Broken Fan Blades

[Daz4life]

This morning when I got to work my M3 start acting like it was missing. The car was shaking but the throttle response was normal. I replaced the coils with known good one's last week friday and it ran great the whole weekend, so I thought that might be my problem. So at my 9am break I decide to check it out a little further since there's light outside now. I pop the hood after I start the car and notice what seemed like 1 fan blade was missing, so I turned the car off and discovered that its 2, one next to the other. The water pump is brand new from Ireland Engineering, it was replaced 2 months ago when I had the head replaced.

I'm kinda relieved thats it not anything huge like my head(check my blown head post) again but at the same time I work 1hr 10mins from my house in the middle of nowhere, will it be OK to drive it home with out damaging anything. I would just take the fan off(weather is really cool right now, mid 50's) but I don't have a fan clutch tool. I just need to know something before I get off of work !

[kryatov123]

Do not drive with missing blades, rest of them can go out and do more damage. If you cannot take off the fan than just brake off rest of the blades by heads, do you have aux fan? Is it working? If so than you'll be fine without fan, just remember you need to get rid of it before you drive

[Daz4life]

Thanks for the quick response ! I'll break them off if I can't detach it from the clutch itself.

[antik]

People take fans off all the time with little more than a long screwdriver and a wrench, I understand.

What did the fan contact that the blades broke? Often, weak engine mounts cause the fan to contact the radiator.

[Daz4life]

I don't know what it contacted, I don't see any evidence. It could be the motor mounts, the engine had 181K when I bought it and now has 192K so definitely they could be bad.

[Albertan]

There are just 3 10mm bolts holding the fan to the fan clutch. That would be easier than trying to remove the fan clutch. Only thing is it might be pretty tight to get in there.

[Daz4life]

I ended up breaking more blades to get it off ! I figured it was junk anyways. It was the only way to get the 3 bolts off.

[RRSperry]

Engine moves, fan blades contact the shroud or the radiator, they break.

Or water pump goes bad, fan hit shroud or radiator and breaks.

It's probably the engine and transmission mounts. Inspect away...

[284Shooter]

Engine moves, fan blades contact the shroud or the radiator, they break.

Or water pump goes bad, fan hit shroud or radiator and breaks.

It's probably the engine and transmission mounts. Inspect away...

+1 on the mounts.


If you didn't do the fan clutch and fan when you change the WP, you may have a bad fan clutch and old ass blades. The fan clucth may not be releasing in the higher RPM's, spins the old ass bladed to fast and BAM,, you have a dent in the hood or a hole in the radiator. You got lucky.

An OE fan clutch and blade will run you about $130.(Euro diesel fan would be nice if you can find it) Most here will say you don't need them,, but I like the insurance it brings unless you plan in installing a puller on a 180* switch. To each their own.

BTW, a cheap cresent wrench and a screw driver works fine. I has mine off a half dozen times this weekend running down a squeak. That said, the $15 wrench makes if easier on your hands.

[Albertan]

If you have to buy a new fan clutch, buy one for a M42 engine. Then get the fan for the same M42 engine. The fan is 410mm dia vs 420mm for the 6 cylinder fan. Gives just a little bit extra clearance all around.

[Daz4life]

I ordered a 16" Spal fan from Bimmerworld and a Fan Delete Kit from understeer. I did it that way cause Bimmerworld was backorder on their kit and I did want to wait until the middle of next week just to order it !

[Moron95M3]

If you have to buy a new fan clutch, buy one for a M42 engine. Then get the fan for the same M42 engine. The fan is 410mm dia vs 420mm for the 6 cylinder fan. Gives just a little bit extra clearance all around.

hmm...sounds like you'd be masking the real issue here...

[99MPower]

sounds like you just need to get the EURO DIESEL FAN (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1413771&highlight=euro+diesel+fan)

[Moron95M3]

sounds like you just need to get the EURO DIESEL FAN (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1413771&highlight=euro+diesel+fan)


data on 'it flows more air'?

what's the chord angle on it?

:devillook