setting temps on Vinci fan controller???

[gmblack3]

I still have the stock stat for now. I want the fans to come on about 170-180*

Says on the instructions that you need to turn the screw CW to have the fans come on later and CCW for them to come on sooner.



I have the temp probe installed here:



Started the car and the temp gage on the DIC started climbing up to about 170*f. So I turned the screw CCW (left) and waited for the fans to come on. Well they did not. So I turned it CW (right) and the fans came on. I went and looked and the water temp was about 180*. The temp ran up to 192 and stayed about there.

I turned the engine off and the fans stayed on. They turned off in a few mins but the temp on the DIC still stated 192*. I took a temp probe from the kitchen and placed it on the rad near the vinci probe. It went up to about 120*.

So is the location probe correct? Is the water not moving around the rad enough to get the temp high enough at the probe location?

Any suggestion or tips would be appreciated!

[Terry S]

I'm about ready to scream I lost this twice trying to spell check*****

On some Vinci units you have to turn the screw the opposite way from what the directions say.

You have the probe in the right spot. I am suprised you got the fans to come on before the stat opened while the engine was warming up. The stock stat should open about 190-192. Until the stat opens, the radiator (where the probe is) stays about the temp of the outside air.

For an extreme example if you were driving down the highway at 0 degrees the stat would be barely open, very little coolant would be flowing, and the radiator would be pretty cool. No matter where you turned the screw the fans would not come on and the engine temp would stay at or near the opening temp of the stat.

Remember to do all your adjusting with the AC turned off.

The hot coolant goes from the stat to the lower passenger side of the radiator. The coolant immediatly starts to go across the radiator to the drivers side, while at the same time it starts to go up the side tank before it can start to go across the radiator to get to the probe.

I have a small panel light in the car that comes on when the fans come on. So I know exactly when the fans come on and go off. Because the temp differential between the probe location and engine are not always the same, the unit will not always turn the fans on and off at the same engine temp. The Vinci unit works acceptably in my opinion but the engine temp at which the fans come on will vary somewhat.

I have a 180 stat and I have it set to turn the fans on atabout 185. If you set the on temp below the opening temp of the stat you are running the fans for nothing because you cannot cool the engine below the opening temp of the stat.

I suppose if the wire is long enough you could put the probe down near the radiator hose on the passenger side. That would get a little closer to the source of the hot coolant (the stat) but I'm not sure it would help much but I have not tried to do that.

I hope all this helps.

[gmblack3]

Terry, Thanks for all your info!

The wire for the probe is not long enough to move around too much.

What is the best process for setting the fans and should I set them at 190-194*?

Should I just start the car as I did and wait for the stat to open at about 192* and then adjust the controller for the fans to come on then?

Thanks again!!

[Terry S]

From your first post I'm not sure if the engine was cold or not when you started your adjusting. Since you got the fans to come on at 180 I suspect the engine & radiator may have been warm when you started. If not, I'm suprised the controller would turn the fans on at 180.

I suggest you try this.

1. Turn the screw all the way in the direction that would turn the fans on at the highest temp.

2. If you do not know what it is, determine the operating temp for your stat by driving several miles on the highway on a cool day and see what the engine temp stabalizes at.

3. Start the car cold and let it warm up. When it gets about 5 degrees above the temp in step 2 turn the screw so turn the fans on. (Have the AC off while doing any of this)



If you let the car run you will see the temp continue to rise. This is because the engine continues to build heat as the fans start to cool the coolant in the radiator, this coolan has to then travel to the engine to cool it. In a little while you should see the engine temp level off and then drop to about the temp you found in step 2.

Do not expect the fans to always come on or go off at the same temp. This is because the temp at the probe is not always directly proportional to the coolant temp in the engine. There are a number of factors that effect this temp differential.

If you want to see temps lower than what you found in step 2 you will need to get a lower temp stat.

I have a 180 stat and the fans come on about 185. In city driving in warm or hot weather it is not unccommon to see 190 and I do see as much as 200 or a little over at times. At first I did not like this but after thinking about it, that is much better than 225+ that I saw with the stock fan on temp.

Remember that the cooling system has to work much harder to keep the engine cool when the AC is on. This is because the AC condensor is pre heating the air going to the radiator and it is usually hot outside when you have the AC on.

I lost my post again trying to preview.

I hope this helps and good luck.

[ZO6/Les]

That is exactly what you do, Set the fan to come on the moment the stat opens. The stock fan waits an additional 10 degree's or more. Later, if you put in a 178 stat you would repeat the procedure.

Les

Originally posted by gmblack3
Terry, Thanks for all your info!

The wire for the probe is not long enough to move around too much.

What is the best process for setting the fans and should I set them at 190-194*?

Should I just start the car as I did and wait for the stat to open at about 192* and then adjust the controller for the fans to come on then?

Thanks again!!

[gmblack3]

Thanks guys!!! I think I have got it close.

I did take the car out for a good drive to make sure that the t-stat did open. I returned home and the temp was reading 192* when I got the fans to come on. I then turned the screw a bit more so that they will come on earlier.

My next step is to get a 178 stat.