Author Topic: need help (electric fan) (Read 6390 times)

FL318i · « **on:** November 30, 2007, 05:08:22 PM »

well after buying 2 fan clutch, and wasting my money cause they go bad or something i decided im going to do an electric fan conversion, so who better to ask that the people who has done it already.
i would like for somebody to post a parts list with everything needed to do this (junkyard parts preferred)

so please guys i cant risk to overheat and crack my head again (wife driving also):eek:

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 01, 2007, 07:50:14 AM »

You need the temp switch out of an e36 that is 80/88 degrees (cooler than the e30 one so that it'll turn the fan on sooner), some wire, an electric fan, and some sheet metal or plastic to make the fan fit. The van from a volvo 9-series works the best because of the shape of the fan cowl. I'm currently doing a conversion with a fan from an 850 turbo. They have the same fans, just different cowls. Both will have to be cut down some, and the sheet material will be used to block off the open side. If the hole is open, the fan won't pull air through the radiator, just through that big hole where the least resistance is. The fan can just be wired into the wires that plug into the aux fan. The fuses have to be upgraded (I forget which one, I'll check in a sec) and then you're good to go. I'm going to try to install mine this weekend, and if it works out I'll take a bunch of pics.

EDIT: look at this: http://m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4101 It should have everything you need.

FL318i · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2007, 08:08:49 AM »

thanks gearhead i think ill wait and see how did it work for u, and yea take a bounch of pictures please

DZick · « **Reply #3 on:** December 02, 2007, 12:26:31 PM »

I have mine hardwired to a switch in the cockpit. so i can have it running with the car off at the track. i need to change my thermostat because i switched to the 71* to keep the car running cooler on hot days, but now i struggle to get the engine above the 1/4 so i am going to look at what other thermostats i can choose from.

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 02, 2007, 02:20:39 PM »

I might wire in an override switch to do the same thing sometime, that's a really good idea. I'll take a look and see how hard that would be to do while still keeping the automatic functionality of the temp switch.

Well, I had a report to write this weekend and it took way longer than it had any right to. Now that it's done, its raining!!!! Guess it's not going in today

.

DZick · « **Reply #5 on:** December 02, 2007, 03:04:05 PM »

hey gear head a little off topic, but you should come up to e30 fest next year. I meet up with another guy in indiana, we need more m42 representin!

teamgtnfx01 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 02, 2007, 10:18:24 PM »

is $35 for a 940 fan a decent price???

D. Clay · « **Reply #7 on:** December 02, 2007, 11:24:51 PM »

Quote from: teamgtnfx01;38786

is $35 for a 940 fan a decent price???

I think so.

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 03, 2007, 01:54:17 PM »

Definitely. New ones are about$100, so anything under ~$60 for a used one is pretty good.

Quote

hey gear head a little off topic, but you should come up to e30 fest next year. I meet up with another guy in indiana, we need more m42 representin!

Where and when?

. I'd love to come up, and I know a couple e30 guys around my area who might want to come as well.

DZick · « **Reply #9 on:** December 03, 2007, 10:50:31 PM »

It is in Columbus Ohio, About an 8-10 hr drive for me.

I meet up with a guy on R3vlimited named PeevyBassist (will) and we cruise there.

This year we will have some company on the way up there we have 3-4 e30s going

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 04, 2007, 04:28:21 PM »

When is it? Sounds like a blast, there aren't too many e30 guys near me.

DZick · « **Reply #11 on:** December 05, 2007, 10:11:08 AM »

last year we did it in april and it snowed..........

so now we are moving it back to may or june

FL318i · « **Reply #12 on:** December 09, 2007, 05:56:52 PM »

well getting back to the subject here......

i got my volvo 940 electric fan complete with wiring and relays for $17 at my local junkyard today, so im getting ready to start the conversion on my next day.
i dont know if anybody did it like this but im going to run the low speed out of ignition so its always on and the high speed for when the temp switch kicks in, i will try to post detailed pictures of the whole process also so stay tuned!!!

BTW- i ask for a price for a m20 flywheel conversion and it costs me less than $70 bucks w/o the TOB, but im not so sure about a used clutch!!

tjts1 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 14, 2007, 11:36:01 AM »

Quote from: FL318i;39185

i dont know if anybody did it like this but im going to run the low speed out of ignition so its always on and the high speed for when the temp switch kicks in, i will try to post detailed pictures of the whole process also so stay tuned!!!

You might as well keep your clutch fan if you're going to do that. Theres no point in running a permanent load on your alternator.

FL318i · « **Reply #14 on:** December 14, 2007, 05:32:16 PM »

thanks for the write up TJ, i thought about the fan on all the time and im just gonna put a manual 3 way switch in the dash just in case something goes bad i can still turn on the fan manually.
write up with pics coming on this sunday im probably going to make a new thread in the DIY. so wish me luck