Low temp cooling fan switch...

At the request of some of my "8-cylinder" clients, I'm ordering a quantity of low temperature thermofan switches for their cars. As this switch is the same for virtually all Ferraris that utilize a 2-prong connector, I though I might ask the "Boxer Crowd" if there was any interest.

The OE switch: On/Off 87/92 degrees Celcius
The replacement: On/Off 70/75 degrees Celcius

I have been using this low temp, German-made switch in my BB for over 15 years. She always runs cool, even on a 90 degree day. The price: $35 delivered...

I'd like to place the order on Monday, so please let me know....

Thanks,
David

 

So is that 170 degree Fahrenheit that it kicks on?

Will they fit the 512TR? Is so I will one. I think I just need one right?

 

Adam,

I believe the 512TR uses a different switch..
Turn on is at 70C or 158F degrees.

Got a picture of your switch?

 

What is the advantage of that? It seems like it can make the fans run when the (stock) thermostat is closed (no water to the radiators).

 

A two prone lower temp fan switch for a BMW 3 series fits and can be bought at any NAPA store

 

I agree, why run the fans if the water is not even circulating the system and cooling off the engine. On other hand, if you get cooler thermostats then this is the way to go!!

 

D'oh!

 

308 and NAPA in the same sentence, music to most 308 owners ears!

 

Well, I guess between NAPA and Shelp Boyz, just about any "cross-referenceable" part could be found. The quality of their parts; well that's another story...

I can't speak for the other Boxer brothers, but I suspect not too many of us shop at NAPA for our parts.

Best,
David

 

There is always some water flowing/circulating to/through the radiator, via the small bypass hole in the thermostat.

Yes...I am running a cooler thermostat and secondarily, by bring the fans on earlier, you get the jump on maintaining a lower temp through the radiator. Remember on the BB, particularly a 365bb (where the fans blow, versus suck on a BBi), there is very little air flow through the radiator at low vehicle speeds. Basically, by turning the fans on a bit early, you're be proactive in maintain temperature versus reactive, after she's already hot...and then couple that situation with stop and go city driving.

Then again...maybe I've just read too, too many threads on x-model Ferrari runs hot.

Best,
David

 

Good day All,

Another reason to run a little cooler (with a cooler thermostat and fans coming on sooner) is to minimize the probability of thermal runaway (the point where the cooling efficiency cannot keep up to the heat generated and the car will just overheat).

Cheers,

Sam

 

I have owned 6 Ferrari automobiles over the years and have bought many parts for them at NAPA over the years. NAPA sells the same brands such as Bosch, Gate, NGK, Mobile1, ect...as other parts houses. You can get plugs, belts, fluids, brake parts, electrical parts and most other normal wear parts there for a fraction of the cost compared to places that so call "specialize" in exotic cars which often time buy their parts there too and resale them for a profit.

 

My 86 TR started having fuel injection related issues recently. It would start up and idle fine for a moment and then seemed like it was starving for fuel for a moment and then run fine. After the engine warmed up everything would be ok. After about a week of this it began having this issue even after the engine was warm. I put the car in the shop and they diagnosed my problem to be a failing coolant termperature sensor and it's electrical connectors. The mechanic replaced the part and rewired it and the car drives great again.

It seems that the coolant temperature sensor tells the fuel injection system that the engine is hot or cold and the fuel injection system compensates fuel delivery for either condition. When my sensor began to fail it would send faulty temps to the fuel injectors and the engine would run bad until the sensor corrected itself.

I never would have thought to look at a coolant temp sensor for a fuel related issue but this was the first place my mechanic looked. He ran a diagnosis of the Bosch KE Jetronic system with the ignition on and again with it off. He found that one of the ECU's was showing a lower resistance than was in spec. He replaced the sensor with the Ferrari specified part for my car and rechecked the ECU's and got the same resistance on both sides. Problem solved. My car drives great hot or cold now. The idle is improved as well.

We have seen temperatures in excess of 100 degrees F for the past 50 days here in Central Texas. I drove my car home this week at 104 degrees with the a/c on and I was as chilly as a cucumber with a smooth running engine in stop and go traffic on I-35 at rush hour in the afternoon. Amazing!

 

Excellent post. Thank you for telling us the problem and MOST importantly the solution! I personally hate when guys post their problem and chat here for months and then stop updating us with the solution. I guess when a problem arises, its to the masses but when a solution is found then everyone for themselves hahahahahah

Again, thank you. Now I personally will look at my temp sensor with a little more respect, huh?

Ski

 

The sensor that you're refering to switches the lambda computer from open loop (engine "cold") to closed loop (engine "hot"), versus the sensor that I'm referring to, which switches on the cooling fans.

Glad to here that you've got your car sorted out...

Best,
David

 

Spoken by a person who is not financially liable for the repairs to cars belonging to others and has no professional reputation to protect by insuring quality repairs.


Some of their parts are good and others are *****. Shops who care about the quality of their work don't go there.

 

BOOM direct hit......

 

If I buy a Bosch or Gates or GE or Marelli or whatever part# 12345 from NAPA in a Bosch-Gates-GE-Marelli-whatever box , it is the same part and carries the same warranty as others may pay much more for at a Ferrari or Porsche or BMW dealer or other high dollar parts house.

 

Agreed I wouldnt buy spark plugs from ferrari when I can get them at the local parts store. I would be surprised if you could get Marelli from NAPA though. I was just chuckling because you got slammed

 

The truth has been spoken...and this is exactly the reason why I stopped getting legal advice at K-Mart and the other generic providers. Sure, their prices are lower and they do appear to offer the same services as the "Big Name" firms, but am I really getting "a quality product, all the time"?

I'm off to NAPA in the morning for Boxer rod bearings...Anyone interested in a group buy?

 

Many of the former great parts producers are manufacturing off shore in 3rd world countries. Some have multiple sources for their parts. If I can go to the dealer and get a part built in the Fatherland or go to NAPA and get a part built in Bangladesh I'm headed to the dealer. They all carry the same warranty but they do not all have the same quality. Thats the way the parts business is these days. You have to shop for a lot more than a good name.

Good shops do that, smart shoppers do that, everyone else gets screwed.

 

Smart man...I believe NAPA does sell some very high quality SKF bearings that would work...