Need to know how to wire a fan

[Quithpa]

I have a 1994 Ford Contour, and I am currently experiancing overheating problems. Upon inspection of the engine, I noticed that the cooling fan does not come on. The fan is hardwired into the fuse box, and the previous owner told me to just "play with the wire some". Being someone who did all the wiring in his house, I do not like "playing" with wires.

Is there an easy way I can wire this fan into a toggle switch, so that I can make sure that the fan works when I want it to?

I know nothing about cars, as I am a web designer, so explicit instructions with simple terms would be greatly appreciated.

[sonofral]

First, you have to understand that the wiring in your house carries 115 volts AC, which can kill you.

Autos use 12V DC, which is supplied by a battery.
The battery has a lot of juice (amps), makes a BIG spark, but is not likely to kill you. (Unless the spark ignites something explosive)

The fan is supposed to turn on (and off) automatically, usually through some sort of control mechanism (sensor, computer module, etc.). The fan probably has two wires - one for the supply voltage (12 volts), the other for ground (the automobile chassis).

Go to a junkyard and find a car like yours, cut off the wire cable and connector going to the fan, leaving several inches of wire, so that you can plug this connector into your fan without destroying your original cable. (in case you ever want to find the fault and fix it later)

Now all you need is some automotive wiring and a toggle switch, and a place to mount it. Tell the clerk at the auto parts store what you are going to do so you get the correct type of toggle switch.

First, disconnect the Positive Cable from the battery.

Uunplug the connector going to the fan. Plug in the cable from the junkyard. Hook up one wire from the fan to a 12 V source. (Usually, there are many options underneath the hood) If you have to bare a wire, make sure you tape it after the splice.

Hook up the other fan wire to one side of the toggle switch.
Hook up the other side of the toggle switch to a ground.

Now, the fan is "hot wired", but the circuit is not complete until you flip the switch and apply a ground path.

Of course, don't forget to reconnect the battery cable. You might also have to reset your clock and anything else that requires programming.

Good Luck!