Do I Need All Of Those Flappies On The E-fan?

[Eric S.]

I noticed my electronic cooling fan making a really loud noise a couple evenings ago. It was embarrassing - my wife & I were at a fancy hotel (downtown Omni) for my company's department Christmas party and we were in the valet parking queue, when all of a sudden it sounded like a distant jackhapper under the front of my car. And just when I thought I had a car worthy of the toney setting (which I did, but oh man, the noise!).

Anyway, thinking it was really bad leaves or something, I took the front end apart today and removed the fan/housing. It seemed fine and altho I noticed leaves packed in behind it, it didn't seem TOO bad. Then I noticed that the bottom two "flaps" on the driver's side of the fan were missing. I found the larger one, but couldn't snap it back in, must've broke off. As I vacuumed the leaves out, I found the smaller flap in pieces, so the fan must've eaten its own little flappie. (Those fan blade edges were frappin' sharp! I guess it's to cuisinart whatever big bugs or leaves that might find their way in there). Anyway, I think I fixed the noise in cleaning it all out, so I reinstalled the fan without those two lower flaps.

Questions:
1) Do I really need those two drivers side lower flaps on that e-fan housing, or will I be OK as I am now?
2) Is this a common issue on 540's? I've read a lot on the subject and it sounds like mysterious fires and leaves killing the fan motor are the main issues. My fan motor and bearings seem OK. Do these things eat their own flaps?
3) Whatintheheck are those 8 flaps all about anyway? used
3) Anything else to worry about?

Thanks for your help & suggestions!

[billB]

Eric
Take a look at what this Guy did to protect his auxiliary fan:
http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/auxfan/auxfan.htm

[Eric S.]

Originally posted by billB@Dec 20 2004, 06:30 PM
Eric
Take a look at what this Guy did to protect his auxiliary fan:
http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/auxfan/auxfan.htm

[snapback]254964[/snapback]

Thanks Bill. I believe that was one of the references I read before doing the job myself. I didn't see any mention of those flaps, but the photos don't lie - one must remove what seems like the entire fron of the car. I was glad I had the Bentley manual!

That last photo in that link shows well the "Flaps" that I mentioned. On the drivers side of the fan itself, you can see two high and two low. My two low on the drivers side are no more. No I'll effects, but then with this arctic blast I haven't driven it since Saturday - I shopped snow tire packages and ultimately decided that my wife's Expedition 4WD will serve as my "winter tire package". So today I drove her truck to/from work, in A4WD mode, of course! :P