Quote:
Originally Posted by 69MyWay
A couple of questions for the Thruster experts.
1. I am wiring the cooling fan accessory pack harness. Got it hooked up and just noticed the relays are NORMALLY CLOSED - ie, the fans want to run all the time unless they get a ground input.
So - does the PCM send a ground singal all the time, then break that ground to trigger the fans???? If not, I need to re-wire the relays. This is confusing because I've never seen a normally closed relay for electric fans - they are always normally open and then get the ground to close the relay either through a temp switch, or from the computer.
2. The a/c harness interrupt. Noting question #1 - the Vintage Air a/c sytem has a trinary switch that makes a ground signal to trigger a cooling fan relay once the clutch is activated. The Gen VII is suppose to be able to "interupt this" so that we can program at how much throttle the a/c will disengage. Now...because of #1 above - I'm confused as heck as to what to do with that ground signal and how that ties back in. I can't even simply feed this into the fan relays now because if I ground them...they shut the fan off. This is really two questions at once, as the Gen VII interupts the power feed to the clutch - not the ground coming from the trinary switch - but it is also suppose to allow for control of the fans through the main fan hook up based on a input signal from the a/c through the accessory harness.
3. THE BIG ONE - For some reason, after you turn the key on the first time - the computer doesn't want to drop power to the ignition AFTER you turn it back off. My local installer/tuner tells me he has now seen this several times and talks about making a jumper harness with a light in it...etc. to override the problem but he isn't sure how to fix it. In other words, you can't shut the car off with the key once it starts. Something is getting energized and staying engergized. I have the distributor and PCM feed coming off the car's coil feed that is hot when the key is on, and stays hot while starting so the fuel pump and computer/ignition will stay hot while cranking. However, when you turn the key off, the stock 76 trans am wiring shuts power off to this lead...but the system is now keeping the power energized. There are three switched power leads. One to the distributor, one to the 300 box, and one to the PCM. They should all require to keep power on during the crank cycle - and I'm not aware of any other way to fee that off the ignition switch than what I'm doing now. The other main power lead is direct to the battery as indicated along with a direct lead to battery ground.
What gives? I'm sure this is simple to correct.
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1. Sure sounds like the relays are wired wrong. I've used many different efi systems and all of them that control the fans do it through the ground for the relay. The fans do not run until the computer grounds the relay, with a menu in the software to control the on and off temps for the fans. A quick test would be to set the on and off temps in the software, say 180 degrees on and 170 degrees off and turn the key on. If the fans are running and the water temp in the software isn't at 180 degrees then they are not wired correctly, or are defective in some way.
2. The ground trigger from the trinary switch should be wired into the relay ground. It automatically turns the fans on if the a/c is on regardless of engine temp, to control the a/c pressures. I don't think this is an issue with your wot a/c compressor shut off feature as the computer will still be controlling the fans through temps, so even if the a/c ground signal is removed the computer ground will keep the fans running.
3. If you have the correct key on wiring then it sounds like the ignition is feeding back and keeping the circuit going. May need a diode placed in line to prevent the feedback when the key is shut off. I would think that the instructions for the ignition box would mention this as a possibility if it's a common issue. Have you tested the lines individually to see which one is providing the feedback (un-plug two of them and just hook up one at a time until it occurs).
Jody