fan clutch replacement - BMW Forum

ahhh nuts · 08-21-2004, 05:59 PM

I'm looking to replace my fan clutch on my own since where i live they rape you on labor if you take your car in. How do you get to the fan clutch as easily as possible w/o damaging anything?

97alpineM3 · 08-21-2004, 06:50 PM

Ok.. its not all that easy.. but its doable...

In order for you to do this.. you will have to take the fan out.... which means it has to be disconnected from the pulley that drives the water pump...

You do not need to remove the fan shroud to replace the fan clutch.....

If you look striaght down you should see the shaft that goes into the pulley infront of the water pump.. well on that shaft it should look like a hexigonal nut. well it is...

There is a special tool for this procedure (fan removal tool).. it holds the pulley infront of the water pump still.. while you torque the bolt .. (COUNTER CLOCK WISE)... to remove the fan. It looks like this...

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticl...ement/pic11.jpg

It is possible for you to get that bolt lose but its not easy. I've found the best way to do it is.. take a medium sized flat head screw driver.. and hold it against one of the four nuts that hold the pulley on... and then insert the 32mm wrench (it might be rather hard to fit it in there with the four pulley bolts.. but if you play with it enough it will fit around the bolt) Then you turn the wrench counterclockwise.. and hold the pulley still with the flat head screw driver.

Once this bolt is disconneted... you should be able to pull the entire fan out between the shroud and the engine.

The clutch removal should be rather easy and self explanitory once you view it on the fan. Good luck! If you have any other questions.. PM me.

ahhh nuts · 08-21-2004, 07:27 PM

ahhh that little 32mm wrench, i'll order it. Thanks for the help, i'll probly pm you if i have problems... once i get that wrench of course.

97alpineM3 · 08-21-2004, 07:31 PM

It is possible to do it without either the pulley holder.. ( that fits on two of the four pulley bolts.. to hold the pulley still while you torque the bolt..) Or the thin 32mm wrench...

All it takes is a 32mm wrench and a medium sized flat head screw driver. Either way.. it can be done.

Les

ahhh nuts · 08-21-2004, 07:42 PM

... i think i made a mistake.... the fan that isn't working is the fan for the radiator that is placed in the very front of the car... the radiator fan that is electric and is not operated by pulleys and a belt. That is the fan that isn't working. It doesnt work at any temperature. The other fan with the clutch that is visible by simply opening the hood is working fine. Could it be the temperature switch or some kind of electrical problem with the cooling system?

ahhh nuts · 08-21-2004, 07:48 PM

I wonder if it could be a blown head gasket... I drove a long distance a few weeks ago and white smoke came from the exhaust pipes under the car (not from the pipes themselves however). The white smoke lasted for only a few minutes, and it hasnt happened since then. But the engine over heats in stop-n-go traffic never the less. The fan that is operated by a belt works fine, i checked it with the newspaper test, and it didnt stop. I dono.

97alpineM3 · 08-21-2004, 07:51 PM

Hmm.. easiest way to get to that sucker.... hmm... I've never had to mess with that yet.. ... I'd probably say remove the front end.. but there has to be a better.. way.. sorry... I really dont know... wish I could be of more help to you.

Les

Bear · 08-22-2004, 09:28 AM

Go to WalMart and buy a 1-1/4 in open end wrench and then file it out a bit (25 MM to one inch) until it fits and then you may wish to grind down the outside of the wrench to make it thinner. I did this for around $8.00 bucks thne found a 32 MM at flea market for $5.00 (duh). Firtst time is the hardest as that 32 MM nut may be tight but you need to hold the pulley (gripping the drive belt works) and then whack the wrench and remember this is a right hand thread nut.