Jeep Enthusiast Forums banner

YAZJEFS thread!!! (Yet Another ZJ 5.2L Electric Fan Swap Thread)

11K views 119 replies 8 participants last post by  paulsheer2 
#1 ·
I want to replace my Flex-o-lite 180 (highest flow generic fan). It's only 3300 CFM compared to >5000CFM for similar OEM fans.

Now 350ci with stock 5.2L ZJ cooling get's me 120° F of cooling with the AC on. So the engine runs at 230° when the ambient air temperature is 110°. This is acceptable, but not great. (Yes, I do have a two row aluminum radiator, 180° t-stat, and new water pump.)

(If you want a little more blow from your mechanical fan, use 52079654AE/52079654AB -- better profile and more vanes.)

Here is the parts list:

$50-$100 New two-speed fan motor. These all have a similar bolt pattern, but are not exactly the same -- different spindle attachments, contacts, depth, and diameter: VDO PM9069 (ZJ 5.9), or VDO PM9001 (Ford Taurus), PM9032 (Lincoln Mark VIII), PM9013 (LINCOLN CONTINENTAL, MERCURY SABLE) [Check www.usa.vdo.com for their application PDF for exact years. Some of these motors have nice fans, others don't.]

(For $300-$500 you may still be able to find a new Mopar part 56022139AC which is the complete fan and shroud assembly with motor.)

$??? Now you have to source your used fan blade and shroud at a scrap yard. I could find none :-( so I got one on ebay. I suggest not using a 20-year-old motor.

$30 pigtail connector: For PM9069 (and others) you will need MOTORCRAFT WPT168 pigtail connector but others you can just cut and splice.

$15 configurable timer: TMR1-12 from 3rdbrakeflasher.com. When your A/C clutch is enabled for a full 1 second, you want your fan to come on and stay on for, say, 30 seconds. Otherwise your fan is going to cycle with the AC -- clutch and fan+alternator kicking in together is not nice for your idle. Watch their video: you want Mode #10 "ON/OFF DELAY".

$33 solid-state switch BUT30V from mouser.com. This is a useful alternative to a Relay if you need an amp-boost. It should last forever and it has screws for ring-connectors (like Dorman 85213) so it's easy to wire-up. See post #93 for wiring. You need heat dissipation so screw it onto an aluminum bracket or something.

$5 fuse-holder with fuse, 60-Amp or thereabouts.

$???: two-speed adjustable-temp fan controller. Update: There is no available two-speed controller that works 100%. See post #93 in this thread for an alternative solution from off-the-shelf components: you loose the low-speed feature however.

The above setup gives you the following functionality:

1. When the A/C is on the fan is on Low speed, and stays on even while the AC clutch is engaging and disengaging.
2. When the ignition goes off both fans go off.
3. When the temp is moderate the fan goes on Low speed (Winter).
4. When the temp gets really hot the fan goes to High speed.
5. Handle huge current spike of the above motors.
6. All components can be mounted in the engine bay -- you don't need to route cables into the cabin.


Currently there is no setup that combines features 1 through 6 AFAIK.

Will post picks when I get everything together.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Which shroud and blade did you go with?

The controllers tend to get a bad rep for not actually being able to handle the fan current and dying. It will be interesting to see how that one does. Where do you see it advertise current limiting (I don't see it on their site)?
 
#3 ·
The 2sp2 controller uses an 80A relay for the high speed circuit, along with additional circuitry to control two of the two speed Ford cooling fans, including the 3.8L Taurus fan correctly
i am "interpreting" this here. one of the ford motors had two fat "resistors" on the input terminal. probably to do with limiting startup current.

i found a 5.9 shroud and blade on ebay with no motor
 
#6 ·
I was just looking at the link provided. The second choice said something about constant temp control and mentioned pulse widrh. When the fan clutch goes I will probably go with an electric set up that does. Stowed away niner set up will go into use. I like kg's method too. Down the road abit anyway.
 
#7 ·
It's pulse width, but what does pulse width imply long term w.r.t. wear?
Not chancing it. Also, I don't think it said pulse width AND dual speed.

I'd rather just go dual speed.

What is "kg's method"?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
 
#8 ·
#10 ·
I was just thinling out loud. I liked the idea of pulse width because it would lessen start up demand on other components.
 
#13 ·
The motor is meant to operate at 12V continously at max rpm. What does it mean when it gets 12V pulses at 1/2 speed?? Will it still last?
I'm not yet convinced it's a good idea.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
 
#14 ·
It's either doing raw PWM which is fine for the motor but can be producing large inductive spikes into the controller (or worse the rest of the electrical), or it's trying to smooth it out and run the motor at less than 12V, which isn't great for the motor.

I like my relays, I've noticed no adverse affects from startup current spikes, I don't even see the spike on the battery gauge (and by battery gauge I mean the digital readout over OBD2). The original niner fan did relays without so much as freewheel diodes to protect the motor, and my fan, wiring, etc, looked to be all original when I got it at 190k (certainly the guy I bought it from wouldn't have repaired it in a way I wouldn't have noticed).

Once you get all the parts you can test to find out.
 
#17 ·
Pwm is a square DC pulse at high current with a low average current.
AC means a sine wave that goes negative and positive.
If someone says their motor lasted 100,000 miles with pwm then I'm all for it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
 
#20 ·
True.
I've never liked the terms ac and dc.
A signal graphed against time showing current and voltage is what it is without labels.

When someone says ac I never know whether they are equating 110V transformer mains sine waves with something else.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
 
#24 ·
#26 ·
WJ used electric, hydraulic, and engine driven fans, often in combination (they like to overheat).

This outlines the electric fan in the WJ: http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?548614-WJ-radiator-fans-dual-mechanical-or-electric&p=4754777&viewfull=1#post4754777

The electric was never used alone, always with a mechanical fan (similar to my car).
2002WJ, stock, from factory as far as I know, with electric fan only. Replaced relay and motor once, cools great even with a/c.
 
#32 ·
My system is 12awg from battery to relay, the niner efan looks to have 10awg pigtails on it though.

Control is tiny cause it's almost no current.
 
#34 ·
Today's mischief:

I have only the fan and shroud. So a dorman autozone e-clip to hold the fan on would be good.



i pressed a washer into a slight cone shape to keep pressure on the hub. silicone should keep it from rusting --



now to make some aluminum brackets using stock from lowes. i like working with this stuff. it's easy to cut and bend and drill holes into.






it's also easy to "weld" using these no-flux aluminum sodering sticks ( youtube.com/watch?v=CJ42scaWFnw ) from harbor freight. according to the instructions the soder is stronger than aluminum --



final product --



 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top