Ramchargers fans/Intrepid fans - those who've done it please chime in

[OhioC5]

You can wire it to turn on one with the low speed activation and the second when the high speed operation is commanded. However, one simple wire change in the Casper's harness and they both come on. I run mine so that both run whenever they are on. They don't run long that way.

That's what I'm talking about, this is the way I'd like to hook them up. Do you remember what the wire change or does it tell you in the directions?

 

[we4Mateo]

That's what I'm talking about, this is the way I'd like to hook them up. Do you remember what the wire change or does it tell you in the directions?

My Casper's harness came wired this way already, but IIRC, you jut run the B terminal in with the A terminal then both turn on when low fan speed is called for.

 

[Dsmxsteve]

My Casper's harness came wired this way already, but IIRC, you jut run the B terminal in with the A terminal then both turn on when low fan speed is called for.

I can confirm this. I just installed mine yesterday. Just idling in the garage, my fans probably run for less than 60 seconds before the coolant is brought down from 170 to 162. I'm going to go get a real world test later today.

 

[kiing23]

Hello guys, reviing an old thread. I just got me the dodge fans and the harness from caspers. I wanted to know how are you installing the fans and if you had to do any fabrication to get them to fit?

 

[kiing23]

I posted this way back in 2003 on my personal web site. That web site is long gone from the internet, but I had a copy of it on my laptop. The advantage of this method is that absolutely no modifications are needed to your car. These fans have been on my car since 2003, and they still work great with no problems.

RAMCHARGERS DUAL FAN INSTALLATION

When I received my Ramchargers dual fans for my Grand National, my goal was to install them with no modifications to my car (no new drilled holes, etc.). Using the methods and bracket designs below, I was successful. It took me considerable time and patience to get everything right, but the results are worth it.



View attachment 166018

Here is the Ramchargers Dual Fan set-up. You can see that I've removed three of the four mounting tabs (all except the driver-side upper) prior to installing. I used a Dremel tool with a cutting bit followed by a sanding drum to cut-off the ears and smooth out the cut surfaces. You can leave the driver-side upper ear in place, as it does not interfere with anything.



View attachment 166019

This photo shows the grinding that had to be done to the driver-side lower fan motor support to clear the steering gear box. I used a Dremel tool with a sanding drum to do this. Even with this much material removed, the support still comes very close to the steering gear box. You can also see one of the two holes I had to drill into the fan shroud for mounting. I used a 3/8" wood "paddle" bit to drill the holes in the shroud, which worked very well.



View attachment 166020

Here is a photo of the fans after the installation was complete. I have a Nick Micale radiator in my car, and I found that the fan shroud was about 1/8" too long to fit between the radiator tanks. I did not want to grind that much material off the fan shroud, so I used an alternate method. I placed weatherstripping (specifically, hood seal weatherstripping that I got from a junk yard) along the top and bottom edges of the fan shroud. I then sized my brackets to hold the shroud tight against the lips of the end tanks. I also placed a small piece of grey foam weatherstripping (purchased at a hardware store) between the shroud and the end tank lips to prevent rattling. Using this approach, the fans clear my CAS V2 intercooler pipes and the steering gear box, although not by much.



View attachment 166021

Here is a photo of the two top brackets that I made. This photo was taken prior to re-installing the two A/C line brackets that fit over these studs. I purchased two 1/8" thick "L" brackets from a hardware store (used to mount shelves) and cut to length with my trusty hack saw. I then used a large vice and lots of muscle power to add the second bend to give the brackets their "S" shape. A little clean-up on the bench grinder and some satin black spray paint give the brackets a very stock look. Note that it took a lot of trial-and-error to get the exact shape of the brackets correct. Also note that I had to remove the little clip that holds the wiring harness near the driver side bracket, as it was right in the spot where the bracket goes. You can also see the weatherstripping along the top edge of the fan shroud which seals the fans tightly to the radiator core. I chose to use a large round washer under the studs when I mounted the brackets for extra rigidity. These brackets are very rigid, and hold the fan very tightly to the radiator.



View attachment 166022

This is the passenger-side lower fan bracket that I made. I started with a 1/8" thick piece of steel, cut to length with a hack saw, and then used a vice and some muscle power to give it the slight "S" shape that you can see in the photo. A little clean-up on the bench grinder and some satin black paint gave it the final touches. I chose to use the existing hole in the lower radiator support to attach the bracket, so I did not have to drill a new hole. When I bent this bracket, I had the upper brackets complete and installed, along with the weatherstripping, so I could get the length and shape of both lower brackets exactly right. I then drilled the holes in the lower brackets, fitted them up, and marked the holes to be drilled in the fan shroud while the upper brackets were fully installed. In other words, I had all of the brackets completely done (including drilled holes) and installed before I marked the holes on the fan shroud. By doing this, I was sure that the holes in the fan shroud would be in the right place. You can also see the weatherstripping that I used to seal the bottom of the fan shroud to the radiator core in this photo.



