novanet Posted February 28, 2004 Report Share Posted February 28, 2004 Ok guys. I've pre-wired the fan unit (soldered & shrink tube'd) , pre-installed the brackets, obtained a clutch fan tool from Auto-Zone, and generally prepared for my Flex-a-lite fan install tomorrow afternoon. The question I have is where is the best location to tap into the AC wire? The instructions are confusing as hell, and I've re-read old posts about this (including TByrnes comments about the green wire with the white stripe below the AC compressor), but I was wondering if there was another place to tie into closer to the battery and fuseblock. I would like to keep my wiring runs as short as possible. Also, the green wire mentioned above, is it a positive or a negative as this apparently makes a difference as to which terminal on the fan relay you connect it to...I am really confused. Any help would be appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkseed Posted February 28, 2004 Report Share Posted February 28, 2004 Cant help to much here cause I havent done the install yet. But I can offer some important advice. One of your questions was about wich wire is poss and or neg. I can say from exp. never do any electrical work with out a simple volt meter/light. http://www.hotektech.com/GMCMetramax12.htm really cheap and can really save ur butt. With this simple tool u can poke around find a location closer to the batt if thats what u prefer and start checking wires. I dont know if anyone else will agree on this one but one more sugg is to double ground. Hate to have ur fans go out becuase of a cold solder..or crappy connector. Hope I was some help. Good on the install Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuggit Posted February 28, 2004 Report Share Posted February 28, 2004 Can't beat a good Multimeter. I've got a FLUKE 77 digital that I can't live without. Get a meter that will hold up to abuse, with a digital display that also has continuity beeper/tone capability. I mostly use mine to check for continuity - Ohm out wires. You could easily tell if that wire is ground (-) or hot (+) by simply checking for continuity against the block or some other grounded part of the truck like a body bolt. Just make sure and store the meter in the "O F F" position when done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctrow Posted February 28, 2004 Report Share Posted February 28, 2004 I wanted to say the green was pos. Don't quote me though. I ran my wires using the wire loom that goes right underneath the radiator. Basically you can't see any wiring from the install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKey Posted February 28, 2004 Report Share Posted February 28, 2004 That's a wire I still need to run. Didn't really need that in the middle of winter. I very rarely use my A/C, though I guess it would be good to get hooked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimsoftball Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Your AC compressor runs even when the AC is not on I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plwtwo Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 The green wire is positive, and should only show voltage when turned on, but yes the compresser does run no matter what the temp is set at....So tap the green wire then turn on the Climate control, it doesn't matter what temp, as long as the fans run, this should kick on the Flex-a-lite fans!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novanet Posted February 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Man, I am sick to my stomach. The fan install went better than I ever expected it would. Mechanicals were a breeze, wiring was no problem after I found out what wires to hook up. BTW, if you off the cover and then the housing to the fuse panel under the hood, everything's right there. longest wiring run to the VSC box for the fan was only about 18 inches. Also, the factory setting on the VSC thermostat seems to be right on the money for the stock engine thermostat! Now back to why I'm sick. As I was pinching myself to make sure the smooth install wasn't a dream, I noticed a small 4 inch puddle on the ground beneath the front fascia. I thought it was some wiper fluid, as I migt have accidentaly loosened the washer fluid hose by the reservior during the install. No such luck. Engine coolant. I couldn't beleive it! I pulled the fans off again to look at the radiator and sure enough, there it was. A little pin-point leak right near the middle right portion of the cooling tubes/fins. MTFKR! Somehow, I must have nicked or caught the edge of the old fan/shroud during removal, or possibly the same while positioning the new e-fans. I am totally screwed, I think. The dealership sure isn't going to warranty this. I can here them now,"And I suppose it's just a coincidence that you suddenly developed this "defect" while you were ripping out the "Factory" fan and installing your new "Race-Fans", eh?) I don't know what a new radiator would set me back, but I'm sure it's not cheap. (Guessing $300-$400 or so.) Only other alternative would be to pour a bunch of "Radiator Stop-Leak" into my nearly new radiator and do god-knows-what to my cooling system. I tell ya, I feel like the worlds biggest moron right now. (Who also happens to be very, very PISSED!) Can anybody offer some alternatives? Repair of some kind? Tall tale for the service writer? Anything?!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwalls54 Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 put the factory fan and shroud back on and take it back to the delear. or take it to a radiator shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKey Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Put the factory fan shroud back on, limp it to the dealership, and claim ignorance. If you end up needing one go to a junkyard, they should have one. You could also go here, I think this is the same size radiatorbarn.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novanet Posted February 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Thanks for the advice, guys. I ended up cutting the factory shroud apart to remove it, as I didn't want to have to remove the Volant system which was in the way. (Now I know what the big "relief cut" in the bottom of the factory air tube is for. It allows you to pull the top of the factory shroud back towards the TB to clear the top "lip" for removal!) Anyways, the thought of having to unbolt and remove the Volant was unnatractive to say the least, considering the pain-in the a$$ it was to install it ) So....I'm gonna go hit a few radiator repait shops and try to get some estimates Monday. We shall see. Is there any way to repair it myself and save a few bucks? Not sure what the repair shops are gonna want for their service... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKey Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 I've always understood that a repaired radiator is a weak radiator and that if a problem (leak) ever exist, it will be in the same location. Just me, but I would use the repair as a tie me over until I could either get a new or slightly used one. Good luck, either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novanet Posted February 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 I'm in agreement with you there, Ben. I should have mentioned that I'm closing in on completing my list of mods, Supermaxx and Corsa on next week, then I'm gonna get a custom tune. I'm having to decide between a new radiator or a tune next week. I don't know if my poor nerves can stand to have all my bolt on's installed and then put off the tune for 2- 3 weeks to tie them all together! So far, my underdeveloped will-power is telling me a patch will be ok as long as I can keep my schedule for the tune! I feel weak, but it's a happy kind of weak! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deezel Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Sorry to hear about the install accident. I would advise against using the stop leak. Maybe you could get a radiator shop to weld patch if its a small spot, or maybe try some JB weld to patch it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_w Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Yeah, I think a shop could easily just weld the tiny hole up. These things are aluminum, right? I soldered an old muscle-car radiator with a torch and some plumbing solder. Worked great! I want to say the radiator was brass or copper or something weird like that? It was quite heavy - definitely not AL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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