After-market fan, in place of stock Festiva fan?

[bobstad]

I've been getting the paper edition of this company JEGS' catalogue; and look at their selection of electric cooling fans sometimes, wondering if one of those might be a good replacement for the stock Festiva fan? [http://www.jegs.com/c/Fans_Electric-Fans/10117/10002/-1 Their paper catalogue seems a lot easier to use; than the on-line one, looking to try to figure out which fan might work on the Festiva.

Rather than trying to find a used one in a wrecking yard? Since often sold as accessories for race cars; I wonder if these fans would have the sort of longevity a person needs in a street vehicle?

I haven't looked at their on-line catalogue very much, so haven't found any particular fans which would seem most applicable to my Festiva, yet. Just a notion I do need to explore; since the current fan doesn't work any more. I had that set to work all the time unless disconnected, since the thermostat is faulty; which I'm planning on replacing with a functional one, when I get serious about having a working cooling fan.

Right now I've saved enough money, I'm looking for a shop to change the water pump and oil pump, front seals on the cam & crank shafts, timing belt and the valve cover gasket; so imagine having them also install a new thermostat at the same time. Perhaps even the custom cooling fan; though something I'd think about tackling myself, first.

[gauge_half_inch]

A quality slim fan moves more air than the stock using less space. I've been using one for about 3 years problem free, you can buy them locally at almost any parts store. As for changing the oil pump, unless your having problems with it leave it alone. No point in causing more potential problems. The really don't wear out, there is 2 moving pieces. The seals, water pump and belt are a good combo, there all right there and very easy to change.

[bobstad]

Thermostatic fan control switch blues.

A quality slim fan moves more air than the stock using less space. I've been using one for about 3 years problem free, you can buy them locally at almost any parts store

My worst problem of the moment with a fan of any sort; is the thermostatic switch. That has never worked since I got the car June of '99; while the timing belt cover is heat distorted, I've never seen on any other Festivas. That way when I got the car, I only noticed changing the timing belt a long time ago now.

I've seen so many scare stories here at FordFestiva.com, about the housing for the theromstatic switch breaking trying to get the switch out to replace that; I've been chicken to try to change the switch, and think of adding a dash switch to manually control the fan. That sucks; but, breaking the housing seems worse. Except I'm a numbskull, about adding the manual switch.

Other people seem to feel if done with caution, changing the switch without breaking the housing isn't too difficult. The repair shop I phoned minutes ago, is in favor of leaving the switch alone; since the car is twenty-one years old.

[koRnhead]

Just wire the fan with a switch in the car. And turn it on when you need it on........

[M3NTAL]

I also have a slim fan and mine is wired to the key, but that's because it's 90 degrees outside for 9 out of the 12 months.

[jemartin144]

If you do use an aftermarket fan I would suggest giving some thought about how to duct it. I would suggest either finding a fan that work with the OEM ducting piece or coming up with another way to duct it. Its amazing how inefficient a fan is without proper ducting.

Although, now that I think about it it may not matter as much on the Festiva. My needle has never gone past half way on the dial.

[bobstad]

Too hot for me!

If you do use an aftermarket fan I would suggest giving some thought about how to duct it. I would suggest either finding a fan that work with the OEM ducting piece or coming up with another way to duct it. Its amazing how inefficient a fan is without proper ducting.

Although, now that I think about it it may not matter as much on the Festiva. My needle has never gone past half way on the dial.

I've snooped through all the after-market fans at the JEGS website; and agree that getting a good seal with a shroud or similar, seems an essential to efficiency.

I once buried the needle for several blocks, when due to stop and go traffic on the freeway coming into downtown Seattle which lasted miles; the bottom radiator hose blew off in rush hour downtown traffic around 5:45 one weekday evening, a few blocks after I finally got off the freeway.

I was driving round and round Ist and 2nd Avenues near Cherry St unable to find a parking space; until I finally lucked out and got a loading zone space which went from three minutes only to unlimited time, at six in the evening. I was imagining being stuck right in the middle of heavy traffic with the car unable to move and the motor damaged, getting towed, etc.

I thought for sure I'd loose my car that night; I was shutting the motor down on, whenever I was stopped in traffic. The last time I started up, waiting at a light before finding the parking spot; the motor seized and wouldn't crank the first time I hit the ignition switch, I did again by reflex which turned over and started the second try.

What was amazing is that once I got the hose back on, with water in the radiator and engine, from a coffee shop around the corner which closed as six though let me in a little late to fill up a big three liter soda pop bottle I keep for emergencies; I found I was parked right across the street from the place I'd been driving to, in order to listen to some music. I had no idea where that was going to be; yet only missed half the first set, of two sets of music.

I ALWAYS carry vice-grips, a good multi-blade screwdriver, and a Crescent wrench; plus lots of other useful things.

[blkfordsedan]

Agreed that the aftermarket fan will work well on your car. These cars don't require much, and airflow through the front of the car is pretty ample anyway. It will indeed work much better if you utilize some type of shroud. As for the temp switch, you can buy the thermoswitch kit that goes along with the fan (Jegs should have them). Most are temp adjustable and simply use a sensor that attaches into the fins of the radiator. They will come with the wiring, relay and everything. Wiring is straight forward, and kits for cars with A/C are even available.

[BigElCat]

Hi Bobstad.

