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  1. #1
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    Default Ford Contour Dual Fans in my Fairmont Squire

    The stock thermistor opens up the Low Speed circuit. Once the Ford Contour's AC or Engine Temp block-mounted switch is up to the higher temperature, the fans run at high speed.

    I used the Ford Contour wire colors to show how they actually run stock in the relays. The Contour uses 3 relays. That's because the AC relay actually powers up the High Speed signal. That's the SMALL Green/Blue wire going into the green relay, which is powered by the Key-Run wire. On our Fairmonts, we have the Red / Green wire to the ignition coil to do that. Since I modified my in-dash harness to use the 1981 Capri harness, I have the same circuit as the Turbo-4-banger Foxes, so I have the additional Gray Yellow circuit that comes off the Run side with the Red Green wire. That's important. That Grey/Yellow wire has a 20 AMP fuse link (Blue) embedded in the 1981 harness.
    It's an easy fix though. The Hood lamp circuit uses a 20 AMP fuse link, attached at the solenoid, so it could be transferred to that use, connected to the 687 Grey/Yellow wire (rear defroster, de-icer circuit). In the Capri EVTM, it changes to circuit number 68 Orange/ Black. That one is used for the Choke Heater for cold starts. Once the engine is warm, the circuit is free to run the small voltage to the Fan relays.

    Now my plan is to wire it up for both the temperature controller (to control when the low circuit kicks in) and the stock temperature sender (mounted in the thermostat housing) on the high speed circuit. That will replicate what the Ford Contour circuit does via its Powertrain Control Module (PCM).

    I've been doing short runs with no fan, and the car gets up to the AL in NORMAL, but no higher. So if anything, the fans probably won't turn on during the winter, even in city traffic.

    I do have a JPG file, but I don't have a new site to share it from.

    There are a couple wires that can be cut off: Black/White stripe and Black/Blue stripe from the Ford Relay holders.

    Since I have an I-6 3.3L, I had to change my thermostat housing to one that had a threaded hole for the stock temperature switch (handles High Speed fan control). I bought just the switch for the Flex-A-Lite temperature control and connect that to the green relay at blade 1 and blade 2. The green relay has a diode that has a black wire going to ground. That needs to be done to prevent high voltages wreaking havoc on the fans, since they are brushless motors.

    I don't use any in-car toggle switches in this setup. The Jeep owners and drag-car folks usually do have them. But the stock thermistor in the fan housing, the block-mounted temp sender, and the Flex-A-Lite switch will practically replicate what the Ford Contour's PCM (Powertrain Control Module) does.

    I installed the Ford Contour Fuse/Relay Box on the passenger side, behind the shock tower with a handmade bracket fastened to the tower. I only left the devices and circuits needed for the fans.

    The nice thing about that relay holder is that it also holds the big 60 amp fuse and the 2 X 70 amp relays. and has room for other relays, as well as empty fuse sockets.

    Makes for a clean installation.

    I'll post the pics as soon as I find a site to deposit my pics and share them.
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  2. #2
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    Default

    Nice write up. I have a set of Contour fans on the way for my Fairmont so I'm looking forward to your pics.

  3. #3
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Matt View Post
    Nice write up. I have a set of Contour fans on the way for my Fairmont so I'm looking forward to your pics.
    My diagram uses the Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique wire colors for all except the connection to the O/BK choke heater wire (circuit 68 ). I had an extra Red/White length to go to my extra block temp sender, just like the stock Fairmont sender. And I used yellow for one of the Flex-A-Lite connectors (2), and brown for the other (C).

    If you're using the original Contour relays, they don't visually stack up to the Bosch-type. That's why I did my own. The big Bosch type relays (70 AMPS) can cost a bundle, as do the big 60 AMP fuses. That's why that Contour box makes so much sense - no holders to buy, no big fuses, no big relays either. The Pick-and Pull here, charged me $45 CDN$ for the fans and the wiring loom. If you mount it where I did, you won't even need to buy the bigger wires to the battery or the fans.

    This video should help out:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mru8BbTGDwM
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  4. #4
    FEP Senior Member Patrick Olsen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stormin' Norman View Post
    I do have a JPG file, but I don't have a new site to share it from.
    ...
    I'll post the pics as soon as I find a site to deposit my pics and share them.
    Click the little tree icon and attach the image(s) to your post? Click "Manage Attachments" and attach the image(s) that way? (When I click "Manage Attachments" it shows I've got 25MB of space available for uploading images.) Create an album here on the site, put your pics there, and link them from the album to your post?
    Last edited by Patrick Olsen; 08-24-2017 at 12:00 AM.

