electric fan for cooling engine

[Guest]

Hi all. Anyone swapped their viscous fan for a leccy one? Is there any inrease in power? More importantly, will I notice??
Thanx

[E30Adam]

1 word... "search"

This must have been asked at least 3 times since the launch of the new forum about 2 weeks ago

[Gwynleym10]

I have done this on my 318i, very difficult to tell, if it feels mre powerfull. It probably does, but its so minimal.

Don't forget that if your using your electric fan a lot your put more strain on your alternator thus sapping power in that respect (so i have heard)

[Brianmoooore]

The electric fan will only come on when you are stopped or moving slowly in traffic, so the power taken to drive it then is hardly a problem.

[Simon]

Definitely worth doing, I noticed a difference on my 316i when I did that a few years ago, as Brian says it will only run when the engine is running hotter than normal unlike the viscous fan which is spinning along all day long!

As Adam says, do a search as the previous post covered this topic in depth!

[player6]

what parts do i need and how do i do it

[TVRTASMIN]

Bear in mind the radiator is relatively small and the kidney grill is the only real ram air opening.
The viscous fan adjusts according to engine temperature an only really starts to grip when the engine is very hot.
I spoke to Bexley BMW about fitting an electric fan about 4 years ago and they said there wasn't anything much to gain.

[Brianmoooore]

Standard BMW radiator set ups are more than adequate for the job. BMW even used use blanked off kidney grills for some applications.
I would think the gains to be had by replacing a correctly working viscous fan setup are fairly modest. I only fitted an electric fan on one of my E30s because of lack of space for a viscous one (M50 conversion).

[6potWil6pot]

Theres a viscious in mine believe it or not! But its fins are all chopped up so its half length, probably doesnt actually do anything except add an annoying clatter. I'll get sum pics tommo hopefully

[Brianmoooore]

There is just room for a viscous fan on mine, but I wouldn't be happy with it that close to the rad. It might be possible to do some mods to the way the fan mounts on the viscous hub to move it back a bit, but the electric fan came free from a seven series.

[6potWil6pot]

Oh yeah its real close to the rad! Looks worrying id say, and theres two electric ones in the front anway, could probably get away with taking that viscous off!

[6potWil6pot]

M50 Viscious fan update!
I was erm playing sideways silly buggers the other night and mounted the middle of a roundabout, did no visable damage and thought nothing of it, until i took some pics today and found this!

[Karan]

lol u hero!!

[jph78]

Brian- what 7 series fan are you using? There's a 735 at the scrappy with a viscous fan in the usual place and a leccy one in between the rad and the fan. I need a leccy one for the S50 conversion, do ya reckon this will fit ok? Cheers.

Wil, if i were you i'd take a close look at your engine mounts after that little 'off'. I know someone who had a minor ding with the front of his 325 and the fan was just touching the rad, more noticable when braking hard. Turns out the shock of the accident had sheared both engine mount rubbers!

Regards, Jon.

[Karan]

yeh give it the once over will

that engines power may also be really affecting the mounts.

ive been thru 2 already

Karan

[Toby_Unna]

I was erm playing sideways silly buggers the other night and mounted the middle of a roundabout

glad it's not just me that goes out and does that

[jph78]

I thought that kind of driving was a standard requirement of E30 ownership

[Toby_Unna]

it is if you put a 3.5 in a 316i and don't change the suspension

[6potWil6pot]

Yeah ive had a good look at the mounts and theyre hanging in there! They look slightly warped but that might be because of the angle, cant see or feel any splits yet tho.
I think i'll give up the wannabe drifting for now as im getting new tyres fitted on Mon and my suspension isnt set up for it, way too much understeer

Anyway this kinda got

[Brianmoooore]

jph78 - Leccy fan between the viscous fan and the radiator? Should be in front of the radiator. Thats the same fan as I used. Get the little rubber mounts that go with it as well and the electric thermostat.
I mounted mine by drilling a 6mm hole in the upright to the your left when looking into the front of the car behind the kidney grill, and bolting one of the rubber blocks here. The other two blocks were then bolted to two small angled bits of steel bolted to the bottom crossmember and the underside of the bonnet slam panel. This latter bracket got in the way of the top radiator mounting bracket, so this had to be shortened to clear it.
Thermostat will screw intio some replacement radiators, and the fuse positions and relay socket are already in the standard fusebox.
Same fan appears on E34 5series I think.

[jph78]

Cheers Brian, i'll be goint to the scrappy next week then!

Yeah i meant to type 'leccy fan between the rad and the grill' but obviously had a blonde moment

Cheers, Jon

[mrLEE30]

Both mine have electric fans in front of the radiator (as well as viscous fans) they only really seem to come on when the airconditioner is on, as i live in Bahrain and the summer temp gets in excess of 45-50 the engine understandably runs pretty hot, but if i dont have the A/C on the fan wont come on and my car temp begins to climb into the red at lights (its a cab so A/C no use) does anyone know how i can alter the settings to either make the fan come on without A/C at a certain temp ( i dont really want ot fit a switch).

and anyone who thinks the E30 radiator is 'more than adequate' is either mad or living in Europe!!!!

Will6pot could you send me a picture of your two electric fan set up please, i need all the cooling i can get, dont worry about power gains as you cant produce any sort of power in 50degrees and 90% humidity!!

mr lee