Do I have a bad fan clutch?

[m42 fan]

OK, I flushed my engine coolant and replaced my thermostat last weekend due to a constant low temp condition. Good news-- problem solved! My temp now reads between 1/2 and 3/4 consistantly, which I noticed seems to be a little warmer than what I see from most people.

I was curious as to whether my faulty thermostat was masking a fan clutch problem, so I tried the newspaper trick. The newspaper was able to successfully stop the fan in its tracks. All of this was this morning as soon as I started the car, so the engine was cold.

Should I wait for the engine to warm up, then try again, or is my fan clutch already toast? I also will open this up to discussion of whether it would be a better idea to simply replace the clutch, or make the switch to an electric setup like others have done. Keep in mind that cost may become a factor, and I would like to keep anything in the <$200 range if I decide to go that route.

Thanks in advance for the help!
Brian

[m42technic]

The fan clutch is supposed to slip when the engine is cold, try it again with the engine warm.

[dude8383]

newspaper trick? details?

[m42 fan]

I'll try it again when I get home this afternoon.

Newspaper trick: roll up an old newspaper. Stick it between the fan blades as it is spinning. If the newspaper stops the fan, you may have problems. If you have confetti, Congratulations! Your fan clutch works.

Brian

[asubimmer]

I have a fan clutch if you are interested. Although I still need to take it off lol, I just removed the fan and the clutch is still on there.

[dude8383]

I'll try it again when I get home this afternoon.

Newspaper trick: roll up an old newspaper. Stick it between the fan blades as it is spinning. If the newspaper stops the fan, you may have problems. If you have confetti, Congratulations! Your fan clutch works.

Brian

lol excellent description! thanks!

[m42 fan]

Well, I'm 99% sure the clutch is bad. I checked it again when I got home, after the car was warmed up.

asubimmer: How much were you loking to get for yours?

Brian

[kowalski]

i have one as well but shipping to the us might be a couple bucks

[m42 fan]

Kowalski or asu, let me know how much you are looking for. Thanks

Brian

[asubimmer]

YGPM M42fan

[Choking Hazard]

You will need a really thin wrench of the right width to get the #%**$ fan off. I tried to do this job at home and got stymied by the special toool requirement. But, now that I have replaced the t-stat, coolant, and fan clutch, and the stinkin missing nut on the guage (ground), the temp comes up to the exact midpoint fast and stays right there.

[asubimmer]

haha yeah M42fan that is IF I can get it off lol. I promise to be carefull :)

[m42 fan]

You will need a really thin wrench of the right width to get the #%**$ fan off. I tried to do this job at home and got stymied by the special toool requirement. But, now that I have replaced the t-stat, coolant, and fan clutch, and the stinkin missing nut on the guage (ground), the temp comes up to the exact midpoint fast and stays right there.

Any idea where I could get my hands on one of those wrenches? The bentley calls out the official "fan clutch removal tool", but I know the dealer will try to bend me over if I try to get my hands on one of those.

Brian

[Choking Hazard]

The guy who did mine had ordered one from the snap-on tools guy, but didn't wait and cut one out of a piece of ??? guage (like 1/4 inch) sheet steel. I can get him to tell me the dimensions tomorrow if you need 'em.

[m42 fan]

Well, you can post up the info for the good of the board, but I don't think I'll be able to make much use of it. I don't have any access to any kind of fabrication facilities out here in PA. That's what I get for being a Crime Law and Justice major!

[asubimmer]

do you have any pipes there? I may have an idea lol

[m42 fan]

Pipes...Maybe. I might be able to borrow something. Otherwise I don't have much at all aside from standard basic hand tools. Since I'm getting ready to move in a few months, everything extranious is in the process of being deep-sixed. There is a Lowes nearby though. Let me know what you're thinking, and I'll see what I can come up with.

Brian

[asubimmer]

since I do a lot of my work at a machine shop I was thinking of making a small version of the tool, the one that you put two of the fan screws into, and be able to put a pipe over to give more leverage. I'll let you guys know what we can do. Is there any intrest in some of these?

[m42 fan]

Sounds great! Let me know what you come up with.

Brian

[Zoso]

since I do a lot of my work at a machine shop I was thinking of making a small version of the tool, the one that you put two of the fan screws into, and be able to put a pipe over to give more leverage. I'll let you guys know what we can do. Is there any intrest in some of these?

Subscribed.

Definitely interested. I couldn't get my fan off when I did my thermostat last year and replacing the thermostat with the fan in place sucks. My car has 189K on it now so the waterpump is due eventually.


Regarding the fan clutch, isn't a bad fan clutch only an issue in warm weather at idle or stop and go traffic?

[m42technic]

Regarding the fan clutch, isn't a bad fan clutch only an issue in warm weather at idle or stop and go traffic?

Generally, yes.

m42 fan - does the temperature go to normal when on the highway? If not, you have other issues.

[ak96ss]

For those interested in the tool (rather than making one), Pelican Parts has it.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/catalog/shopcart/BE30/POR_BE30_WATrad_pg5.htm#item23

[m42 fan]

The temprature did not go beyond the blue till this weekend, when I replaced the thermostat. Now it's up around 1/2 to 3/4. Suspecting it to be a little on the high side, that's when I checked for my fan clutch and found it to be bad.

[asubimmer]

I was talkin about a tool like this from Bav Auto "BMW 3037" http://www.bavauto.com/lview.asp?imgfile=assets/imglib500/115050.jpg

I was also thinking about a wrench like the one you showed

[ak96ss]

Yep, they have both. One is the wrench, the other is the 'counter holder' above it.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/catalog/images/Tools_folder/3037.jpg

[m42technic]

The temprature did not go beyond the blue till this weekend, when I replaced the thermostat. Now it's up around 1/2 to 3/4. Suspecting it to be a little on the high side, that's when I checked for my fan clutch and found it to be bad.

Yes but did you drive on the highway? Did the temperature go down???

[D. Clay]

There may be different types but I used a crescent wrench on mine. Tighten up the belt and push on it to hold the pully tight and hit the crescent wrench sharply with a hammer. I think it's reverse threaded. Maybe I'm just lucky but I've done it two or three times no problem.

[kowalski]

the open end wrench and screw driver didn't work for you? it didn't work my first time arround, but i tried again and it came right off.

edit: yes it is reverse threaded

[m42 fan]

When I had it on the highway, it never went back below 1/2, and mostly stayed nearer to the 3/4 mark.
Thanks for all of the removal tips, I'll be giving it a shot once the replacement gets here.

[Pedro]

the fan clutch should be easy, use a wrench to hold one of the bolts and then use whatever tool your using (sockets or another wrench) when you go to break it loose do it quick that way the jolt will break it loose. if that doesnt work lay a screwdriver between 2 bolts but because cuz they arent very strong. i havent broke them but it is possible.

[e9nine]

On all m20 and m42 cars..I have always used an adjustable wrench to remove the fan clutch successfully.

[m42 fan]

OK, thanks for all the advice. I'll be giving this a shot as soon as my new radiator and water pump come in, and I get the clutch from asubimmer. Hopefully this weekend, but it may not be till next weekend.

Brian

[RED IS 91]

Make sure you have bled the system completely as air bubbles are a big no no with these cars .
as for the "special " wrench I've heard that some people get them at bicycle shops .