That smoke looks cool.... WAIT!

[Bitsyncmaster]

I wonder if getting a new strong battery like I did recently stressed a weak link? IE: melty melty?

When the fans get higher voltage the current increases but I would not think a new battery would change the voltage much with the engine running.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

That sounds great! I would love to pick one of these up! If these are not available what can I do instead? Just make good quality fail link and check it regularly? If that's the fix... but not a fix... ?

Sadly Fanzillas are NLA but Dave's fix's work well from what I know. Alternatively if you treat the fan fail link as a 3year 30K mainenance item they are unlikely to give you any trouble except for the voltage spiking issue. As for high efficiency fans I could never get my head completely around them. Yes they are strong enough to cool the engine under most conditions but simply don't push enough air to keep the condensor sufficiently cool. If you use A/C in the summer you will lose about 10 degrees of colder air at the vents at about 90 fairnheight. That should tell you something about their CFM output compaired to the stock fans. The NOS cooling fans have also been extremely reliable over the years. Although I will install HE fans I don't really consider them an upgrade.
Rob

[Ron]

$.02
Looks like the jumpers themselves (solder terminals on, crimps sux), or a bad connection where they plug into the socket. Either would cause it to melt there.
I'd clean and check the tension in the socket, check the amp draw before getting fans (...and get Dave's unit ;-).

In soviet Russia, thanks input you!

LOL...but it's Vietnam

[bfloyd]

I'm running the original factory fans combined with Dave's Solid State Fan Fail unit with the small fuses on the top. Haven't had an issue with the fans since I put it in.

[Nuclearbacon]

Got some pics of the carnage.

Before and after!

Before:






aaaaand after:







Those fuses worked great!! Haha

I'm going to order a new Fan Fail Relay Socket. Should I redo the wiring at all? This circuit has me super nervous. I hear I should replace my fans. But the replacements suck (ha!) then I hear I should leave my stock fans (but they could be drawing more power then they should because they're old?) and get Daves SS relay for the fans (Which I want!)

I'd like to leave my stock fans because they cool very well, and I believe I'd like to get Dave's SS fan relay and ... go from there.

I just want:

1) no fires
2) for it to work
3) the correct fix.

Should I be ordering anything else besides the Relay socket? Placing the order today. car is down for another week.

[Bitsyncmaster]

It looks like one of the pins for one fan also got hot. Now that may be one fan drawing more power or that pin did not make a good connection. I've not heard anyone complain that lower power fans don't cool enough once they get them installed.

You will need the relay socket "pins" along with the socket. Those pins are "open barrel" type so you need that type of crimper also. I don't think you can get a blue socket, only black seem to be available.

[Nuclearbacon]

It looks like one of the pins for one fan also got hot. Now that may be one fan drawing more power or that pin did not make a good connection. I've not heard anyone complain that lower power fans don't cool enough once they get them installed.

You will need the relay socket "pins" along with the socket. Those pins are "open barrel" type so you need that type of crimper also. I don't think you can get a blue socket, only black seem to be available.

Someday Dave I'm going to buy you the best damn pizza you've ever had my friend. Thank you for your response!

I bet I wiggled the cable in there and moved the connection, then went on a 3 hour drive in heat. It was probably me somehow. I have an open barrel crimper, I'll have to get some terminals though.

I really want to keep my stock fans, but I understand. I'll work on getting the relay block replaced, and new open barrel connections (where need be). I'm headed to Iceland next week, I'll probably place the order for the relay block then order fans once I get back (and if I still have $$ hehe)

Does anyone know what size the open barrel terminals are? I'd like to order a few to have on hand. Thank you!!

[mburshtain]

I had the same exact issue like you are facing and luckily DMC Huston found a new blue one and shipped it to me. Give them a call or email them as it's not available online.
Also, take a look at this post - http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?78...Fan-Fail-Relay

I'm running the original stock fans while using Dave's Electronic fused Fan Fail unit and Solid State Fan Relay and it's working great.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Someday Dave I'm going to buy you the best damn pizza you've ever had my friend. Thank you for your response!

I bet I wiggled the cable in there and moved the connection, then went on a 3 hour drive in heat. It was probably me somehow. I have an open barrel crimper, I'll have to get some terminals though.

I really want to keep my stock fans, but I understand. I'll work on getting the relay block replaced, and new open barrel connections (where need be). I'm headed to Iceland next week, I'll probably place the order for the relay block then order fans once I get back (and if I still have $$ hehe)

Does anyone know what size the open barrel terminals are? I'd like to order a few to have on hand. Thank you!!

These are the pins I use for 12 AWG wire.
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...5cqnk1gXsHA%3d

These are the pins I use for 16 AWG wire.
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...6ZpksRi0Mew%3d

By the way, when you install new pins, they are very tight until you pull the relay a few times. Not bad with just one new pin but with all 5 new it's hard to pull without a relay puller. So before you drop the relay bank, stick a relay in and out of the socket a few times.

[81dmc]

Got some pics of the carnage.

Before and after!

Before:


aaaaand after:

Uhh, the relay next to the fan fail fix doesn't exactly look great either. You should also replace all the NOS relays with Bosch ones for the added insurance.

Also, why are you even keeping the fan fail socket? Just directly solder the fuse links to the wires to avoid any future headaches.