| Matt |
Posted
Saturday, Jun 28th 12:24am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 78
SF Bay Area
81 320i |
I have to radiator removed and the AC condensor is still there. I need to remove the engine driven fan to install a new one. How do I do this?
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| RJ |
Posted
Saturday, Jun 28th 1:16am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 4
The Netherlands
335i E21, 325i E30 |
Not 100% sure on an E21, but on an E30 you loosen up the nut on the backside of the fan using a thin 32mm spanner. Remember, its reverse thread! |
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| Matt |
Posted
Saturday, Jun 28th 1:23am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 79
SF Bay Area
81 320i |
There are four bolts on the front that need to come out. There is also something else up there, haynes mentions a locking clip for up there... I can't see in there because of the condensor. |
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| M42powered |
Posted
Saturday, Jun 28th 2:03am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Staff
Post nr. 86
Arizona, USA
1981 BMW 320i |
Just undo the 4 bolts... it should come off. Nothing fancy, no fan clutch or anything that was on mine. I believe the pulley is held on by these 4 bolts as well so be careful of tension on the belt (I'm not sure about the pulley though). It's been so long and I have a fan clutch now, much easier to deal with. |
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| cbm320is |
Posted
Saturday, Jun 28th 2:56am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Junior Member
Post nr. 1
Denver, CO
1982 320is |
Might want to replace it with an elecreic fan for a little extra power.. |
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| M42powered |
Posted
Saturday, Jun 28th 2:59am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Staff
Post nr. 87
Arizona, USA
1981 BMW 320i |
just like everything electric fans have their pro's and con's. |
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| melloh |
Posted
Saturday, Jun 28th 9:56am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 50
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
Could you prehaps list the pros/cons (or if there are too many, the major ones)? As preventative maintenance, I'm planning to replace mywater pump (already have it). I've been told that while I do that, it would be a good opportunity to replace w/ electric (makes perfect sense). If I decide to, where/what fan should I be looking for? Prices?
Thanks much
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| M42powered |
Posted
Saturday, Jun 28th 10:18pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Staff
Post nr. 90
Arizona, USA
1981 BMW 320i |
Well the best place I've seen for an electric fan is Summit Racing. Of course that's about the only DIY catalog I get (they never stop coming).
Pro's
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1. Increased air flow. Those electric fans are strong and you can pick one to suit your needs.
2. Clean - They clean up the engine bay
3. HP - on average you can squeeze a few extra horses out of the car by deleting that rotating mass.
4. Some people say water pumps last longer. I think that's bullshit, but who knows.
Con's
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1 (and the biggest). Engine bay temps get HIGH. You're cruising along getting good flow through the radiator and the fan kicks on to cool it down even more. The coolant cycles. Hot into the radiator... cool into the engine. The hot liquid cools quickly (due to the fan). Red light. You stop... you've go cold water in the engine and cold water in the radiator. The fan turns off (they're designed too). You're sitting at a light with no air circulation in the engine bay. Exhaust headers are hot and can heat up that confinded space quickly. With a mechanical fan you always have air moving around in the engine bay. With an electric rubber hoses, spark plugs, and even wiring harnesses can detereate quickly. If you spend a lot of time under the hood than this might not be a problem... but for most it is.
That's the only con. I plan on doing an electric fan as well. But I also plan on dropping in a few extra smaller fans in the engine bay that run all the time while the car is on. Then you get air flow to keep engine bay temps down and the added cooling and hp of an electric cooling fan. |
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| melloh |
Posted
Saturday, Jun 28th 10:54pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 53
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
Thank you, that was very thorough! Regardless as to whether I do the sawp, I will (unless get really lazy) rig a simple switch for my Aux/ fan so I can turn it on manually. LA traffic frightens the *&$^ out of me, watching that temp rise. The darn switch waits until its @ just over 3/4 to finally turn on. Where would be a good place to find a simple switch?
I'm probably going to run some heavy speaker wire to the switch on the radiator, wire it to a switch that closes the circuit in the cockpit, turning on the fan. |
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| Matt |
Posted
Sunday, Jun 29th 11:43am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 83
SF Bay Area
81 320i |
www.importcarparts.com
G5030-21095
The stock switch is 91C this is an 82C. |
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| melloh |
Posted
Sunday, Jun 29th 11:48am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 55
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
I already bought this (i think, unless they sent the wrong one) last year. I should probably check the invoice to confirm.
AND you claim to be hardcore. WHATS WITH THE AC? That's what, a precious 50lbs of UNNECESSARY weight up front?! tisk tisk. |
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| Tricord |
Posted
Sunday, Jun 29th 3:54pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Administrator
Post nr. 104
Belgium, Europe
323i Baur |
Nic, I wasn't aware that a hot engine bay was such a problem. The Audi 100 I usually drive as an inline 5 engine (not even cross-flow) and the engine radiator plus the aircon condenser are cooled by an electric fan, which only kicks in when the coolant reaches 94°C.
There is no mechanical fan or any other means to get air to circulate, and the engine is still strong after +/- 300.000km. Not a sign of a problem that could be related to heat in there...
