Re: Rad Fan Booster

[Robert Houk - SMCC Bos Desktop Hardware <rdh@UrQ.East.Sun.COM>]

   I made a minor modification I thought I'd share...

   I noticed that my '87 5000SQ rad fan has 3 speeds...low, mediun, and
   hurricane. When I start the car with the a/c on, it goes on to low.  As the
   a/c discharge pressure gets high, it goes to medium.  The problem is...the
   high setting is not triggered until the radiator starts overheating.  

   I found that the a/c would cool off dramatically when I was moving versus
   when I was in traffic.  This is regardless of whether I held a bit (like
   1500 RPM) of throttle on.  I figured it was the condensor limiting the
   system.  So I loacted the relay that engages high and installed a switch
   that engages the relay.  I have noticed that it does help on idle in traffic
   a bit.  It also helps when the car had been sitting for a couple hours and
   the condensor has soaked the heat of the radiator...i.e. it cools down much
   faster if I put it on high for about a minute or two after starting it.  I
   don't run it like this all the time, just when there's low airflow and the
   air is 95+F which we've had alot of lately.  I let you know if I destroy the
   fan by running it on high more than normal.

Actually (this from *first* hand experience, by the way, no hypothetical
here), I'd be more concerned about your wiring/fusebox than the fan . . .
Watch it very carefully for awhile if you start using the "high" setting
for any significant amount of time.

Test: Run the high speed setting for awhile (say 5 - 10 minutes), then
start fondling, er, gently touching the fuse/box/relays/wiring. If you
can comfortably grab it, it's [prolly] OK. On the other hand, if you
start raising blisters (I warned you...) or come away with molten fuse
box molded around your pinky(s), find an alternative.

My $500.00's worth . . .

					-RDH