View attachment 166023

This is the driver-side lower bracket. As with the passenger-side, I used 1/8" thick steel. This was the most difficult bracket to make, because I had to put a "compound angle" into it to reach from the existing hole in the lower radiator support to a good location on the fan shroud. I started by cutting the steel to length (note the angle cut on the top of the bracket to clear the shroud protrusion around the blades), shaped on my bench grinder, and used trial-and-error to get the bends right. I then drilled the holes in the bracket. After fitting-up all of the other brackets, I marked the hole on the fan shroud. When I was done, all of the brackets and holes lined-up perfectly, and the fan is held very tightly to the radiator.

im more of a visual learner, when I click on your post the pictures dont show up. I cant see any type of pictures you posted.

 

[mgmshar]

I think this web site lost a lot of photos during a recent server crash. I tried to edit my post above and re-add the photos. However, I didn't see how I could edit the post. Amazingly, I still have the HTML code from my original web page post from 2003. I will cut-and-paste it into my next post.

 

[mgmshar]

RAMCHARGERS DUAL FAN INSTALLATION
When I received my Ramchargers dual fans for my Grand National, my goal was to install them with no modifications to my car (no new drilled holes, etc.). Using the methods and bracket designs below, I was successful. It took me considerable time and patience to get everything right, but the results are worth it.

Here is the Ramchargers Dual Fan set-up. You can see that I've removed three of the four mounting tabs (all except the driver-side upper) prior to installing. I used a Dremel tool with a cutting bit followed by a sanding drum to cut-off the ears and smooth out the cut surfaces. You can leave the driver-side upper ear in place, as it does not interfere with anything.

This photo shows the grinding that had to be done to the driver-side lower fan motor support to clear the steering gear box. I used a Dremel tool with a sanding drum to do this. Even with this much material removed, the support still comes very close to the steering gear box. You can also see one of the two holes I had to drill into the fan shroud for mounting. I used a 3/8" wood "paddle" bit to drill the holes in the shroud, which worked very well.

Here is a photo of the fans after the installation was complete. I have a Nick Micale radiator in my car, and I found that the fan shroud was about 1/8" too long to fit between the radiator tanks. I did not want to grind that much material off the fan shroud, so I used an alternate method. I placed weatherstripping (specifically, hood seal weatherstripping that I got from a junk yard) along the top and bottom edges of the fan shroud. I then sized my brackets to hold the shroud tight against the lips of the end tanks. I also placed a small piece of grey foam weatherstripping (purchased at a hardware store) between the shroud and the end tank lips to prevent rattling. Using this approach, the fans clear my CAS V2 intercooler pipes and the steering gear box, although not by much.

Here is a photo of the two top brackets that I made. This photo was taken prior to re-installing the two A/C line brackets that fit over these studs. I purchased two 1/8" thick "L" brackets from a hardware store (used to mount shelves) and cut to length with my trusty hack saw. I then used a large vice and lots of muscle power to add the second bend to give the brackets their "S" shape. A little clean-up on the bench grinder and some satin black spray paint give the brackets a very stock look. Note that it took a lot of trial-and-error to get the exact shape of the brackets correct. Also note that I had to remove the little clip that holds the wiring harness near the driver side bracket, as it was right in the spot where the bracket goes. You can also see the weatherstripping along the top edge of the fan shroud which seals the fans tightly to the radiator core. I chose to use a large round washer under the studs when I mounted the brackets for extra rigidity. These brackets are very rigid, and hold the fan very tightly to the radiator.

This is the passenger-side lower fan bracket that I made. I started with a 1/8" thick piece of steel, cut to length with a hack saw, and then used a vice and some muscle power to give it the slight "S" shape that you can see in the photo. A little clean-up on the bench grinder and some satin black paint gave it the final touches. I chose to use the existing hole in the lower radiator support to attach the bracket, so I did not have to drill a new hole. When I bent this bracket, I had the upper brackets complete and installed, along with the weatherstripping, so I could get the length and shape of both lower brackets exactly right. I then drilled the holes in the lower brackets, fitted them up, and marked the holes to be drilled in the fan shroud while the upper brackets were fully installed. In other words, I had all of the brackets completely done (including drilled holes) and installed before I marked the holes on the fan shroud. By doing this, I was sure that the holes in the fan shroud would be in the right place. You can also see the weatherstripping that I used to seal the bottom of the fan shroud to the radiator core in this photo.

This is the driver-side lower bracket. As with the passenger-side, I used 1/8" thick steel. This was the most difficult bracket to make, because I had to put a "compound angle" into it to reach from the existing hole in the lower radiator support to a good location on the fan shroud. I started by cutting the steel to length (note the angle cut on the top of the bracket to clear the shroud protrusion around the blades), shaped on my bench grinder, and used trial-and-error to get the bends right. I then drilled the holes in the bracket. After fitting-up all of the other brackets, I marked the hole on the fan shroud. When I was done, all of the brackets and holes lined-up perfectly, and the fan is held very tightly to the radiator.​

 

[captndave737]

I did mine slightly differently. I trimmed the tabs and sides so it would fit the inside edges of the radiator. I removed the lower bracket that held the stock fan in. I put the fan in with the lower lip of the fan inside the ridge of the radiator. I put the stock lower bracket on the top to hold the radiator in. I didn't need to make any other brackets to hold the fan in. Been there for 12 years.

