I tried ordering the Behr part from Pelican and it was out of stock. Then I tried ordering their Genuine BMW part and I got an email shortly after stating that it was NLA.
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'95 E34 525i, M50B32 (S52 Crank, K1 Rods, JE 9.0:1 Pistons, S52 Cams, Cutring, Achilles Oil Pump Shaft & Sprocket), GTW3684R 0.82A/R, ZF320
Believe or not I own a 28y/o BMW and I have had to do absolutely nothing to it for over 6 months!!
Until today. Now the blower fan doesn't work. It's really wierd because I know about the motor issues and the sword mosfets, but it was working fine yesterday. No noises, good flow, all fan speeds worked.
Anyone had a sudden and complete failure like that? I would have expected the fuse blown if the motor burnt out, or noises from the bearings or some speeds not working before it had given up working completely.
Where do I start, what's the most likely cause. I really regret shoving in a single panel air filter if that has to come out (it was shoved in with massive brute force do the the RHD steering column being in the way.)
E: I've got a page of links if I need to do repairs, http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/archi...p/t-36930.html plus other fan motor replacement info from the DIY here. But I won't be able to do anything for a few days and I'm hoping it's something more simple
Last edited by fo3; 02-06-2019 at 05:07 AM.
The sword can fail without notice. On my failed sword I replaced the transistors but it still would not power the blower motor. Upon closer examination of the curcuit board I found and fixed some solder joint failures and it finally worked again. You can test for power to blower motor at the sword or at the blower motor. If you have power then suspect the blower motor. I usually apply 12 volts to the blower motor to test if it works.
Here's the locations of the broken solder joints I found,
cheers
demet
Thanks for the tips on the dry solder joints. It makes the most sense to me and I've had the same problem in the LKM.Anyway, my run of not having to touch the car continues, as today the fan worked fine
Yesterday when the fan wasn't working it was a hot day (35C) and I'd already driven 15min, then parked in the sun for 15min before trying the fan on the drive home and found it not working.
Today was a hot day also (37C), but the car was in the shade all morning until I needed to go somewhere. I tried the fan again as soon as I started the car and it worked all afternoon even after parking and restarting it to go home. The car wasn't parked in the sun this time though - unlike yesterday.
It's probably an intermittent heat related problem - just like my old "fail to turn over the starter on hot days" problem I had a year ago that's still not completely sorted
So add that to my list of reasons why not to park in the sun. It may not start*, the fan won't work. Being heat related makes me think the sword is the place to start, hopefully a bad solder joint.
*I thought I'd fixed this problem by replacing relays (and especially the tiny immobilser/alarm one which I thought was the problem in the end), but once it didn't start and I had to jump power to the diag port a couple of months ago, and even today after parking it took a second of delay after turning the key for the start to engage for my drive home, so something is still not quite right.
E: I bought a fan relay last year (the proper yellow five pin one), and the proper mustard coloured one next to it when I was trying to work out my start problems. Previously all my relays in that row where the generic 4 pin orange ones because the previous owner stuffed around with it and had no clue.
Last edited by fo3; 02-07-2019 at 03:03 AM.
I spoke too soon. I've been home 1.5hrs and just went outside (still around 35C but my car is in the carport), and I noticed my battery connected thermofan still running. That's unusual because it normally switches off after 20min of cycling.
I think the issue is an a/c condenser happens to be running which is right next to my car and it's blowing hot air onto my car/into the engine bay via the thermofan. The engine temp has gone down (1/4 on the gauge), the interior isn't too hot as it's still in the shade of the carport and no where near as hot as a parked car in the sun gets. But engine bay temps are high and the thermofan has been sucking in a/c condenser discharge temperature air.
Anyway, long story short, the blower fan not working again and the starter won't turn over. No power seems to be going to the blower relay, but the starter relay is energizing (auto gearbox switch anti start relay that is).
No crank, no a/c blower fan, heat related...
It's been frustrating to work out if this is an interior heat problem - ie 50C+ internal temp because of car parked in the sun, interior heat problem due to heat soak through the firewall and floor from a hot engine bay after driving and parking, or if this is an engine bay heat problem. I had left my thermofan connected to the battery as the PO did it and allow it to run after parking to see if it would help these electrical problems.