  5. #5
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Olsen View Post
    Click the little tree icon and attach the image(s) to your post? Click "Manage Attachments" and attach the image(s) that way? (When I click "Manage Attachments" it shows I've got 25MB of space available for uploading images.) Create an album, put your pics there, and link them from the album to your post?
    Thanks, but I already hit my quota here. Photobucket wants me to pay $400 per year for their new improved service, so I'm hunting for another Image Host site.
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  6. #6
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    Default Les Pics!

    [img=http://img46.imagevenue.com/loc244/th_514412955_BoschISODiode4PinRelay_122_244lo.jpg]

    Sometimes, you need a diode-equipped relay to prevent electromagnetic feedback to certain other circuits. Some Bosch relays have them. They sit between Pin 85 and 86. The Ford ISO relays usually do likewise between Pins 5, and 6 or 7. usually 3 and 5 are the contact side. 6 or 7 carry the suppressor circuits inside the relay, like a transistor or diode to protect the circuit from upstream damage. The Dark Green Ford Contour relay has one of those on pin 7.

    [img=http://img234.imagevenue.com/loc375/th_514413776_BoschISODiode5PinRelay_122_375lo.jpg]

    I do have Office Visio that I could have done this with, but its not installed, so I drew it manually in Paint.net

    [img=http://img235.imagevenue.com/loc376/th_514419425_FordContourFanDiag_122_376lo.jpg]

    I just tried this Image Host site http://www.imagevenue.com/ and it seems ok. Simple enough anyway.

    I found it here:
    http://www.free-webhosts.com/free-image-hosting.php
    Last edited by Stormin' Norman; 08-23-2017 at 02:20 PM.
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  7. #7
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    If you look on RockAuto.com, for a Fairmont I-6 or V8, under Cooling System, then click on Cooling Fan Controller, you'll see the Hayden 3653 controller. Hit the Info button, and move your mouse over the contact end, and you'll see "Made In Korea". The Flex-a-lite and the Maradyne maf110 switches all use the same controller switch, but the prices are vastly different. Maradyne is used in the Vintage Air cooling fan system. I got mine locally at a speed shop.
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  8. #8

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    In response to storming normins ok. If I read this correctly you are or can use 3 reg relays to wire the fans in series (low speed) or in parallel (high speed). Apologies for this, but 12 years on the gm line gives me some knowledge. The early Malibu circa 97ish used this to run the fans. I quick Google search will show you the diagram and how to do it. You can just use a couple temp switches instead of the pcm to control it. Apologies if this just complicates what's going on hereName:  images.png
Views: 86
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    Last edited by 2nd chance cobra; 08-23-2017 at 06:27 PM.

  9. #9
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2nd chance cobra View Post
    In response to storming normins ok. If I read this correctly you are or can use 3 reg relays to wire the fans in series (low speed) or in parallel (high speed). Apologies for this, but 12 years on the gm line gives me some knowledge. The early Malibu circa 97ish used this to run the fans. I quick Google search will show you the diagram and how to do it. You can just use a couple temp switches instead of the pcm to control it. Apologies if this just complicates what's going on hereName:  images.png
Views: 86
Size:  7.6 KB
    My 1979 doesn't have a Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The diagram I did up only uses 2 relays. The '3rd' relay used in the Ford Contour handles the AC relay, after the PCM. The original Ford Contour diagram circuit running both fans in Parallel is what mine reflects. They both go on, at low speed, and switch to High Speed, when the hi-temp block switch gets over 212*F, which is what the Contour does via the AC/or Block-mounted temp switch.

    I saw that same sketch, which is really close to the 1996 Chevy LS1 sketch that I found.

    The Stock fan-shroud Thermistor/Resistor is what drives the amount of voltage that gets to the fans. Once the hi-temp sensor (block mounted) the hi-speed relay (Black relay) overrides the stock resistor (fan-shroud) and drives both fans at High-Speed via the thicker (10 gauge) back to both fans, shutting off the low-speed circuit. In real life, even the low-speed circuit doesn't even come on, unless the local temperatures are over 70*F. In my -30* F winter temps, they'll probably never come on until mid-Spring, from late November.

    I'm glad you commented, because that Ford Circuit drives lots of Mustang folks nuts. Here's one video about one guy's very simple circuit with 2 Bosch relays on his Ford Contour fan upgrade:

    Fitting Ford Contour fan on Mustang
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vtJxjg6pY8

    EDIT
    If you scroll down you'll see a really nice 3-relay system using double-poled Bosch relays. I wanted to stick with the Ford-ISO relays and their 60 AMP fuse setup.

    http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/electric-fan-wiring.html
    Last edited by Stormin' Norman; 08-23-2017 at 07:55 PM. Reason: More info
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

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