And BOOM it went thru my hood!

[bigMphan]

^ Yeah
Repugnant!
Good luck with the repairs.

[m5hoot]

Thanks for sharing that it can happen even at idle speed when cold as opposed to the way I normally view it happening-at speed with higher revs and generally hot. This proves you can have it anywhere at anytime without warning- you can have it virtually at anytime under the most impossible conditions to see it coming.

[larinah]

Time for a CF Hood. Sorry Bout that man. I just got another hood not too long ago. Got it from PO the way your hood looks. The cooling system was overhauled after the fan clutch went out on it though so I got some time b4 this one kicks the bucket. Saving for a Zionsville right now.

[robotz991]

looks like lunch..
rule of thumb... dont ever leave your wallet or checkbook in the car.. somehow "it knows"..

[Gopher2k]

I just joined the f**king club. Not 30 minutes ago my f**king fan clutch just exploded. Took out the radiator some hoses.... godd**n, I'm speechless.

[cal45fan]

I just became the most paranoyed person alive....

You and me, brother! I look at the engine temp more than the speedometer and fuel gauge, COMBINED!

[fragzem]

This ain't been bumped in a while. Bump for public Knowledge

IM IN THE MARKET FOR A 540 AGAIN

HURRAY !

(Still have the Wildcat)

Just sold my Subaru and I'm hoping to find a 540 less than $6000
shoulda never got rid of mine!

[FP5241]

I've been riding without a fan clutch for 5 months... Just saying....

[jamesdc4]

I've been riding without a fan clutch for 5 months... Just saying....

No overheating probs at all, Fab?

[FP5241]

No overheating probs at all, Fab?

No sir. I had the needle move one time while i was waiting in a drive thru at a taco bell back in June, but it was a looong wait and I kinda wanted to see if of would happen. Other then that, no issues.

[jamesdc4]

I hate the thing. It's so d*** loud.

[Schitzo]

This recently happened to me so no more mechanical fan for me. Electric fans all the way.

[JaimeZX]

well, it had to be the clutch, when it seizes it sounds like an airplane ready to take off, you don't hear it and it drives normally, but the fan is fully engaged and can't handle spinning past 2500 (or so) rpms and explodes...

Interesting. I've been wondering why, since I bought it, the car has sounded like an airplane... How do I test this? My wife leaves tomorrow for TX. I don't want the fan to explode along the way. OTOH I drove it all the way from AZ to VA in May with no problems and the same sound. Thanks!

[dcroghan]

so damn paranoid now. What is teh avg life span of a fan clutch and fan?

[GSA1]

so damn paranoid now. What is teh avg life span of a fan clutch and fan?

about 1 day before you go to replace it

[croat]

I bought my 540i late last year and since it's cold here in winter, I ran it without fan. As soon as spring hit, I got brand new fan and clutch and replaced it so I don't have to deal with anything like people have here. It's scary what damage it does.

[champaign777]

so damn paranoid now. What is teh avg life span of a fan clutch and fan?

i want to know as well

[Schitzo]

so damn paranoid now. What is teh avg life span of a fan clutch and fan?

It varies.
Remember it is not always due to the actual fan being at fault. An exploding fan can be as a results of a failed water pump pulley or bearing, worn out motor mounts or seized fan clutch.

[jamesdc4]

How do I test this? My wife leaves tomorrow for TX. I don't want the fan to explode along the way.

Check Dorin's (Doru) post below for a pdf on testing the fan clutch.

[Doru]

This ain't been bumped in a while. Bump for public Knowledge

IM IN THE MARKET FOR A 540 AGAIN

HURRAY !

(Still have the Wildcat)

Just sold my Subaru and I'm hoping to find a 540 less than $6000
shoulda never got rid of mine!

Welcome back Fragz

Edited out incorrect info.

Actually, I have attached a very good fan clutch test checklist. Very comprehensive. Does not touch the fan blade though.

FanClutch Test.pdf

[jamesdc4]

Thanks, Dorin. That's excellent.

Does not touch the fan blade though.

FanClutch Test.pdf

Actually, it does.


4. After the engine is at normal operating temperature or above, is the only time that the "rolled up newspaper" test that many people talk about should be performed! Take some newspaper and roll it up into a long narrow tube.

Be carefull, keep hands and fingers away from the fan while performing this test! With the engine at full operating temperature and idling, take the rolled up paper and insert it on the back side of the fan and try to reach the hub of the fan avoiding the blades until close to the hub. Push the rolled paper at the fan increasing the friction to the hub area of the fan. If the fan can not be stopped easily this is the fourth good indication, if it can be stopped the clutch is defective and should be replaced. Again, this test can only be performed when the engine is at or above full operating temperature.

I'd also like to apologize for posting up an incorrect/incomplete procedure. I'm going to add the pdf file to the FAQ and the DIY section.

[cdb3113]

Installed the Zionsville fan shroud and two stage electric fan on my 540, AFTER I had the fan clutch seize and take out the front of my engine. Then I killed the 540. My new (to me) M5 also has a mechanical fan...

... I worry.

However, has anybody noticed the EXCESSIVE LOUDNESS OF THE ZIONSVILLE SPAL FAN?? I could hear it clearly in the cab with the windows up and music on. I don't remember hearing about that as an issue with others.

BTW, I checked my fan clutch on my 540 regularly, and still had it esplode my fan. Keep an ear out for that airplane engine noise. Its the best check.

[jamesdc4]

Dorin,

Who wrote the pdf?

[Schitzo]

However, has anybody noticed the EXCESSIVE LOUDNESS OF THE ZIONSVILLE SPAL FAN?? I could hear it clearly in the cab with the windows up and music on. I don't remember hearing about that as an issue with others.

Spal fans are typically loud even the models they consider as "quiet". Its for this reason I am staying away from Spal and using an OEM (non-BMW) type fan

[Doru]

Now that you ask me I am not sure. I nabbed it a long time ago, after I went through the "newspaper" posts about 3-4 years ago. Some conflincting statements in those threads made me look up how the fan clutch works. Then, after I digested a good pile of info from the net, on one of the forums I found this pdf, which made perfect sense to me, so I kept a copy.
Now, I had a Behr fan clutch, which I exchanged this year with a Sachs clutch.
The Behr clutch I believe performs slightly different than the Sachs:
It does not move as much air, is silent, and actually the newspaper will stop the fan when the car is cold. Of course, mine failed and you could stop that clutch even with a hot engine...when I changed it.
On the other hand, the Sachs clutch is engaged when cold and shreds the newspaper, then it releases the fan after about 60-80 seconds, just like the pdf. This is my new fan clutch. And it's loud, and it does everything that pdf states to a T.
Also, I stumbled on numerous threads on numerous forums and subforums, where the Behr clutch seems not to perform even new - like not moving enough air, and being un-engaged most of the time. On our forum in the 3 series subforums you can check that too - they have threads about this issue. On the Festers 3 series, on the Roadfly forum, on Bimmerboard just to name a few. The 3 series folks had lots of trouble with the Behr clutch and they recommend the Sachs brand. On those foyums, on some 5 series subforums you can find the same info.

All the best.