I was curious if anyone is running this fan control device? I'm wondering if this retains your automatic fans, buy gives you the option to turn them on whenever u want or if it makes them manual only?


hawksthirdgenparts.com/fancontrolswitch93-2002v6v8camarofirebird.aspx



Also, I know a lot are running the 160* stat but my concern is how does it affect the ported vacuum switches on the engine that are designed to open at the higher temps? Also, what does it do to the stock fan switch? If the stock switch is designed to turn on at 215*, how will it function if the stat doesn't allow the coolant to get that hot? Do u have to change your fan switch when u run the 160* stat? thanks.

 

Get your fans programmed to turn on by a local tuner.

 

U mean instead of buying the SLP fan switch? Thats good and all but there is still the issue of the ported vacuum switches that are designed to open at hotter temps. If they don't reach their set temps they don't open and items like canister purge don't operate.

 

I've had a SLP fan switch in my car for years with no issues. Center position PCM runs the fans as set. Just don't leave the fans on after the car is off, it'll drain the battery quickly. I also have a 160 and fan temps set lower. A 160 doesn't make the car run at that temp, it'll be higher depending on air flow, outside temp, fan settings, etc.

 

So after I install the stat I have to have my pcm programmed to turn my fans on at a lower temp? I get all that but I'm still on the fence about the stat itself. Does anyone even know what ported vacuum switches are or am I showing my age here? Do these engines even have pvs's? I know they removed the egr for 01-02 but the engine still has a canister purge. It used to be these devices were controlled by ported vacuum switches and they were manufactured to open at a preset temp and if they didn't reach said preset temp, the egr or the canister purge wouldn't function. Perhaps they removed the pvs's and now its all controlled by the pcm? If this is the case then in hot weather, 160* stat would be fine, but in cold weather, the engine wouldn't heat up properly and it wouldn't be able to burn off the condensation that builds in the oil. The only to burn off the condensation is for the oil to get above 212*. It would be impossible for the engine to build sufficient heat with a 160* stat in cold weather.

 

Don't know what a pvs is? An aftermarket 160 is the temp it STARTS to open mechanically. Once open the other factors control the temp. Why do you want to change it and install a manual switch may be the question - your stock thermostat is a 180. Only time I've used my switch is at the track.

 

The stock stat is 195. A pvs is a ported vacuum switch. It is a temp activated switch that supplies vacuum to devices once their preset temp is reached. If the switches temp is not reached, then things like egr and the charcoal canister purge will not operate. Now the question is, do the gen 3 engines have ported vacuum switches? If they do, then changing the stat temp from 195 to 160 will have adverse effects on performance and emissions. Even without the ported vacuum switches, changing from 195 to 160 will have effects on the engine in cold weather. Oil builds condensation as a natural bi product of combustion. If the engine oil doesn't reach a certain temp(212*) then it cannot begin to burn off this condensation and it will begin to have corrosive effects on the.internal components.

 

Here is an unrelated thought.

At my work we have engines that are 3 years old, over 150,000 miles. Never had an oil change, oil never gets above 205 degrees.

It is not uncommon to get water in the oil to the amount of a gallon or so to 150+ gallons of oil per inspection. This happens every 92 days.

Where does the water go?

 

It doesn't go anywhere. SOMETIMES AND I DI MEAN SOMETIMES, the filter will trap it but if its NEVER burned off, then no. I run AC filters and I actually notice.a change in oil pressure when I change it due.to the water that it traps. And filters trap oil and some don't. Fram for example are horrible. U can do a march anywhere and read the horror stories frkm people who ran Fram filters. I never had any issues but I am **** about changing my oil. The water that stays in the oil causes corrosion and you can crack a block from having water in the oil. It can't be compressed so it finds other ways out. it usually comes out with the oil when changed or it gets burned off, IF the oil gets to the proper temp. Have u ever removed avalve cover and seen a milky white substance around he rockers and springs? I did before I knew about condensation and I swore my rocker studs were leaking coolant. I pulled them like 4 times and repealed them thinking coolant was seeping up the threads but it was the condensation not being burned off.

 

I was just showing that the water will evaporate at less than 212 degrees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporation

Our engines get oil samples ever 92 days. No water in oil. Our filters dont collect it either.

The condensation build up could be related to not running long enough to evaporate.

 

No offense but how can water burn off at less than 212 when thats the boiling point?

 

You really are over thinking the problem. You are so concerned with water temp and thinking that it correlates directly to oil temp. Well it doesn't. Water temp can vary from 160° to 210° without changing the oil temp a few degrees. Many many parts of the engine that the oil touches are way over 212° when the engine and OIL are up to operating temperature. When the oil touches these hot parts the moisture burns off then the oil returns to the pan and gets cooled down to normal operating temps of about 180° to 200°.

A motor with a 160 stat and fans set for 180s will burn the moisture out of teh oil just fine if driven long enough distances to heat up the oil.

 

Yes, some of us do know what a THERMAL vacuum switch is. NOT a ported vacuum switch. And if you're old enough to know what that is, you should be old enough to recognize one, AND recognize when an engine isn't equipped. TVS controls died off in the 80s! Everything is PCM controlled.

How can you argue a coolant temperature regulation device as it applies to oil temperature!? The coolant thermostat will have little effect on oil temperature. The only thing the cooler thermostat could negatively impact is heater function in cold weather and the PCM fuel controls.

 

U may be correct about the switch ALSO being called a tvs but the more common and known name I ported vacuum switch. Yes I no what they look. Yes I would no if an engine is equipped with one or not. I DID NOT look at true engine. It was a question presented before I looked at the motor. I'm not going to try to argue back and forth on this forum with u. It seems on EVERY forum there has to be 1 guy who has to try be the know it all and try to male other people loom like they don't know anything. Perhaps u should have asked if I looked at the motor BEFORE u made ***-sumption that I don't know anything.

 

It would be quite natural to ***-u-me that you would pop the hood and have a look see before posting a question like you did about TVSs. You could as easily have said that you had NOT looked yet.
And Mark was just answering your question as to whether any of us knew what a TVS looked like.