Zionsville

[setconstr]

I know this won't be popular starting this thread but after thinking about it for a long time I bought the E38 2 speed fan Zionsville cooling system and I'm about ready to take it out. First complaint for me is mine doesn't work ! ( I've never seen the fan run while the engine is warm ) I'm a pretty good mechanic worked with my hands my whole life and not afraid to take on just about any project with my 7 plus I am above average at electronics and wiring. That being said the 2 speed fan wiring is not Brain surgery it's pretty simple. I called Zionsville a couple times now they don't respond at all now so their customer service only goes so far I guess. If I had to do it all over I would just order Evans waterless coolant considering the problem with the OEM cooling system is Pressure and Evans removes it, way cheaper and way easier. So I recommend save your $ it ain't worth it ..... Just my opinion and You know what they say about that

[MIKYZZ4]

Be specific,
so we can all learn,
the basic point of all the forums!

[setconstr]

I think saying the fan does not run is pretty specific I can make it run by grounding the relays through the temperature sensor wiring but it does not run with the engine at running temp. I know how to bleed the system all this was done correctly . Try reading it again then maybe you will understand it.........

[MIKYZZ4]

So you're basically complaining about a defective component,
and bad customer service in response?

[bluptgm3]

Does the thermal switch work?


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[setconstr]

I have read that a few guys had their's replaced by Zionsville and theres really no way to tell unless they send you another. I have left messages on their phone and got no response....... I will buy another temp sensor somewhere else see if that makes it work . My point is most guys here seem to be on limited budgets and the Evans waterless coolant seems like a better way to go money wise

[MIKYZZ4]

I sympathize with you bro,
if Zionsville did not deliver the product as expected,
then you have every right to complain,
and expect their customer service to resolve!

[setconstr]

I think I had Pretty high expectations maybe higher then I should for a Radiator

[haynes740]

Hope this all gets worked out cause this is on my to do list.


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[TxDarth]

I have had my Zion 2 speed 7-8 years never had a problem. I even wired it both hot 12dc so it would run to cool down engine after I shut it off/parked. If the sensor is bad you should be able to jump it or ground the sensor lead to check out the rest of the wiring and fan - if it runs then it has to be a bad sensor.

[setconstr]

I believe it is a bad sensor I pretty much followed your example exactly ( mounted to the shroud ) except I used the switched power option everything is zip tied, soldered and heat shrink tubing I even bought some 6ft lengths. I believe that you do things the way I do.. I can make the fan run low speed and high speed by turning on the ignition and putting a wire from the ground side of the temp sensor plug to either side of the plug. The car never overheats I hear my auxiliary fan run at idle at running temp but no z fan.

[TxDarth]

I believe it is a bad sensor I pretty much followed your example exactly ( mounted to the shroud ) except I used the switched power option everything is zip tied, soldered and heat shrink tubing I even bought some 6ft lengths. I believe that you do things the way I do.. I can make the fan run low speed and high speed by turning on the ignition and putting a wire from the ground side of the temp sensor plug to either side of the plug. The car never overheats I hear my auxiliary fan run at idle at running temp but no z fan.

I would agree - I believe the Zion fan should come on befor the Aux fan does other than with AC on, which the Aux should run all the time it is on.

[marclar]

It may be other things apart from the sensor or the radiator bleeding par even if the manual sensor jumped worked. I have been happy with my Zionsville setup since day 1. It does the job very well and the throttle response is better now. If this radiator is not bled completely, the passenger side of the core where the sensor is installed tends to stay much much cooler than the actual coolant which causes the fan to never turn on.

Bottom line, the problem is not with Zionsville. It is a tried and trusted product that I can vouch for. It works perfectly when installed correctly. I have personally never had a problem with support from them, called a couple of times and got a response right away.
There are other factors that can cause the problem such as ground chassis connection. I have seen an install where the aforementioned method of testing worked (manual jump of the sensor wires), however the automated operation did not. The reason was the manual jump produced a better quality ground connection while the sensor wire #0 was not grounded very well.

Speaking of ground connections. The radiator itself cannot be used as a ground connection, just a note. I have heard people doing this to save the trouble of running connections only to run into your scenario.

[setconstr]

Well I have triple checked everything the bleeding process seems pretty straight forward I think if it wasn't bleed properly I would have other problems which I don't have now. Both the fan and the sensor are grounded to the chassis I've gone as far as redoing the whole thing to double check that my wiring was correct which brings me the believe that it is the sensor. Yesterday I pulled the temp sensor out and checked it with a ohm meter and I get nothing I have left messages twice for Dwight and got no response. I emailed them over the weekend that I would like another sensor, so far no response yet if I could find that sensor somewhere else I would just go buy it there. So maybe I shouldn't have titled my thread "Overrated ", "Not Happy " would be a better title and I still say if I had to do this over I would just Buy Evans waterless coolant and call it good..........

