Summah-2018 540i Aux-fan-only observations

[computiNATEor]

Shouldn't the crop duster sound be alleviated by a new viscous clutch? I thought the roaring visco fan sound usually meant your clutch fan was toast.

Not in triple digit heat in the southwest. They make a racket, especially on my now-sold automatic trans 530is, where the transmission cooler added a lot of heat to the radiator/cooling stack.

[pleiades]

Maybe cropduster isn't quite apt; the sound from my car was more like someone left an industrial leaf blower running under the hood. My viscous clutch was actually a new Behr BMW unit. I think it was even louder than the old one it replaced. I guess my real concern now is whether the alternator can actually take the load of running two electric fans ... The Summit Racing one I installed a few years back to replace the viscous is the same one 16valex and jstern have in their sixes, don't remember the model # offhand but it has always worked well and gets the engine compartment back below the threshold temp fairly quick, so even if it does put some load on the alt, it isn't usually for very long ....

[JimLev]

Mine did it when I was living in MA, low 90's and it was LOUD.

[tptrsn]

Man, I guess I've been without my clutch fan for a long time, clearly I've forgotten how loud the suckers are! Or, the other possibility, the NASCAR-esque sounding exhaust that was on my car when I bought it was just so loud that it overpowered the fan sound.

[philly98540]

I use the Summit 16" with curved blades and aux. I see no issue with the alternator when both are at full tilt and AC blasting.

[geargrinder]

Ahhhh yes that sounds kills me!!

It’s like having an intimate moment with the wifey and you have a crazed 5 year old banging on your door that wants his mommy.
I’ve dubbed him the cock blocker.

LOL. Lil CockBlocker Jr.

Just like when I’m going to mash on the pedal, I anticipate the glorious sound of the M62, and all I hear is an International bus at full throttle.
Kids even run to the curb waving thinking they missed the bus. All aboard !!

Wait this is all coming together. TIP - start the car FIRST, so the kid runs to the curb, then, while he’s distracted, start gettin busy w Mom.

[theWalkinator]

Though my fan also sounds like a corp duster but I have determined that the fan clutch works properly, I am in the middle of doing electric fan conversion.

[philly98540]

Yeah, even a properly running clutch fan will engage tightly when it gets hot out. They do get loud. I love my dual electric set up with PWM on the puller and lower temp 318 switch on the aux. Great set up with my lower temp stat to keep rad exit temps in the proper range. With the Evans coolant in the rad and loose cap (no pressure) I have not touched nor worried about my cooling system in many years.

[geargrinder]

More heatwave today.

GG-pooch was under the weather and so we had to sit in the car w/ AC waiting for the vet to have a window for us.

Despite the felonious erroneous claims of posers pretending to have had zillions of M62TU's none of which ever had an Aux fan that worked...

This is what a proper working / maintained M652TU should be capable of handling, Aux-only.

At time pic had been taken, car had been driven in same conditions in stop/go traffic for :15mins, then had sat there in full sun baking parking lot w/ MAX AC on for another :15... After pic was taken, car sat like this running for another :20.

[tptrsn]

LIAR!!!!

Sorry to hear about the pooch, BTW.

[s13flyboy]

Poor dog, sorry to hear your’s is under the weather.

Did you look at the Ktemp? Just curious what it was.

To update my earlier search for the single speed mk8/Taurus fan info for anyone wondering. The motor does not have any internal speed controller to input the DME signal to. Which leaves aftermarket controllers that appear to be spotty on reliability/ longevity.

I have found that the e46 manual cars came with an electric fan and and external controller. Both the e39 aux fan and the single puller in the e46 use 50 amp relays and have similar wire size (4 vs 6 mm^2) I’m considering finding a used fan and harvesting the controler to use for my setup. What do you guys think?

[computiNATEor]

Poor dog, sorry to hear your’s is under the weather.

Did you look at the Ktemp? Just curious what it was.

To update my earlier search for the single speed mk8/Taurus fan info for anyone wondering. The motor does not have any internal speed controller to input the DME signal to. Which leaves aftermarket controllers that appear to be spotty on reliability/ longevity.

I have found that the e46 manual cars came with an electric fan and and external controller. Both the e39 aux fan and the single puller in the e46 use 50 amp relays and have similar wire size (4 vs 6 mm^2) I’m considering finding a used fan and harvesting the controler to use for my setup. What do you guys think?

I’ve done that exact thing, though the fan I used was far too small for the system to work properly. I think the I6 DME should be tweaked a bit; there are different parameters that can/should be set in the DME for an e-fan only car.

[geargrinder]

You could also fabricate a power module for a "taurus type" (aka any simple direct driven fan) that took the factory PWM inputs, and handled the power out. It wouldn't be much more than a big ass MOSFET probably then a very few supporting parts for stability and flyback.

[computiNATEor]

As it is, I see no reason to mess with the factory auxiliary fan, and adding a secondary fan that is discrete from the other systems isn't too challenging.

[s13flyboy]

GG, thanks for letting me add/highjack your thread a little, It’s much appreciated.

Nate, awesome to know that you’ve done this, and I agree with you that the aux fan is great as is and this thread proves nicely. My only reason for wanting the single puller setup is for air to air intercooler clearance behind the front bumper.