytime, that's even better.

I know you are not a big drag racer, but a standard thing in the drag racing world is a switch to allow the fan to run constantly. I think this is a great addition to the kit.

As for the "off" switch I installed, I just put that in for cases where my motor might be hot, but I really don't want to have the fan running and drain the battery. Like for example if I drive to work on a hot day - I will be in the office all day and I dont want the fan running since there will be plenty time for the car to cool down. Also, I park in a secure garage, and I am sure if the fan was running when the car was off, I'd be getting calls about my car "being left running". I would prefer a 3-way switch for "off, on, automatic mode". At the AutoX, I can let the auto thing do its job. When I am just driving to work, the thing will be off, and at the drag strip, it will be left "on". That would be the best of both worlds

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[Sean Roe]

Ben,
How did you know that it only takes another 5 minutes for medium rare? The electrical component supplier is the same one we use for the timer relays, which are 5 minutes. How did you know that? You're starting to scare me

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BTW, your timer went out today by priority mail. Seriously, you can have the snap switches made in any temperature range you want (made for a lot of time testing different temps and mounting locations to get it juuuust right). Neat company that makes them, has all sorts of gadgetry.

Mike,
You don't want to tap into the factory fan relay circuit. The PCM will sense the ground at the realy and will set a check engine light for it. That's why we had to build the kit the way w did, with our own power source and seperate relay on the fan side of the factory relay. Regarding the fan running your battery down, pretty much won't happen on '98 and earlier. Only late '99 and newer need the timer relay option that shuts the fan off if it stays on for more that 5 minutes.

 

[Kevin ACR]

Sean,

Can you post the instructions you previously did for someone else that showed which pin to ground to run the fan. I've got the kit installed with timer, and would like to install the switch to allow me to turn on the fan manually.

Where do I install the switch, and what is this mystery switch thing I read about?

thanks

Kevin