Anyone removed clutch fan and replaced with electric?

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Seems fan clutch is a touchy subject lol

LMAO

[bcredliner]

Same question---Has anyone removed the clutch fan and replaced it with and electric fan. I want the extra horsepower and the quicker revs. What I am most interested in learning is if it causes the OBC to throw a code. I don't think that will be the case as long as I don't remove the fan shroud where the heat sensor is located but I am not sure. The electric fans I am considering have their own adjustable heat sensors.

[Ricky Bobby]

Bryan are your pulleys already lightened or underdriven?

[bcredliner]

No, they are not. Didn't know they existed.

[bmw540san]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

I'm very curious about this procedure too. I wanna know where people put the metal "lead" for the temp sensor?
I'm gonna do this mod to my 850i and I even have the parts, just not the balls to actually pull it off/ Guess I can always go back since its not a destructive upgrade.

I'm not a fan of probe that sticks through radiator fins and while this involves cutting the lower hose it's the most accurate way of measuring the coolant temp as it leaves radiator. BMW OEM coolant sensor in the same hose does the very same thing just more complex.
I have this on both of my cars, no leaks and Spal sensor is very accurate.

Electric fan converison completed on 540, I don't deserve to get this lucky.

[fmugur]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

Same question---Has anyone removed the clutch fan and replaced it with and electric fan. I want the extra horsepower and the quicker revs. What I am most interested in learning is if it causes the OBC to throw a code. I don't think that will be the case as long as I don't remove the fan shroud where the heat sensor is located but I am not sure. The electric fans I am considering have their own adjustable heat sensors.

I thought I answered this... You can use the n62 electric fan and there will be no codes, I didn't get any. The fans are pretty much the same, just one is bigger. Remove the pusher fan and use the wires to connect the n62 fan and I mentioned earlier the hardware fit is right on I am pretty sure... if I remember right.

[bcredliner]

I don't see a problem with a radiator probe. Doesn't seem to me exact on accuracy will be necessary. Nor do I think it is necessary to go the aluminum plate route to seal the electric fan to the radiator. Seems to me that if the electric fan is large enough to fill most of the base of the shroud at the radiator that will be sufficient. My intension is to have the electric fan be the primary fan just as the clutch fan is now and have auxiliary fan operate as it does now. What am I missing?

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by fmugur

I thought I answered this... You can use the n62 electric fan and there will be no codes, I didn't get any. The fans are pretty much the same, just one is bigger. Remove the pusher fan and use the wires to connect the n62 fan and I mentioned earlier the hardware fit is right on I am pretty sure... if I remember right.

I don't want to remove the auxiliary electric pusher fan. I want to remove the mechanical clutch fan and replace it with a electric puller fan. I would have the puller fan set to come on before the pusher fan is triggered by water temp.

[fmugur]

I was referring to this fan in the back of your radiator as the facelift model has.
If you install that there is no need for the pusher fan and it can be removed.

[bmw540san]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

I don't want to remove the auxiliary electric pusher fan. I want to remove the mechanical clutch fan and replace it with a electric puller fan. I would have the puller fan set to come on before the pusher fan is triggered by water temp.

You're aware that aux fan (you're referring it as pusher fan in this instance, correct?) is not triggered by water temp such as in 97-98 E39 but by ECU PWM controller.

While you don't have to use the in hose sensor and aluminum plate as I did, the first one is more accurate and reliable that the probe and the another advantage of aluminum plate is to avoid flexing of radiator shroud as it's not designed to hold the weight of electric fan. Also, aluminum plate such as mine creates sort of vacuum effect which in fact does a better job of pulling the heat out of radiator.

Don't forget that by adding electrical fan, extra amps load is created (in my case up to 20A) and the less the fan works the better for the electrical systems, or obviously you can go install aftermarket PWM controller and have the fan run at slower speeds and less amp draw.

Just trying to add my experience here. Both of Spal fans are working like a charm and most of my knowledge is from few very smart guys on Bimmmerforum.