Cooling Fan Q?

[SHI X5]

I have tried to search and found very little on this. My fan seems to be running all the time, and the more revs I get the more of a super charger sound I have. I think my fan clutch might be shot? I have a 2001 3.0 if it matters. So My question is the 3.0 fan shouldn't be running all the time right? It is like 20deg out. Fan clutch shot?

[m5james]

Your fan clutch has siezed. You literally need to stop driving it till you can replace it. I've read and seen pictures of people fan clutches siezing, and the centrifugal force on the fan blades has caused them to shatter, tearing into the hoses, tearing through the hood...basically anything in it's way. Please, stop driving till you can replace it.

When you replace it, remember that it's reverse thread.

[m5james]

A quick search found me these, and it's not limited to the 4.4 engine.

Another Exploding Fan ballad - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum
Would a bad fan clutch case the fan to explode? - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum
exploding fan! - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum

[lo_jack]

I concur - I replaced my fan clutch on my 3.0 and it is really not hard.

You need to be able to stop the water pump pulley from spinning, either with the BMW tool or a big screwdriver. The fan is left hand threaded, so you wedge the screwdriver in, wrench that big nut on the clutch and pop it off. Then you just unscrew it and pull it out. The clutch is on the fan with 4 or so screws, and you put the whole thing back on opposite way it came off. Do NOT forget to put anti-seize on the nut of the new clutch. You will never get it off again if you do.

[m5james]

Replacing the plastic fan blades isn't a bad idea either. I tried to find pics of people hoods that got ruined from the brittle plastic, but I didn't find any.

[SHI X5]

Thanks for the help guys. Went today and got the new clutch and yes does not look too hard. I had the fan off before when I did the altanator. I'll let you know how it goes, I got a buddy who hooks me up on BMW parts, so got it for $175.

[SHI X5]

Ok just replaced that and wow was it easy. Took me 30 minutes and most the work was getting fan off of course. Trick is to get the big wrench on the nut and use a regular hammer to hit it HARD and FAST clockwise. One hit should lossen it but you got to hit it. You don't need the BMW tool. I tried a rubber mallet hammer at first, but doesn't work. Then first good hit with regular hammer got it.

Took the X for a drive, I started it up and the fan was still on. I was like damn. Then by the time I pulled out of garage it kicked off. Took it on the freeway and floored it exc. ran great and no fan noise like I had a super charger. Wish I did have, but then I'd be fixing more crap on this thing than I already have, and I have replaced everything.

Thanks guys good luck with anyone else who has this issue.

and P.S. This fan sounded a lot louder and stronger than the last one. The new stronger clutch.

[ecproductions143]

This happend to me couple months ago, heard a noise for about 3 months just thought it was a idler pulley making the bad bearing noise but turns out it was the fan. I had to replace about $400 worth of parts. I didnt replace the fan clutch or fan blades I just left them off completley to test results. my car warms ups in about 7 mins now instead of 15mins the motors seems to run better and the temp gauge is reading just like normal. Temps where I live have been around 45 F. If the car runs the same this summer I will not put a new fna clutch and blade on I think the X runs just the same if not better.


http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...ndle-cold.html

[m5james]

You drove for 3 months w/ a seized clutch?!?! Why in the world would you let an obvious issue like that carry on for that long. Live and learn, but once I hear ANYTHIGN strange, I check or get it checked out. Period.