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Thread: Best pusher fan to replace stock aux fan

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    San Diego, CA
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    E92 335i xDrive, E36 M3

    Best pusher fan to replace stock aux fan

    I'd like to replace my old, noisy aux fan on my e36 with a pusher fan mounted right on the condenser coil. Any recommendations in which fan, brand for high cfm, low noise, and a lower temp switch to kick on the fan earlier?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    SF Bay, CA
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    72 + 75 2002's
    I'm thinking of this one, seems to be about the highest CFM rating I can come up with at 2,500 CFM

    http://www.jegs.com/i/Flex-a-lite/400/119/10002/-1

    I know everyone is going to say the OEM one is far superior, but it's way over priced for my e36 and eventually it's going to be a part that's NLA anyways. Interested to see options...
    Current_SeeDee 1972 Type 114 Luna 1975 Type 114
    Past___Veronica
    1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Arlington, VA
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    2018 BMW M240i
    Quote Originally Posted by Spyke
    I'm thinking of this one, seems to be about the highest CFM rating I can come up with at 2,500 CFM

    http://www.jegs.com/i/Flex-a-lite/400/119/10002/-1

    I know everyone is going to say the OEM one is far superior, but it's way over priced for my e36 and eventually it's going to be a part that's NLA anyways. Interested to see options...
    The jegs fan is 16 inch high and wide! I bet it it may not fit. How about 2 smaller fans side by side?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
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    Huntsville, AL
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    87 325is
    I'd use the OE fan on this car because a) it is correctly sized, and b) it will fit w/o modifications.
    The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
    Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    San Diego, CA
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    My Cars
    E92 335i xDrive, E36 M3
    I'm replacing my current fan because it's on the way out and doesn't fit properly. It blocks way too much air at highway speeds and the shroud is abnoxiously large. I've gone FI and my intercooler blocks some air so I'd like to eliminate the crappy stock aux for to allow better airflow and better temperature control. My fan doesn't kick on until about 220 degrees F (in the hot hose) at the low setting. I want it on sooner.

    I'll keep looking but I was hoping to hear from someone with experience on this one...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Aberdeen, NC (yes, again)
    Posts
    23,673
    My Cars
    E39M5, E500 4WD
    There is no aftermarket fan that's going to push as much air as the stock fan. The shroud is large because it directs the airflow better that way.

    Your fan switch lives in the radiator header tank, and by simply swapping for a 318's fan switch, the fan will turn on low speed at about 80C, high speed at 89C (about seventeen degrees F sooner than your current switch.)

    I'd also suspect that your fan clutch for the engine driven fan has failed, since your car's getting hot enough to require the electric fan. The engine driven clutch fan is a wonderful piece; if you've deleted that, you should replace it, with it's shroud. If it's still there, it likely needs a new clutch.

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    San Diego, CA
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    E92 335i xDrive, E36 M3
    Nevermind, after finding this article: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1107672 and reading the above post, I suppose I'll try to keep the stock fan and replace the motor with a new one. I've also pondered changing the temp switch to the m44 one and I suppose I'll try that first to see what happens.

    I've been battling temp issues since I went FI and put my oil cooler on. The oil cooler is mounted above the bumper behind the kidneys and the IC is below the bumper. This blocks airflow and heats up the air some and I'm guessing this is causing my problems. I've also eliminated the stock plastic radiator shrouding to fit the IC and I'm guessing this is causing my issues. I suppose I'll have to try to rig something up to fit this :/

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Aberdeen, NC (yes, again)
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    23,673
    My Cars
    E39M5, E500 4WD
    A very good friend has this issue, and also has a huge oil cooler mounted in front of the condensor and rad. He was unable to use a stock-placement oil cooler, which I have to recommend as being the way to go. Consider a Zionsville or other top-of-the line supplier's set up, which places the oil cooler down low, where it belongs.

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    San Diego, CA
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    My Cars
    E92 335i xDrive, E36 M3
    I wanted a bar and plate cooler instead of the tube and fin style so that I could achieve better oil cooling (have yet to see oil temps above 205F measured in the pan. Not to mention, I'm in an area with an abundance of speed bumps which would destroy a bottom-mounted oil cooler. My exhaust dump scrapes enough as it is.

    I believe a majority of my cooling problems come from the elimination of mostly all the radiator ducting. I don't have to top alternator duct piece in place, nor the side pieces, and my car didn't come from the PO with the bottom duct. My fan clutch is brand new (Behr BMW clutch) and my mechanical fan is in good shape with its stock shroud in place.

    I've taped up the bottom third of the cooling system with foil tape to funnel more air into the radiator. It's cooling much better on the highway now. I suppose I'll have to re-shroud all the way around now and get that m44 switch.

    Any radiator recommendations? I was leaning towards an S54 as it seems like the best cooling solution, even though it's plastic.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Aberdeen, NC (yes, again)
    Posts
    23,673
    My Cars
    E39M5, E500 4WD
    The stock location of oil cooler is not really susceptible to damage from speed bumps; you should try to find a picture of the placement / arrangement of ducting and coolers.

    Although I love my big Summit racing chevy rad on my race car, this piece comprimises my friend's ability to mount the factory oil cooler and ducting on his Euro -motored '99 M3.

    As a result, I really think you'd benefit from using one of the top-of-the-line set ups already available, and then making the intercooler fit the arrangement. Whenever you digress from the best efforts of the factory's engineers, you're usually going to save money and trouble by using as many factory parts as possible, and preferably very-well engineered and well-documented "kits" from great suppliers, to change what you need to change.

    Ducting IS absolutely crucial! Do all you can to make sure all the air goes through all of your radiators. This is the main reason that aftermarket fans don't work nearly as well as their cfm ratings would indicate - they are not flowing their air through the rads, but around them, to the point of least resistance.

    On of the S54's major cooling advantages is it's superior water pump; consider a Stewart unit. I'd advise trying to stick to E36 pieces fit your M3, whether factory or aftermarket. Swapping bodyshells will only lead to additional issues, like hose fitments, sensors, and mounting points.

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

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