 

[Pronto]

I did mine similarly...

 

[1KWIKSIX]

I made similar brackets for the uppers (had em powder coated black after my initial fitting). Used an old trunk weatherstrip around the perimeter of the fan ass’y to ensure a tight fit against the radiator with no scuffing from vibration. Bolted the factory T bar to the bottom and secured it to thr brad support

 

[MikeS]

I simply trimmed the ears off my intrepid fan and then wedged it between the 2 radiator end tanks. One of the front mount intercooler pipes comes up directly behind it, so it can't fall backwards. It hasn't moved since I installed it about 6 years ago. No fabrication.

 

[Ktbregal]

I'm looking to install these fans. When you wire them, do you mean you have them both come on low speed? If this is the case I assume they won't go to high speed?

 

[Ktbregal]

I guess if I buy Caspers harness , it will work like factory?

 

[mgmshar]

I guess if I buy Caspers harness , it will work like factory?

Not exactly. I'm going by my memory from about 15 years ago, so I invite someone to correct me if my details are wrong.

Each of the two "Intrepid" fans has two sets of coils. If you apply power to one set of coils, that fan will come on "low" speed. If you apply power to both sets of coils, that fan will come on "high" speed. With the Casper's harness, if either of the two fan relays is activated, power is applied to both coils on both fans. So, the fans are either completely off or both on high speed. This is OK, but you will notice a large power draw when the fans activate, since the Casper's harness will fire all of the coils every time a fan relay activates. On my car, I would see a noticeable drop in engine speed and headlight dimming every time the fans cycled on.

After a while, I modified my Casper's harness. In my re-wire, I set it up so that if the low-speed fan relay was activated, only one set of coils on each fan would be energized. This would cause both fans to come on low speed. If the high-speed fan relay was activated, then both coils on the fans would become energized, and the fans would come on high speed.

To further improve the design, I replaced the factory temperature switch in the intake manifold with a lower-temperature switch. The stock switch doesn't close and activate the high-speed fans until a really high temperature (something like 230 degrees). I replaced it with a switch that closes at about 190 degrees (give-or-take, it's been a long time, can't remember exactly). My chip was programmed to turn the low-speed fans on at around 176 degrees. I had a 160-degree thermostat installed.

With all of the above changes, which took a fair amount of work, my car would fire the low-speed fans at about 176 degrees. If the temperature got up to 190 degrees, the intake manifold switch would close and fire the high speed fans. I found this solution to be perfect for my car. I can also say that the high speed fans rarely came on, only on hot days when I was using the A/C. Most of the time, the coolant temperature would bounce between 176 and 172 while the low-speed fans cycled on-and-off.

Hopefully this is helpful to somebody.

 

[Ktbregal]

Thanks man

 

[GNRick]

Not exactly. I'm going by my memory from about 15 years ago, so I invite someone to correct me if my details are wrong.

Each of the two "Intrepid" fans has two sets of coils. If you apply power to one set of coils, that fan will come on "low" speed. If you apply power to both sets of coils, that fan will come on "high" speed. With the Casper's harness, if either of the two fan relays is activated, power is applied to both coils on both fans. So, the fans are either completely off or both on high speed. This is OK, but you will notice a large power draw when the fans activate, since the Casper's harness will fire all of the coils every time a fan relay activates. On my car, I would see a noticeable drop in engine speed and headlight dimming every time the fans cycled on.

After a while, I modified my Casper's harness. In my re-wire, I set it up so that if the low-speed fan relay was activated, only one set of coils on each fan would be energized. This would cause both fans to come on low speed. If the high-speed fan relay was activated, then both coils on the fans would become energized, and the fans would come on high speed.

To further improve the design, I replaced the factory temperature switch in the intake manifold with a lower-temperature switch. The stock switch doesn't close and activate the high-speed fans until a really high temperature (something like 230 degrees). I replaced it with a switch that closes at about 190 degrees (give-or-take, it's been a long time, can't remember exactly). My chip was programmed to turn the low-speed fans on at around 176 degrees. I had a 160-degree thermostat installed.

With all of the above changes, which took a fair amount of work, my car would fire the low-speed fans at about 176 degrees. If the temperature got up to 190 degrees, the intake manifold switch would close and fire the high speed fans. I found this solution to be perfect for my car. I can also say that the high speed fans rarely came on, only on hot days when I was using the A/C. Most of the time, the coolant temperature would bounce between 176 and 172 while the low-speed fans cycled on-and-off.

Hopefully this is helpful to somebody.

I'm also using the radiator fan switch on the manifold to trigger one of my Spal fans. It is a 190° switch. My fans only have one speed. So left fan is low speed, both fans is high speed. It's fun to watch the vdo gauge go to 200, then second fan kicks on and temp goes to ~185°.

 

[IrvJr]

I used the stock fan lower bracket on the bottom of the intrepid fans and made 2 brackets for the top to mount to the AC line mounting points. Also cut off all the mounting tabs. I also have a Nick Micale radiator but my fans fit between the tanks.