[marclar]

The ohmmeter testing may not be sufficient when the sensor is cold. The actual ground switching only occurs when it reaches specific temperature so the resistance reading will not have much meaning when it's cold.
From the looks of it, it is very likely that the sensor is bad. You had not mentioned if the sensor port is verified hot when the car is at normal temperature.

[setconstr]

I just heard from Zion and their sending me out one tomorrow .........I rebleed the car today drove it still no luck. Got back home and the auxiliary fan was going . Like I said I wish I hadn't titled my thread overrated there are plenty of Happy owners of the product here and my friend has one on his M5. I don't drive it often any longer I have another Bmw I just bought and it's the new toy now .....

[007008]

do you have an IR temp gun? Is the rad actually getting to switch temp? The aux fan will come on with the AC and not just the rad temp.

[setconstr]

I do not have a IR temp gun the only way I can tell the temp is by the hidden menu after reaching operating temperature. The highest I've seen it is 110 c which I believe is about 230 F so the fan should be working before that . Like I mentioned here the car never overheats as far as the cluster gauge if anything it's always a hair under the middle but I want to hear that fan running ! hopefully it is the sensor

[setconstr]

I got the new sensor today from Zion and just installed it. Today I checked my car for codes with my Peake code reader it threw a code for " map thermostat " I cleared the code with INPA and I read that code could be the temp sensor the thermostat itself is only 6 months old ( I always use oem parts ). Checked the power to the sensor plug and both the low speed and High speed worked ......So I have a short trip to make in the morning I'll test drive it then keeping my fingers crossed that is it.......

[haynes740]

Great news man keep us posted


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[setconstr]

OK still STUMPED the fans are not going on ! I put in the new temp sensor drove it and no fan I can make the low speed and high speed fan run by disconnecting the temp sensor plug and touching a wire from the ground side to either side the sensor is numbered t1 and t2 so I know the grays wires are going to the correct relays. I let the car sit and run with the hidden menu function showing the temp and it would creep up to 109c then back down as low as 105c at idle when it reached the higher temps the aux fan would engage but no Z fan I even went as far as taking the old temp sensor and plugging it in putting a heat gun on the brass with the ignition on and I got that thing HOT and still no fan . I checked the wiring over and over it's wired exactly like this Zion diagram. The elbow with the temp sensor in the radiator is HOT at running temperature ????????/

[setconstr]

UN-FRIGGIN-BELIEVABLE... It works !! and it was the simplest thing I kept going back to it and checking everything it it was wired right no matter how many times I checked it out it's basically a really easy wiring set-up and when I tried the new temp sensor I was really frustrated when it didn't work. The whole set-up just doesn't have that many things that can be wrong and I solder everything, heat shrink it all I don't use little plastic connectors.. So I went and pulled the temp plug off again plugged the old sensor in and heated it up with my heat gun one more time and there it was it started working first the low speed then the high speed........ it was the ground wire part of the connector was not all the way snapped into the plug so when I used a small wire to check there was enough ground to run the fans but not enough ground when plugged into the sensor so easy I'm on My 2nd GUINNESS......Thank You for all the input !!!!!!! Especially marclar and Darth

[TxDarth]

Glad it is finally working - had to be something simple as there is not much to it.....

[uinvyme]

I'm reviving this thread because in Las Vegas its super hot and I am having overheating issues with my Z rad setup especially with AC running in 112F weather. All started a couple of months ago when I got the 3.38 diff installed along with new driveshaft. Went on a 100 mile test run and on the way back AC compressor cut into lower rad hose. Replaced that hose only to get that one cut again and then I replaced again paying special attention to the neck with temp sensor inside and made sure to rotate towards passenger side to give more arch, so far no more cuts. Anyway, now Im having overheating issues, I even changed out t stat this past weekend, used airvac to install new coolant and still overheating getting up to 114c which then causes transmission to go into failsafe shifting pattern without showing on obd. I just got off phone with Dwight and he is sending me out a new temp sensor. Because my fans work on both low and high speed, they just don't start running until temp is 108c or above, aux fan always turns on before it does even when running Heat. I will admit that I can def use some assistance with proper bleeding of Z rad. I did put on ramps and took off top hose to run into a bottle to make sure air was out of system. Other than that, last bit of information to consider is......I decided to put replace BMW 50/50 with water wetter with....Evans waterless coolant to hopefully get the car to run cooler. I hope that the Evans coolant isnt the culprit. Lots of time to convert from regular to waterless.... thanks in advance for all comments and assistance.

[CPHES]

You did not put all that detail in your other post. Your new diff - from 2.81 to 3.38 is contributing to your situation. The trans is working harder, and generating more heat. See this thread. I believe this is what many of us need to do. https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...nal-experience