Trying to get my front A/C fan f=working again and I am tracing the circuit testing for current flow. I have traced up to the point of checking the blower motor relay, but I can't find the darn thing. Where is it? I have taken my dash completely apart and the relay doesn't appear to be under the dash. Is it under the hood somewhere? Remember, tis is an 89 so there isn't a relay center like on later vans. Thanks!

Never mind. FOund it, checked it, and it works. FYI- it is located directly in front of the battery and is screwed in to the radiator support panel.

My '88 kept melting down fan switches so, the last time I replaced it, I built a relay set for the different fan speeds and mounted it in the dash behind the A/C control panel. Now the switch only pilots the relays, and stays cool, while the relays take the heavy grounding.

That actually isn't a bad idea. I checked my fan switch and found that it had been getting hot enough that the plastic plug for the wires had melted. What is weird is that the switch actually controls the ground to the fan. not the positive feed. The blower motor (+) lead is fed direct from the blower motor relay under the hood which is fed direct from the fuse box. It looks like the blower motor is a constant "hot" device.

The switch "reroutes" the ground side thru whichever set of resistors to control fan speed.
The fan plug shows how hot it gets inside that switch. OUCH!
My rear fan is a 4 speed GM model and I mounted relays for the power side of it as well.

I also added relays for the headlights after I burned my fingers on the headlight switch! And the lights are brighter and I've not replaced a bulb since.

All of the inside fans, engine fans, lights etc I have are relay controlled. The wiring between my switches and relays is actually 18 gauge stranded/shielded control wires.

You have the right idea. When I am finally at the point where i can take my van out of daily driver status and do some serious work, I also want to have relays controlling headlights and front and rear fans. Routing all that current through unnecessary feet of small gauge wire, multiple unnecessary terminals, AND a switch is just asking for voltage drop and overheating of components.

Speaking of working on the electrics.....
I ran across this a while back while surfing the WWW.


Expensive!!! It would double what my old vans worth.....
But it shore is purrty ain't it?

That is nice, but probably way out of my price range.