Awful Fan Blowing Noise When '03 530i is Cold Started? (Also sunroof quesiton)

[1823alex]

Okay, so I just got an '03 530i, and when it gets a cold start it makes an absolutely awful fan running noise. My '03 525i doesn't and never has made this type of noise. It isn't the fan clutch cause it always goes away when the car warms up, and it isn't the aux fan because the aux fan isn't even running when the noise happens. Any ideas what it is? I was thinking it might be like the secondary air pump or something, but I don't know where that is / how to diagnose it? I don't have any codes relating to this, just an annoying P0174 and 175 / 176 code I think for running lean in bank 1 & 2.

The noise sounds like it's coming from below the cover under the ABS module, where the passenger side intake would be if the car was an M5 haha. Like below the large empty space on the passenger side of the car?


The other fun problem is the car's sunroof, when I got the car like a 2/3 days ago it worked slightly but wouldn't fully close, now it is closed on one side, but the passenger side is hanging back and not popped up, so the glass is currently angled in a way that it sits flush and good on the driver side, but is popped down and not fully forward on the passenger side and it cannot be pushed into place. The motor for the sunroof also now does nothing and just whirs away while the sunroof sits still. I've done a bit of research on removing the sunroof but it seems all the guides say the sunroof needs to be in the tilted / popped position, which isn't gonna happen in it's current state? What do I need to replace? Do I really need to pull the headliner out to fix this damn thing and remove the glass just to access the components??

Here's some photos of the broken sunroof as it currently stands, pay attention to the lack of gap on one side and the large gap on the other side.

https://imgur.com/a/8GybQgl

Thanks!

(Also, does anyone know the best way to remove the center piece out of style 42's? I got all the bolts out w/o stripping them but the center piece is stuck on real good and I pb blasted it and let it sit for ~2 hours.)

[edjack]

Likely the bearings in the secondary air pump. It sets in the area you describe.

Once you find it, disconnect it and see if the noise goes away.

Never futzed with the sunroof, and hope never to have to. Best is to search for repair posts.

Re wheels, in your climate, they are probably corroded. PB may do the trick, but may take awhile.

[1823alex]

Likely the bearings in the secondary air pump. It sets in the area you describe.

Once you find it, disconnect it and see if the noise goes away.

Never futzed with the sunroof, and hope never to have to. Best is to search for repair posts.

Re wheels, in your climate, they are probably corroded. PB may do the trick, but may take awhile.

How do I get to / access the secondary air pump? Do I need to remove the front bumper or access it from above removing that plastic flat cover?

[edjack]

Might want to remove the plastic cover under the engine.