o/t late model elec. cooling fan ?

Sorry I'm a bit off topic here,
my pos daily 86 camaro is scewing up.

The elctric fan is'nt coming on and the car will over heat if I sit in traffic. I'm sure it's the thermo switch since it will come on when I wire it to a hot sorce.

I'd like to just wire a switch to the dash, easy way out, but I know these fans pull alot of amps.

How heavy duty a switch do I need to use?

 

I think they are supposed to run through a relay.

 

Use a RELAY (to carry fan power)....30 or 40 amp and use the switch to energize the relay....

jersey skip

 

Cool, got it.
Thanks guys.

 

why not just replace the sender? In the late 80's I was set in Ford ******s for this very reason. People would replace the sender with a switch and overheat the engine. I would buy them with a warped head, real cheap. I could never understand how disabling a functioning system that consists of a $13 part with something that relies on the humor error factor. It is a simple matter of getting the part and unscrew it and screw the new one in. I do it in about 15 minutes.

 

Yeah I know fat cat.
Not so easy on the v6 commode.
The thing is sitting right under the tune port; have to take it all off.
Not that it's that big a deal.
This car is an $800 pig that's kept me rolling to work and gigs for about 16 months.
The engine is totally worn out, no A/C (every summer I say to myself this is my last summer with out it).
I'm just tiered of working on it to get two more months out of it.
It's fine for the 4.8 miles to the day job and back but no good getting stuck in Austin traffic with 99 degree temps while trying to make a happy hour gig.
I'm thinking it's time to give in and get a loan for a truck.
I can't get my drums in the 31 of course (I drive it when I have a guitar gig tough) and the 51 chebby is still a few months away from being really road worthy.
I was hoping to drive the mullet mobile till the Chevy was done so I had the extra cash from no car payment to spend on the 51.
I'm not complaining, I drove my 31 roadster daily for almost 2 years after I built it because that the only way I could aford to do it. If I got called to play the drums I'd say sure I'll take the gig but I need a ride.
Guess the motor cycle will have to wait a while.
Why didn't I take up the trumpet?

 

Could be either the sender or the relay. Both are relatively cheap. Try grounding the wire at the sender (if the sender has only one wire). That would eliminate the relay if the fan turns on when the sender wire is grounded. The relay is in the engine compartment and is easy to change. Fix the problem, as others have written. It only takes one time to forget to turn the fan on/off to spoil your day!