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Thread: Has anybody here done the electric fan conversion?

  1. #1
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    Has anybody here done the electric fan conversion?

    I'm going through overhauling my cooling system, already ordered the full aluminum radiator so I don't have to worry about the plastic necks snapping ever again. Water pump and thermostat were replaced 2000 miles ago with graf/metal impeller. Coolant looked great, nice and green without any real contamination. I'm fairly certain the cooling fan/clutch has never been replaced. I know these are an absolute drag on the E46, robbing somewhere near 8-10 bhp in addition to exploding if the coupling fails. I've been thinking about going the volvo fan route, I was wondering if anybody here has done it (and how they mounted/wired it specifically in the E32), and if it is worth the extra work vs replacing the fan and clutch. I think this car will eventually become turbo, so a big volvo electric fan may become necessary down the road anyhow, but maybe the clutch fan is reliable enough and moves enough air? Also wondering about the extra load on the alternator with electric fan vs load on the water pump pulley with the visco fan

    My E24 turbo guy is convinced with just staying on a fresh clutch fan setup, but I know the E46 guys swear by electric fan conversions

  2. #2
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    Which radiator are you going to use? I know there are a couple e34 guys who switched over to full electric. Interested to see your plans on this!

  3. #3
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    Green coolant?
    ______________________________
    1992 750iL

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by unity View Post
    Green coolant?
    Yes, green coolant, as it was from the factory before BMW decided to go blue (or so I've been told by a couple M30 guys)

    Radiator I plan to use:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Aluminum-Ra...EAAOxy63FS4ohg

    I have a line on a volvo fan and relay but I don't have the pigtails for it.
    Last edited by youngbimmer; 05-22-2018 at 06:57 PM.

  5. #5
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    That radiator is for manual transmission, not automatic.
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by shogun View Post
    That radiator is for manual transmission, not automatic.
    I have a factory 5spd 735

  7. #7
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    I have in my car it works great! I used a Volvo fan and the controller

    Me E30 87/ 325i + F25 12/ M-Sport + E32 94/ 740i

    G/F’s E34 92/ 525iT + F48 18/ X1

  8. #8
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    I used a 318i (e36) fan switch and made my own connections for the switch. The 318 switch turns the fan on a lot sooner it works great!

    Me E30 87/ 325i + F25 12/ M-Sport + E32 94/ 740i

    G/F’s E34 92/ 525iT + F48 18/ X1

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by e30luv318i View Post
    I have in my car it works great! I used a Volvo fan and the controller

    Awesome, I just grabbed the fan and shroud for 50$. Just have to find the pigtails and relay! I can't wait to be rid of this obnoxious clutch fan

  10. #10
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    I made a fuse using the existing extra fuse In the aux fan relay box



    - - - Updated - - -

    I have a spare set or wires and relay if your interested
    Me E30 87/ 325i + F25 12/ M-Sport + E32 94/ 740i

    G/F’s E34 92/ 525iT + F48 18/ X1

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by e30luv318i View Post
    I made a fuse using the existing extra fuse In the aux fan relay box


    - - - Updated - - -

    I have a spare set or wires and relay if your interested
    Yes if you could make this as plug n play as possible I would be super grateful! PM me with price!

  12. #12
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    I’ll send you a pm
    Me E30 87/ 325i + F25 12/ M-Sport + E32 94/ 740i

    G/F’s E34 92/ 525iT + F48 18/ X1

  13. #13
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    I used a Spal dual 11" setup, wired fan 1 into the low speed relay, fan 2 into the high speed relay. It fits the radiator perfectly, should clear your belts and pulleys

  14. #14
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    I'm hoping the volvo fan will clear...I think the clearence is tighter between rad and engine in the 735 than it is in the 740.

  15. #15
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    Wonder if this fan will fit on the 750 engine bay? Interested in this route. Been reading more about the conversions. Is the fan fairly quiet or can it be heard over the sound of the engine? Also, will the Aux fan need to still be functional or should it be disconnected/removed if running this volvo fan?

    On that note, I was speaking to someone today from Australia with a 740. He tells me that he never ran a visco fan on his car and never really uses the A/C so no low speed aux fan and never noticed it go full speed. He also told me even on blistering hot days, the car never goes past its middle position. A few others seem to be doing the same, how is this even possible? My 735, 750 and E38 740 will overheat without the visco fan!

    BMW 7er Website www.7er.com
    1989 BMW 735i Schwarz (sadly, sold) // 1989 BMW 750iL Cirrusblau Metallic // 1998 BMW 740iL Oxfordgrün Metallic // 2000 M5 Carbon Schwarz ///

  16. #16
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    Yes many E46 people with auto trans used to dump the mechanical fan and run on the secondary/aux fan only, but I do not agree with this method as it is a secondary cooling fan used in cases where the mechanical fan cannot keep up, and was not designed to provide the CFM/airflow needed to keep the engine cool and keep the AC blowing cold. The shape of the fan blades affects how loud/quiet it is; curves blades are quieter than straight blades. The volvo fan I purchased uses curved blades. Now the idea of using a strong puller fan like the one volvo used (for N/A and turbo cards) is to move enough air to keep things cool for both engine and AC, with less parasitic drag on the engine. The electric fan also removes possibility of exploding fan clutch/fan blades from mechanical fan, an uncommon, but serious problem on the E46. There is another benefit to electric fans: They only come on when needed, so car warms up faster, doesn't always load the alternator, etc. Plus, the fan motor can be rebuilt/replaced, so really this is the last fan you will ever need for the job barring an accident. In reality the secondary fan/aux fan should be removed when using this fan I think (as per E46 guys, I'm sure the E32 is no exception) as it impedes airflow. However, I'm not sure this is still the case if the E36 dual temp rad switch is used, allowing to use both the volvo fan and the stock aux fan. There is a reason why BMW/Mercedes/every other manufacturer now has gone to electric fans; they're simply better for the job, improve fuel economy, and free up horsepower. Its a win all around. I plan to couple this fan with the full-aluminum radiator so I can eliminate the possibility of snapping the radiator outlet necks (common across all BMWs....). I want to do the cooling system once and forget about it.


    lucky for me, e30luv318i will be providing assistance on the wiring side of things. I will post pictures of the process and when it's done. My only concern is the extra load on the alternator, 30A is a big load, but it will not be constant

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by unity View Post
    Green coolant?
    G48 is overpriced. Generic greens like Prestone and Peak work fine in everything, BMWs are no exception.
    Last edited by XAlt; 05-27-2018 at 01:09 PM.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by XAlt View Post
    G48 is overpriced. Generic greens like Prestone and Peak work fine in everything, BMWs are no exception.
    Exactly this. I'm running the prestone variant

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