How to install an inline toggle switch to turn on your cooling fans at will.
Disclaimer:
I do not recommend anyone attempt this modification. This document is only to show what I may do to my own personal vehicle, some time in the future. Attempt at your own risk.
Acquire necessary hardware:
14 gauge wire
Electrical tape
Quick Splice connector (Female)
Crimp Ring Connector
3 Quick connects (Female) 14gauge
1 Quick connects (Male) 14gauge
Pliers
Crimping tool
Inline fuse (Don’t use this type. Look at pic #8. That is the one you should use.)
10amp fuse
Two position switch (RadioShack)
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1. Insure vehicle is turned off
2. Set parking brake
3. Open hood
4. Disconnect battery (I think you may have to re-align the
windows after you reconnect the battery). Not sure on this.
5. Locate the wiring harness that runs up the passenger side of the
fan shroud. Follow the harness over to just in front of the fuse box.
6. Remove tape, peel back the harness protector and expose the four wires.
(Blue, Gray, Black, White) The blue wire goes to the low-speed fan. The
gray wire goes to the high-speed fan.
7. Place the (14-18 gauge) Quick Splice Female over the existing blue wire
(low fan), and close it.
8. Take a 14gauge wire with a Male Quick Connect on one end and a
Female Quick Connect on the other, and run from the Quick Splice
Connector you just installed, under the fuse box and out the other side.
This will make it long enough to work with.
9. Take another piece of 14gauge wire with a Crimp Ring Connector on one
end, an Inline Fuse in the middle and a Female Quick Connect on the
other end. Run from the 12vdc stud on the front of the fuse box, under
the fuse box and out the other side. This will make it long enough to work
with.
Below is a pic of the completed task.
*Caution* If you did not disconnect the battery, don’t connect to the 12 vdc stud until after you have completed
all the other tasks.
(Unless you like sparks)
Below is a pic of the Ring Quick Connecter connected to the 12vdc stud.
Looking at the switch, (bought from RadioShack) the top lead is Ground
(Earth). This is so the light on the switch will illuminate when the switch is
in the on position. (I didn’t connect the ground wire)
The middle lead is load (Fan) this is coming from the blue “fan” wire.
The bottom lead is Supply (12vdc). This goes to the 12vdc stud on the
fuse box.
Be sure to place a 10amp fuse inline. Below is a pic of the “correct” inline
fuse.
10. Here’s the hard part, you have to mount the switch on the fuse box
support bracket, and then attach the wires to the back of it. Depending
on the size of the switch, you may have to take a Dremmel to expand
the hole. Push the switch through the hole, and then put your hand
through the rear (firewall side) of the fuse box support bracket. (Had to
move the wiring harness out of the way so my hand would fit in the
hole.)
11. Then, screw the backing onto the backside of the switch to secure it.
12. Then push the Ground/load and Supply wires onto the back of the
switch.
*Make sure you connect the correct wire to the correct lead*
I only connected the load and supply wires. No ground wire.
A pic of the completed splice work.
13. Verify that the new fan switch is in the off position.
14. Verify nothing has fallen in the fan blades rotation path.
15. Reconnect the battery
*Caution* Do NOT stick your hand down near the fans. You may lose a
finger.
16. Flip the switch to the on position and verify the low fan comes on. By
sound only. Do NOT stick your hand down near the fan. You may lose a
finger.