viscous or electric fan?

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:11 pm

hi, gonna be doing my conversion soon, and the m20 that is going in does not have the viscous fan. what i wanna know is what would be easier, cheaper.... fit the viscous one or electric.

i like the idea of viscous as it auotmatically is on, i would probably forget to switch electric one on. no bothered too much about little powerloss, but if it is really really simple to fit electric then i might. and how do you do it, what electric fan do you use?

so what do you think?

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:17 pm

easy to just put on a viscous fan! One big bolt!

Off Topic, Keep us updated with photo's

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:23 pm

hasn't started yet mate, gonna start after my final exams in may. just gettin the last few bits i need.

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 4:08 pm

thinking about putting the elecric fan in myself man

if you get one of http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/ ... e=GLOEFC25 <-- them then the fan will come on if it gets to warm

and also wire up a switch so i can turn it on at anytime

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 5:46 pm

thats gonna be a good upgrade for your motor, definitely needs that M20 in there, seen this car in person, its stunning

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 5:47 pm

Always considered fitting one of these myself..

It wouldn't be a case of remembering to switch it on if it's wired in properly =)

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:31 pm

The electric fan from 5 and 7 series BMWs with aircon fits easily into E30s, but there's no real point in doing it on E30s, unless you need the extra engine bay space for a conversion.
Standard viscous coupling is reliable, effective and works well.
Electric fans don't work for nothing. They make very inefficient use of electricity, which has to be generated (also very inefficiently) from the altenator, powered by the engine.

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:48 pm

Yes But brian, the electric fan is only working when you least need the power, i think its a worth while conversion to do.

Andrew

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:53 pm

but the main point of the post was.......read it

it would be simple to put the normal fan on as its an M20 going in

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 7:24 pm

stevetigger wrote:but the main point of the post was.......read it

it would be simple to put the normal fan on as its an M20 going in

Well if your going to be like that,

I find it simple to fit an electric fan, so if it was up to me i would fit electric.

Then again your the same steve who thinks that E34 steering wheels dont fit E30 cars.

So fitting a clutch type would be the best option for you.

Andrew

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 7:26 pm

Steve really is getting the brute of it lately !

Electric fans are not that hard to fit from what i have read

i think the hardest thing is finding a place for the actual fan to mount is it not?

ohw has everyone done this?

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 7:33 pm

318-is wrote:Steve really is getting the brute of it lately !

Electric fans are not that hard to fit from what i have read

i think the hardest thing is finding a place for the actual fan to mount is it not?

ohw has everyone done this?

Easy..buy some brackets from the dealers.

Aftermarket kit's normally come with fitting kits too, normally long plastic tie's that go through the fins in the rad.

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 7:34 pm

how much are brakcets from the dealers?

what size fan do i need?

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 7:37 pm

Demlotcrew wrote:
stevetigger wrote:but the main point of the post was.......read it

it would be simple to put the normal fan on as its an M20 going in
Well if your going to be like that,

I find it simple to fit an electric fan, so if it was up to me i would fit electric.

Then again your the same steve who thinks that E34 steering wheels dont fit E30 cars. So fitting a clutch type would be the best option for you.

Andrew

easy tiger, you must be on this month!

Read the question, if Nav is putting an M20 in the car, he might as well put the normal fan on.... easy and simple and jobs a goodun!
Far more simple than fitting an eletric fan.

Nav wrote:what i wanna know is what would be easier, cheaper.... fit the viscous one or electric.

Do you get it yet?? Andrew.......
in this case it would be easier to fit a normal fan on!

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:09 pm

318-is wrote:how much are brakcets from the dealers?

what size fan do i need?

If you use the 5/7 series fan, drill a hole for one of the rubber mounts half way up the right hand upright of the frame in front of the rad. The other two rubber mounts will then need a couple of simple angle brackets to the bonnet hinge panel and to the lower rail.

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:19 pm

Demlotcrew wrote:Yes But brian, the electric fan is only working when you least need the power, i think its a worth while conversion to do.

Andrew

Electric fan will come on when you're stopped in traffic or similar. If lights, ICE, heater etc is on, your total current consumption may well be exceding the output of the altenator at idle, therefore partly discharging the battery.
When you clear the traffic and start using power, the altenator will be absorbing engine power for a considerable time to recharge the battery, whereas air movement through the rad caused by the cars motion will soon cool the rad and dissengage the viscous.
Arrangeing for the WOT switch to dump the altenator load would however give a small power gain when it's needed.

Post Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:51 pm

What do you use on your M50 conversion Brian? Im in the middle of an M50 conversion myself and this whole fan malarky has been going round my head more than anything. Theres that many arguments to take into consideration. One part of me says keep the engines original viscous fan, because its meant to be there, and the other says "electric" you will have more room!

Post Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:00 am

DanThe wrote:What do you use on your M50 conversion Brian? Im in the middle of an M50 conversion myself and this whole fan malarky has been going round my head more than anything. Theres that many arguments to take into consideration. One part of me says keep the engines original viscous fan, because its meant to be there, and the other says "electric" you will have more room!

5/7 series aircon fan as described above, wired back to one of the standard relat/fuse positions in the fusebox.
Viscous fan will just go in with the M50, but there's not a lot of room for engine movement.

Post Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:01 am

So really the answer to the thread, which was an M20 not a M50
Viscous fan for Nav

Post Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:16 am

yep probably will go viscous, cant be arsed to fuck about

Post Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:07 pm

If you decied to go eletric some of the most cost effective fans I've seen are from car build solutions: www.nfauto.co.uk they also to a termostat kit so that fan only comes on when its needed. I got my fan (12" curves blade) from there for my kit car.