I'd suggest you try the existing fan one more time, with a hot jump wire from the battery. Make sure the other wire has a good connection to 'chassis ground'. If it's really dead, I would source one at the junkyard.

I know the fans from Suzuki Swifts and Geo Metros can be adapted pretty easy.

I'd stay with the stock thermostat control switch. I put an aftermarket one on my Samurai, and could never get it to work right. I use a manual switch. I turn it on when the weather warms up, and then off again every November.

The 12" or smaller fans from Jegs will work. They last as long as factory electric fans. The price for a junkyard fan is low around here; $5 or $10, that why I was recommending them. Of course having a package delivered to the door is always nice!

Don't worry about breaking the thermostatic switch. It's usually the old one that breaks coming out. You'll be able to put the new one in without breaking it. It's easy access.

[bobstad]

Nice to get the car up and running again; full function!

Hi Bobstad.

I'd suggest you try the existing fan one more time, with a hot jump wire from the battery. Make sure the other wire has a good connection to 'chassis ground'. If it's really dead, I would source one at the junkyard.

I know the fans from Suzuki Swifts and Geo Metros can be adapted pretty easy.

I'd stay with the stock thermostat control switch. I put an aftermarket one on my Samurai, and could never get it to work right. I use a manual switch. I turn it on when the weather warms up, and then off again every November.

The 12" or smaller fans from Jegs will work. They last as long as factory electric fans. The price for a junkyard fan is low around here; $5 or $10, that why I was recommending them. Of course having a package delivered to the door is always nice!

Don't worry about breaking the thermostatic switch. It's usually the old one that breaks coming out. You'll be able to put the new one in without breaking it. It's easy access.

Encouraging advice. I like the idea of staying with the stock switch; while think of an aftermarket fan as advantageous because any wrecking yard fan is likely to have at least some of the life of the unit "expired" so to speak, and not last as long as something of reasonable quality, purchased new.

The idea of having any fan controlled by the stock thermostatic switch is greatly attractive, compared to using a manual switch. Not that I day dream at the wheel, instead regularly monitoring the gauges or speedometer; but, because of the annoyance at having another thing to think about, and more importantly having thermostatic control of the fan would reduce the time the fan is in use, thereby greatly increasing the longevity of the fan motor.

There are several brands of after-market electric fans in the JEGS on-line catalogue; so now I'm wondering if of those, which would be the best quality and last longest? Their prices are all fairly comparable, so easy to guess the ones a little more expensive might be better quality. While a person thinks too, that the fans JEGS sells with their own brand name could offer more for the money, than fans they sell from other manufacturers? I'm thinking that for a few dollars more investment in the beginning; this would offer a worthwhile savings in the long run.

Due to problems not only of disability; but, the fact that there is only one viable wrecking yard in this county, which has a strong enough environmentalist contingent the rest of the wrecking yards were forced out of business by strict regulations; I'm not too likely to want to try to comb wrecking yards, if any other alternative is available. A close to hundred mile round trip, any time I want to use the few wrecking yards within close proximity; while about a two hundred mile round trip, at the least, to get to an extensive wrecking yards location.

[bobstad]

Alternatives to JEGS on-line catalogue?

I'm wondering if anyone would suggest other on-line sources for after-market fans?

JEGS is a source which typically addresses the needs of people who hotrod the iconic American cast-iron V-8s, and/or build race motors from the same sources. Plus people into trucks or off-road vehicles, also using those same sort of V-8 motors.[http://www.jegs.com/c/Fans_Electric-Fans/10117/10002/-1

I'm guessing the after-market electric cooling fan selection is well addressed by what JEGS offers; though perhaps other sources would provide better information about the type of installation a Festiva would be associated with? And feasibly, there could be other fans JEGS doesn't offer, too?

I'm also wondering what the difference is, between "S" blade fans, and straight-blade type fans? My guess is that the "S" blade types are quieter; though I really have no idea, for sure.

[Movin]

I have put fan kits on big pick ups pulling heavy loads down to tiny stuff. The controllers
that are available mostly work great. Summit sold some that had circuit boards mounted
in a metal housing, I have been replacing these with a controller supplied by Oreillys for
about $30 and the electronics are epoxied to the metal. This unit works very nice.
Even the AC wiring is easy, and it can control dual fans.

The fans with shroud are available with out controller and putting a new one of these
sized to your radiator measurements is a good idea. Make sure the stock switch and
relay are working. The stock parts should be cheaper than the above controller.

My stock fan on the red one is starting to vibrate a little, I may have one too!

[gauge_half_inch]

I honestly would try to make sure you control circuit is in working order and wiring in the aftermarket fan into the factory harness. I cut the plug off my old locked up stock fan and soldered the wires to the new fan so it had factory connections for easier removal if needed in the future. All you should need to test everything is a test light. If you unplug the connector from the switch in the thermostat housing the fan should receive power. If it does not turn on, simply disconnect the fan connector and check for voltage on one of the wires. If one has power, then buy a new switch and a slim fan. Ive never had an issue removing the old switch. The hardest part is making sure you get the new one tight without breaking the tab off tightening it down. When you try to break the old one loose, if you can get a 17mm wrench(box end) on it squarely, give the wrench a quick hard open palm hit to the end. If it doesn't break loose try one more time just a little harder hit, if it still isn't free, try a small torch to heat it. Just be very careful of the wiring and distributor in close proximity.