Like now when it's failed I'd say engine bay heat as there's airflow under the chassis even if it's not cool airflow, but I've had no crank even with cooler temps on the first start of the day a few months ago (so it's not engine bay heat I thought). I just can't get a consistent result.
This is not my a/c running and blowing hot air onto my car so I have no control over it. Usually it's not a problem here on the coast because of afternoon sea-breezes but today is a freak day when we're not getting a coastal breeze, so everyone's a/cs are on.
Late edit: a few hours later and ambient temp has dropped to 31C and I've tried to cool the car as much as possible and now the starter motor and fan motor work. How bizarre. I'm wondering if I'm dealing with separate issues and circuits with the common cause (heat) or if they are related at a common source. Can anyone out there join these two circuits together somehow to find the root cause? Everything else works, just start doesn't when really hot and now fan motor. Dash lights up normally, accessories, windows and lights still work. All relays in the engine bay have been replaced, I rewired the immobiliser (which surely can't interfere with blower fan anyway). Thermofan keeps engine at correct temps and even adds additional cooling after parking. I can always start the car by 12v to the terminal under the diag cap so it's not the main power circuit, starter motor, battery or a fuse.
I'm talking to myself here but it may be useful for someone else. It's got to be ignition switch as that powers the starter and the blower relay
fan and ignition switch.PNG
My car is LHD so the steering column is right next to the exhaust and that's why it fails on hot days. The whole footwell, pedals and firewall get pretty hot.
Still a mystery how the first time I noticed the fan not working my car started and ran. If the blower relay isn't getting any power then how is the DME and fuel pump getting power?
But no start and no fan must be ignition switch. My immobilser did cut the 4mm green wire via it's relay but I rejoined that wire last year so it can't be my alarm/immobiliser.
Now to find out if there's any e34s wrecking or s/h spares (and if any other models had the same switch in order to expand my buying options)
Last edited by fo3; 02-07-2019 at 10:30 PM.
Not to thread jack, but it seems like since my last post in here about my blower making some noise, it has gotten closer to death. At full speed through the defrost vents it’s barely a fan. Heat blows out but not nearly powerful enough, but you can hear the blower loud. I take it my blower is on its way out? Theres nothing that would slow or block airflow right? My cabin filter is brand new.
I'd remove the blower and check it out. It's not uncommon for mice to make nests in the squirrel cages and in the heater box before the heater core.
demet
FCPEuro says they have your OEM blower motor for 430 bucks in stock. They're a little high on the SWORD. I just replaced my blower motor with a BEHR I bought from them. The SWORD you can get directly from Programa for 115. That's what I paid a few months ago when it went on sale and it seems to be the same price. Might be a different part. Mine was for a 90 E32. Good luck.
Jeff
1990 735I (Auto) E32 Feb 1990 to Present
1996 Z3 Roadster (5 Speed) E36/7 Jan 1999 to Dec 1999
1983 733I (5 Speed) E23 April 1983 to Feb 1990
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d4tHoHGaJo
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Av20xCMMocSsyEpl...h_oOk?e=ekIcAT
Sword is the same for the e32 and the e34. Also I had a fan die because a mouse got stuck in it when I turned it on. At the time I could not understand the scratching noises coming from the vent. 2 days later when I went to replace the fan I found the frozen mouse.
Andy
1990 735I (Auto) E32 Feb 1990 to Present
1996 Z3 Roadster (5 Speed) E36/7 Jan 1999 to Dec 1999
1983 733I (5 Speed) E23 April 1983 to Feb 1990
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d4tHoHGaJo
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Av20xCMMocSsyEpl...h_oOk?e=ekIcAT
Bumping this as my '92 has started making an RPM-dependent whine from the blower. When it's on (no AC, just ambient with temp set to 64F), it makes a high-pitch whine that increases in pitch and volume from 1500-3000 rpms, after which the engine noise seems to drown out. Is it time for me to replace the blower motor, or could this be something dumb like a pulley/alternator? What's odd is that it only makes the noise with the blower running. I've tried at low, 1, and 2 fan speeds.
'03 E46 M3 - "Brittney"
'92 E34 525i - "Ivanka"
OEM is not “genuine” bmw parts.
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