Thank you to atjxl for this guide on installing Rodney Dickman's low temp fan switch.
 

I had a little problem installing one of Rodney's low - temp radiator fan switches in my 88 Fiero GT's V6. I noticed that others have had a similar problem

So I thought I would share a solution for this problem. I have seen at least one PFF posting saying that -- because it looked like the switch does not fit -- the switch was returned. Although it looks like it will not fit and an initial fitting may appear to confirm that the switch does not fit, the switch does fit.

To begin, here's Rodney's low temp switch (on the left) and the original GM part as installed by Pontiac (on the right) out of the top intake manifold.

The problem is the difficulty in getting Rodney's switch down into the threaded hole.The part of Rodney's new switch below the thread (the submerged part that is actually in the coolant) is much wider than the same section of the original switch. So Rodney's switch just does not easily drop into the threaded hole; it gets hung up on the top of the threaded hole. The submerged part (or unthreaded bottom section) of the brass switch is resistant to sliding into that threaded aluminum hole.

A combination of cleaning, lubrication and gentle persuasion solves this problem. I scraped off the top of the manifold and removed some dried RTV like sealant around the edges of the hole. I also suctioned out a little bit of coolant to expose the threads in the hole and cleaned the threads off as best I could with a rag. Then I put a little film of vaseline on the bottom non-threaded section of the switch. After positioning the switch on top of the threaded hole, some gentle force then dropped the threaded section of the switch to the top threads of the hole. I used a big oversized screw driver upside down as a punch. The plastic handle sat on the electical connector on top of the switch. Then I gently tapped the blade end of the screw driver a few times with a hammer and -- yahoo -- the switch dropped in.

A few turns of a socket wrench later and the switch was installed. And it works like a champ -- just like the other nice things I have bought from Rodney.

I think a lack of clear access is a problem for this install. Perhaps if I had my V6 sitting on an engine stand, then I could have easily dropped it in dead plumb into the hole without any problems? However, when the engine is in the car, it is not as easy to drop it dead down straight into the threaded hole.

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