I had my alternator checked while it was on my car. It registered at 13 amps at idle with the headlights on. Does this enough room for ae electric fan from a 90's taurus? (they fit, right?)

 

Most electric fans pull a minimum of 10 amps when on. Some pull 20. In the least-worst-case scenario that leaves you with 3 amps to run all the rest of your car electrics at night. Make sure you don't need the heater...

 

If optomizing the electrical system (cleaning ALL contacts, making sure the battery is well charged, tighening things, and adding a better ground) doesnt raise that to at least 20 Amps, I'd upgrade the alternator.

I'm sure the 17+ year old contacts are well corroded. They won't transfer power as well and you loose power converting it to heat through the higher resistance of that corrosion.

If you're corrosion free and just have lots of other stuff (Stereo, foglights, etc.) then you should defenately upgrade.

Hook up an ammeter to the fan and your battery. If the ammeter shows that the fan draws more than 13 Amps, you're gonna kill the battery if you don't optimize or upgrade.

 

I've already added a ground and another 10 guage wire from the alternator to the positive terminal of the battery. I have a 750 watt stereo too. I guess I should upgrade. The early 90's taurus fan fits right?
Thanks guys

 

You definitely need to upgrade and here's the "cheapest" way that won't involve heavy fabrication....

2ndgen alt into 1stgen wiring diagram

What's the obsession with the Taurus fan? It's gonna be old and abused with an extremely iffy lifespan if you liberate one from a boneyard. Pony up for an aftermarket jobby like Derale, Fal or a Black Magic. Your cooling system is one area you don't want to skimp on....

 

true I just read somewhere on this forum that they fit with little modification and drew HUGE amounts of air.

 

You don't honestly believe that, do you? If that were true, then there would be no need for warranties, dealership technicians, or independent garages who are ALWAYS full of vehicles with failed OEM parts sometimes within a year of being purchased! It's called planned obsolesence and it is still very much alive in America. Not to sound like sterling, but THEY ( THOSE people....THEM...) do not want you to have a car that will last even a cat's lifetime.... It's in a boneyard for a reason...who's to say the fan quitting didn't cause the demise of the vehicle? Once you buy electrics from a boneyard, they've got your cash and there is no cash refunds...only credit at most places and a check from the nicer ones...think about that fer a while....

 

On top of that, you're getting it from a FORD!

When you roll off the dealer's lot with it, it's First On Race Day. Soon it'll break down and become Found On Roadside Dead. After you tow it to the shop, it'll be Fix Or Recondition Daily. After many years of that, you'll get sick of it or it'll get wrecked, and you'll have it towed to the junkyard and it'll be involvd in a Fucked Over Rebuilt Dodge.

That, my friends is the lifecycle of a FORD.

Happened to my Stepbrother's Taurus and my Dad's Probe. My Stepmother's Thunderbird is midway through.

Curse of the Blue Oval.

 

OOOFAH!!!

 

You said 13 Amps, I think you meant 13 volts...

Want to get something from the junkyard thats OEM and is probally the best quality? Find one from a BMW, Porsche, Audi, VW ... That **** is built to last...

 

Pele,
Just remember, the probe is made and designed by the same people that put that RX under your butt.
I have a 92 Probe with 140K on the odometer, and have yet to have a major repair. Unfortunately, I can't say that about my 80 RX, 86 RX, 90RX, or 85 GSL-SE.
Go figure.
just my opinion, I could be wrong,
hanman

 

Though you probably don't realize it, you have different expectations of a rex than a commuter car like the Probe and drive differently as an unconscious result. Before you protest, how many times have you spun the Probe to 8000 RPM??............exactly..........

 

My dad's probe was wrecked. The Taurus was wrecked. After my dad had dome major work on it. New power steering pump, freshly serviced auto tranny, new timing belt, and a non leaking, tuned up engine in the scrapper.

The Thunderbird just needs an alternator every few months and several small oil and coolant leaks patched.