Perhaps it's the design of things or something.. |
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| Matt |
Posted
Sunday, Jun 29th 7:20pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 86
SF Bay Area
81 320i |
LOL, the only reason the AC is still in melloh is because it still works! It gets really hot up here and if I'm cruising on the fwy, I have been one to flip on the AC for a chill period. Besides, why would I remove the single most expensive part on my car !?!?  |
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| Yety |
Posted
Sunday, Jun 29th 8:42pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 21
Europe, Romania
320i/6 |
Well, maybe this is stoopid, but why so much fuss around that fan ?  I know that increasing HP is a goal, but how much power would "eat" that very lightweight plastic fan attached to the water pump ? When first rebuilding my engine, I replaced the "heavy" heat-sensitive fan with this very light one, and I'm very satisfied with it - temperature NEVER went over normal, even in summer when I was stuck in traffic with air temperature over 40 Celsius ! |
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| melloh |
Posted
Sunday, Jun 29th 10:23pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 58
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
Well. My mentality is that its so damn hard to squeeze out more power (or illusions of power) from the m10 w/o expensive modifications. And, in CA, most of those are not legal for a road car. Others might have other reasons. |
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| M42powered |
Posted
Sunday, Jun 29th 11:11pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Staff
Post nr. 92
Arizona, USA
1981 BMW 320i |
Tri -- The audi was probably designed to operate on the electric fan. The problem usually arises from taking an engine with a mechanically driven fan and converting it. I've never seen this happen, but I've hear stories.
Melloh -- I'd rig a bypass circuit as well. I don't trust those thermo-switches very much. I'd like to be able to switch on the fan manually if I saw the coolant temp get too high. Just a thought. |
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| Matt |
Posted
Monday, Jun 30th 2:14am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 88
SF Bay Area
81 320i |
Does anyone have any experience with or suggestions on setting up a manual switch to trigger the aux fan while still leaving the stock wiring(as much as possible) and operation stock? |
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| M42powered |
Posted
Monday, Jun 30th 9:01am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Staff
Post nr. 94
Arizona, USA
1981 BMW 320i |
just run your manual switch in parralel with the thermal. Either positive side or negative. |
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| thug |
Posted
Monday, Jun 30th 9:09am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 7
Pagosa Springs, CO.
bmw 320/6 |
I have to say that on my car (320/6), I removed the motor driven fan, and then I got another OEM electric, and I wired the two to the radiator and then put a manual switch (I used the foglight switch, and the fan relay is strong enough to drive two fans. I actually just got done manufacturing a mounting bracket for the two fans, looks good. I will really get some pics of my car up to you guys soon... promise. but, i know that the electric will increase power, and if done right will allow it to run cooler, as it did on mine. hope it helps. |
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| Blauundweiss |
Posted
Monday, Jun 30th 8:59pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 3
Phoenix AZ, U.S.A.
1983 320i |
Can an electric fan be run at more than one speed? I know that 220 can be run with 3 speeds no prob. but at 12v I don't know, perhaps a rad. fan and an aux. fan is the way to go but it seems a cleaner way would be to have the fan switch to a lower or adjustable speed after the coolant reached an aceptable temp. that way there's always air moving but the operating temp. stays aceptable. just a question from somebody who would like to know more bout' those magic electron thingies seems to me running at a lower speed would have the same effect as an idling engine driven fan yes? |
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| Yety |
Posted
Monday, Jun 30th 10:25pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 25
Europe, Romania
320i/6 |
You're absolutely right, melloh. I have to apologize to all of you for my stoopid post. I simply forgot that in civilised contries regulations have to be respected. In my God-forgotten country, after you register your car and pass the technical inspection, you can change a lot of things under the hood without being noticed. The reverse is that due to low lifestandards, performance modifications are very expensive (if not unaffordable) compared to any average income. |
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| melloh |
Posted
Wednesday, Jul 2nd 11:18am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 59
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
heh.. so thats the ticket. make lots of money, then move out to another country w/ fewer restrictions and lower costs of living... and BAM, it's like you're rich! I know nothing abt your country, but man... in China a gourmet chinese dinner for 8 is like 20 US$, about 1/4-1/6 of what it would be to get something similar here.
PS: I hope i'm not comming off as racist or anything. if it helps, I'm chinese. |
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| Yety |
Posted
Thursday, Jul 3rd 8:32pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 29
Europe, Romania
320i/6 |
 melloh, I've decided not 2 post anything more about "economy", but I hope that someone will understand and forgive me for this : my whole monthly income allows me 2 buy even less than 35 galons of gas while the equivalent of one galon of gas is here just a little under 3 bucks ! But u'r far from being racist or anything like this 'cause a joke is a joke, we're here 2 "talk" so we can joke a little around, right ? |
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| melloh |
Posted
Friday, Jul 4th 12:13pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 62
California, USA (San Jose)
1980 320is, 1991 318is |
Heh, thanks Yety. I hope thats not 3 euros or US$ per gall.... thats inSANE. It better be some 100 octane fuel or something like that! |
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| Yety |
Posted
Friday, Jul 4th 9:06pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 31
Europe, Romania
320i/6 |
It IS insane, melloh ! 
1 liter of 95 octane fuel costs here 0.75US$, so 1 gallon (3.78 liters) costs 2.86US$ which is almost 3US$ per gallon ! ...and prices r raising higher and higher  |
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| Tricord |
Posted
Saturday, Jul 5th 1:08pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Administrator
Post nr. 120
Belgium, Europe
323i Baur |
Fuel is very expensive in Europe. I thought Belgium had crazy prices until I went to Germany and the Netherlands, where it costs even more  |
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| OZ323 |
Posted
Tuesday, Jul 8th 7:22am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 1
NSW Australia
e21 323i |
I had to replace my clutch fan recently,
the fan had got loose and wore out the bearing in the middle of the fan.
removed the fan and the nob that it screws onto and replaced with an electric thermo fan, car is running cooler than it ever did (thou it is the middle of winter) biggest thing ive noticed is that the car is now half as loud as it was b4 the clutch fan on e21 really makes a noise at 6000 rpm's
Edit: should add how i removed the fan
single bolt in the middle of fan, undo fan comes off.
4 hex nuts hold the nub (thing fan is bolted to ) |
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