1993 Ford Taurus Radiator Fan Motor Question

BigCountry · Aug 29, 2012

Alright so Im running a electric fan / shroud out of a 93ish Ford Taurus and it does great keeping my 5.3 cool BUT I cant keep fan motors in it. Approx every 4-6 months I have to replace the fan motor. I get them from AUTO ZONE (Reman from MEXICO), luckily they are on warrantly but it sucks to have load my junk up over a damn fan motor. They are also a special order item.

Best I can tell its not a 2 speed (JUST 2 WIRES). I had it wired thru a toggle and relay, thinking of eliminating the relay to see if i can get some more life. I know alot of you guys are running these fans so Any suggestions on what the prob is?

ranger11 · Aug 29, 2012

Re: Re: 1993 Ford Taurus Radiator Fan Motor Question

Im running a two speed fan. So this may not help. I had to get heavy duty relays because the motor pulls more amps than most fans. Im still running the same fan I pulled at a junk yard. I would try to get another ford fan motor. Also you will burn the switch up with out a relay unless the switch is rated for the amperage of the motor.

How big is your power and ground wires?

John Galbreath Jr. · Aug 29, 2012

I have run them without issue. I suggest getting another junkyard fan. Perhaps this one is out of balance or something is causing the motors to fail.

TBItoy · Aug 29, 2012

your relay probably isn't big enough.

Hardcase · Aug 29, 2012

Take it out... then go get a 3 wire fan out of a 90-95 3.8L V6 Taurus... 40 amp relay will run the low side just fine and pulls around 3200 CFM... should be plenty to cool your 5.3 down... If not you can get a Ford 80 Amp relay to run the high side and pull something like 4800 CFm.. but I doubt that's necessary..

BigCountry · Aug 29, 2012

I am not sure what gauge but they are larger than what come from the motor itself. I thought about hunting another "Ford" fan motor to see what happens but the one that was in it only lasted approx. 4 mo. Thats why I am thinking its could be the relay cause im only running he cheap $6 one from the Zone. Might be starving the elec motor?? Straight wire with HD toggle, wire etc?? So 3 wire fan motor from a 90-95 3.8....gotcha

zukiscott · Aug 29, 2012

Hardcase said:
Take it out... then go get a 3 wire fan out of a 90-95 3.8L V6 Taurus... 40 amp relay will run the low side just fine and pulls around 3200 CFM... should be plenty to cool your 5.3 down... If not you can get a Ford 80 Amp relay to run the high side and pull something like 4800 CFm.. but I doubt that's necessary..

DO THIS HERE ^^^^ ,,,,,Tony,s "SPIDER BUGGY" had this done to it along with a kickass aluminum shroud made by Drew Ellis and it cools his 4.3 JUST FINE on the low blow side :dblthumb:

RustyC · Aug 29, 2012

Volvo's also come with a fan that is exactly like a Taurus fan but it bolts onto a shroud. So you get the Taurus fan and not the oddball sized shroud to go with it.
I pulled mine from a 740 wagon I think. Taurus on top Volvo on bottom in pic.

ranger11 · Aug 29, 2012

RustyC said:
Volvo's also come with a fan that is exactly like a Taurus fan but it bolts onto a shroud. So you get the Taurus fan and not the oddball sized shroud to go with it.
I pulled mine from a 740 wagon I think. Taurus on top Volvo on bottom in pic.

Good info.. Is that a 2 speed motor?

RustyC · Aug 29, 2012

Yes it is a two speed. Airflow seems to be the same as the Taurus.

ranger11 · Aug 29, 2012

RustyC said:
Yes it is a two speed. Airflow seems to be the same as the Taurus.

Thanks. I will be snagging a few of these.

John Galbreath Jr. · Aug 30, 2012

But the Volvo does not have the shroud that is what makes it work. A fan mounted to the radiator without a shroud, will not cool as well as on with a completely enclosed shroud.

BigCountry · Aug 30, 2012

Thanks fella's I appreciate the help. I am going to try to chase down the 2 speed motor from a 3.8 and install it in my shroud. Reckon I can get away with not running a relay with some heavy duty stuff?

John Galbreath Jr. · Aug 30, 2012

BigCountry said:
Reckon I can get away with not running a relay with some heavy duty stuff?

I always ran a continuous run solenoid with a 70 amp Maxi fuse. That motor used a lot of amps on start-up as you only use the high speed setting. Like starting off a 10 speed bike in high. Hard to get it going, but once up to speed is just coasts. I think wiring the switch without a solenoid is asking for trouble.

B3 · Aug 30, 2012

JohnG said:
I always ran a continuous run solenoid with a 70 amp Maxi fuse. That motor used a lot of amps on start-up as you only use the high speed setting. Like starting off a 10 speed bike in high. Hard to get it going, but once up to speed is just coasts. I think wiring the switch without a solenoid is asking for trouble.

THIS

RustyC · Aug 30, 2012

Absolutely use a relay rated at 70+ amps. JohnG is correct the Volvo fan will need a shroud or you will be loosing the efficiently of your cooling system.
A builder shroud from Summit and opening up the hole to fit a 16" fan (Volvo) moves a lot of air. I have access to a portable air flow meter and can measure the CFM
across the core. I will list results when things get assembled enough.

Fire Freak · Aug 30, 2012

Pull a part b ham 20 bucks

patooyee · Aug 30, 2012

I am running my 2-speed Taurus fan through a standard 40 (or 50, I don't recall) amp relay. It is controlled by the ECM though and always goes through low speed first before it goes to high speed. (IE, never has to go from a dead-stop straight to high speed.) It very rarely even switches to high speed and when it does only stays there for second to a minute but the few times it has there has been no problems. Are people saying that I may be reducing the life of my fan motor by running it through this relay?

I built a shroud to bolt the stock Taurus shroud to so that i could easily change it out on the trail if need be. The radiator is a 31x19x2 double pass and it cools my LS2 so good it is ridiculous.

RustyC · Sep 27, 2012

Bump for new info. I was able to check the actual current at my fan using a clamp on amp meter. I am running a two speed Volvo fan and a full shroud that can bee seen above. Radiator has 10 fins per inch. This is a junkyard fan with an unknow history.
Fan off and switched to low speed = 16.5 amps @ 13.5 vdc.
Fan off and switched to high speed = 67 amps @ 13.5 vdc.
Fan running at low speed the switched to high speed = 27 amps @ 13.5 vdc.