# VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up



## 16V4LIFE (Sep 29, 2004)

I have a Corrado radiator in my '91 MKII GTI that is about 12" tall. I can't find a Corrado VR6 fan to save my life so I ordered 2 10" fans off of ebay...








They were only $45 shipped new, so I figured what the hell. Is anyone else running something like this? I have my concerns about this set up not being shrouded (Unless I make a custom shroud, which I just may do), and possibly not pulling air through a high enough percentage of the surface area of the radiator.


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## hallkbrd (Apr 8, 2000)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (16V4LIFE)*

In Seattle you might get away with no shroud, but with some thin aluminum sheet it is simple enough to make one that you should do it. In fact, there is a great place to get your aluminum in town:
http://www.onlinemetals.com/
1138 West Ewing
Seattle, WA
BTW - Those fans look like SPAL thin clones, which means they will be quite loud when running full bore. You might consider running them in series (if 6v is enough to make them spin up reasonably).


_Modified by hallkbrd at 11:00 AM 10-26-2008_


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## 16V4LIFE (Sep 29, 2004)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (hallkbrd)*


_Quote, originally posted by *hallkbrd* »_BTW - Those fans look like SPAL thin clones, which means they will be quite loud when running full bore. You might consider running them in series (if 6v is enough to make them spin up reasonably). 

I gave this some thought after I read your post. So I came up with a wiring method using 3 relays, and the factory 2 speed fan switch. At the lower on temp, it will run them in series (~6V each), and in the high temp, it will run them in parallel (~12V each). Thanks for the idea!


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## stealthmk1 (Aug 17, 2001)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (16V4LIFE)*

FYI Mk3 VR fan shrouds and fans work great in a Mk2 if you cut off the bottom of the shroud.


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## 2doorV6 (Jan 29, 2003)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (stealthmk1)*

you only have to cut the bottom off of the passat vr6 fan, the corrado fan set up fits perfect has the lowest profile fan set up that is stock or a 16v passat fan fits no cutting


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## 16V4LIFE (Sep 29, 2004)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (hallkbrd)*


_Quote, originally posted by *hallkbrd* »_BTW - Those fans look like SPAL thin clones, which means they will be quite loud when running full bore. You might consider running them in series (if 6v is enough to make them spin up reasonably).
I thought I would post up what I designed. Your post made my brain click, and I designed a 2 speed fan control module for the 1 speed 12V fans. I drew it out in paintbrush, so i could keep tweeking it till it looked good on paper.








The system has been built and tested at this point, and works great. With the car at idle, the car has never switched to the "High" (12V) position on the fans because it was not needed, just the low (6V). I have tested the fans at the radiator switch connection, and the high and low speeds work great. I added a diode to the switch input lines because I was not sure if the low speed connection on the radiator fan switch died when the high speed connection became active. With the diode there, it would work with the switch operating either way. The way the VW system works, the radiator fan would work fine if the swith operated either way, so I just added the diode to eliminate a later possible update.


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## 2deepn2dubs (Oct 27, 2002)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (16V4LIFE)*

this is great! im going to run a g60 rad in my mk2 vr, i bought the passat vr fans but they are too tall, if i trim the bottom as suggested there will be a gap at the bottom where air will bypass the radiator defeating the purpose of fans, so will the passat 16v fan motor clear the vr? btw running the angled mk2 lower rad support... http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## 16V4LIFE (Sep 29, 2004)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (2deepn2dubs)*

I came up with another method that uses 3 standard auto relays, and no diode (Easier to put together, and if you have VW crap lying around, chances you are you have 3 "53" VW relays), but I have to test one thing on the VW fan switch to make sure it works with it. The factory fan switch obviously connect 2 contacts on the switch when at the lower on temp (Red, and Red/White wires), and then when the higher on temp is reached, the 3rd contact is connected (Red, and Red/Black wires), but does the low temp contact still have continuity, or does it die when the high speed contact is activated? This system will work as long as the low temp contact dies when the high temp contact becomes active:


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## hallkbrd (Apr 8, 2000)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (16V4LIFE)*


_Quote, originally posted by *16V4LIFE* »_I thought I would post up what I designed. Your post made my brain click, and I designed a 2 speed fan control module for the 1 speed 12V fans. I drew it out in paintbrush, so i could keep tweeking it till it looked good on paper

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif Very cool (no pun intended)


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## 2deepn2dubs (Oct 27, 2002)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (hallkbrd)*

i just used passat 16v fans from the junkyard, plug and play http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## quadcammer32 (Jan 20, 2007)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (2deepn2dubs)*

im using one of these fans on my car, works fine


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## apavlov (Dec 4, 2005)

*FV-QR*

I am pretty sure the low temp contact does not die when the high temp one engages. On the VW diagrams, it shows that the thermoswitch has two independent switches. So as long as the temperature is above the low-temp threshold, the low temp contact is on. So when both switches are on, it looks that battery would short out through all 3 relays.
I have my fans set up (two similar to those pictured above, only 12" or rado rad) with two relays such that one turns on when the low temp threshold is reached, and the other fan turns on with the higher temp. I dont think I like this as the low-temp switch only turns on at 95C...somewhat high for my tastes. Also it turns off very quickly after shutoff since i have no circulation through the radiator with the car off. I would like to use the factory wiring so I at least have the after-run water pump working after I shut the car off.
Has anyone used the original 3-speed fan connector to drive relays to do the same thing? I have passat fan wiring, and according to the bentley, there are two resistors inside the factory motor (mk3/passat/corrado) assembly. On the highest speed the current does not go through any resistors, on medium speed only one resistor is used, and at low speed all three resistors are used. I though that maybe have the low/medium speed connectors drive a relay thar runs the fans in series, and then have the high speed connector run both fans in parallel directly. Thoughts?


