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  • Cooling fan

    Hi All,

    Should the engine cooling fan run all of the time? the one directly attached to the pulley on the engine.
    Is the fan on a clutch mechanism with some form of biometalic strip? mine seems to run all of the time even when engine cold?

    Any pointers would be great


    Edit * i have just read DrSahas post and the fan is known as the viscous fan*

    thanks
    Ian
    Last edited by Madlotus; 05-11-2012, 11:50 AM.

  • #2
    some more details here,

    http://www.z3mcoupe.com/forum/showth...ht=viscous+fan

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    • #3
      It's always turning with the engine providing airflow through the radiator at all times. What varies is the amount of "lock"; you can usually tell when it's locked as it's quite loud and sounds like an old van.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Dave P View Post

        Thanks Dave,

        Just being paranoid i think!! temperature is holding well at the middle so indicating no problems.

        Cheers
        ian

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        • #5
          What advantages are there to a fan delete C_W as I see you have done this. Does it make a big difference to ho the engine behaves (power, mpg etc.) or is it just to alleviate the viscous clutch fail that can cause quite a bit of damage should it decide to fail. ???
          Aceman

          Arctic Silver Z3MR

          Rocking seats ? You need seat bushes click HERE
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          • #6
            Bit of everything really. I didn't like how the car sounds as even short runs in traffic it sounded really loud, the thought of it failing and taking out my brand new radiator, and the potential for 0.0004bhp gain Perhaps there is some gain somewhere but not expecting it to be too much. Though it is worth mentioning BMW stopped bothering with viscous fans a few years ago and use electric fans. It also make access to pulleys easier in the future.

            Basically I just removed the fan and the shroud. Then I bought a Z3 front and rear fog light switch, using the front fog switch to use as an override to switch the fan just in case (only two thin wires needed to essentially bridge one of the radiator thermalswitch circuits). Also fitted the lower temp 80/88 thermalswitch from a 1.9. With the lower radiator switch the aircon fan kicks in when the gauge temps is around 2 needle widths over middle, so the wiring of the switch is entirely optional. The 1.9 80/88deg temp switch is a straight swap, just need to make sure it's got the right connector.

            Testing the aircon fan, it is more than capable of cooling the car and aircon as tested this summer on a hot day including a trackday. It also brings the oil temp down faster at standstill since the aircon fan seems to blow air over the oil cooler but the viscous fan doesnt due to the rear air duct behind the cooler. In testing the car can idle with the aircon fan on on a warm day and it keeps it at or below middle just like the normal fan, in fact it's a bit more powerful since the speed is a touch faster but it won't shift as much air as the viscous fan I bet at full speed, but at idle and sub 30mph it works well.
            Last edited by c_w; 05-11-2012, 01:30 PM.

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