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## 20vTa4 (Jun 21, 2001)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (16V4LIFE)*



16V4LIFE said:


> I came up with another method that uses 3 standard auto relays, and no diode (Easier to put together, and if you have VW crap lying around, chances you are you have 3 "53" VW relays), but I have to test one thing on the VW fan switch to make sure it works with it. The factory fan switch obviously connect 2 contacts on the switch when at the lower on temp (Red, and Red/White wires), and then when the higher on temp is reached, the 3rd contact is connected (Red, and Red/Black wires), but does the low temp contact still have continuity, or does it die when the high speed contact is activated? This system will work as long as the low temp contact dies when the high temp contact becomes active:
> The low temp definitely doesn't drop out when the high temp kicks in. I tested this the other day. I have a car that I'm working on right now with the same fans and I was just going to wire one to come on at low and both at high. But, I really like your setup, I'm just wondering if there's any way to eliminate the diode and do it all with relays? I'm going to print this out and think about, if you come up with something let me know...........great post by the way


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## 16V4LIFE (Sep 29, 2004)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (20vTa4)*


_Quote, originally posted by *20vTa4* »_


16V4LIFE said:


> I came up with another method that uses 3 standard auto relays, and no diode (Easier to put together, and if you have VW crap lying around, chances you are you have 3 "53" VW relays), but I have to test one thing on the VW fan switch to make sure it works with it. The factory fan switch obviously connect 2 contacts on the switch when at the lower on temp (Red, and Red/White wires), and then when the higher on temp is reached, the 3rd contact is connected (Red, and Red/Black wires), but does the low temp contact still have continuity, or does it die when the high speed contact is activated? This system will work as long as the low temp contact dies when the high temp contact becomes active:
> The low temp definitely doesn't drop out when the high temp kicks in. I tested this the other day. I have a car that I'm working on right now with the same fans and I was just going to wire one to come on at low and both at high. But, I really like your setup, I'm just wondering if there's any way to eliminate the diode and do it all with relays? I'm going to print this out and think about, if you come up with something let me know...........great post by the way






16V4LIFE said:


> Thanks! As long as the low speed input from the fan switch stays active (I always assumed it did) when the high speed input becomes active, the diode will not be needed. I just put it in there because I knew it would now work either way, and I did not want to have to pull the wiring to add a stupid diode that I have thousands of to save 1 minute. The diode was put there to simply backfeed the signal from the high speed input back to the low speed input so that they would both appear to be on to the relays when the high speed was active, in case the switch did in fact kill the low speed when high speed was activated, which I assumed did not, and you confirmed this. So if you are correct, no diode is needed.


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## 20vTa4 (Jun 21, 2001)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (16V4LIFE)*


_Quote, originally posted by *16V4LIFE* »_
Thanks! As long as the low speed input from the fan switch stays active (I always assumed it did) when the high speed input becomes active, the diode will not be needed. I just put it in there because I knew it would now work either way, and I did not want to have to pull the wiring to add a stupid diode that I have thousands of to save 1 minute. The diode was put there to simply backfeed the signal from the high speed input back to the low speed input so that they would both appear to be on to the relays when the high speed was active, in case the switch did in fact kill the low speed when high speed was activated, which I assumed did not, and you confirmed this. So if you are correct, no diode is needed.

Yeah, now the diode makes sense, I thought you meant it wouldn't work without it. I tried this out this afternoon and it works great, thanks...


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## izcorrado18 (Aug 21, 2005)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (20vTa4)*

hi every one... I have a 92 corrado turbo and i wanted to put slim fans so my short runner fit right. The front engine mount has a spacer cause of the fan. I want to wire it so the A/C works but not with a separate switch. Does anyone have an idea?



















_Modified by dri0514 at 11:22 AM 12-22-2008_


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (dri0514)*

bump for an awesome thread, thanks guys.
i was wondering, know where you can buy some of the 53 relays that have a plug in connector with pigtails??
ive seen them before for other relays, but cant find them.


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## bonesaw (Aug 8, 2004)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (speed51133!)*

jsut a regualr relay holder. local speed shop. even autozone might have em. partsexpress has them really cheap too.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (bonesaw)*

sweet...it would be awesome to have a PCB with this wiring configuration on it...im scared its gonna look like a bird's nest of wire just to get 2 fans to spin....


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## bonesaw (Aug 8, 2004)

*Re: VR6 MKII Aftermarket Fan Set Up (speed51133!)*

that wiring makes it overly complicated. i use 1 speed fan switches and have never had a problem.


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