Installation of Pusher Fan - How To?

[dinanm3atl]

I have an M52 swapped 24V E30. As with most E30s the A/C or AUX fan is dead. It does not turn on when you press the A/C button. I have a high output pusher/puller fan. I want to put it in place of the A/C fan. Unfortunately even though it is slim I don't believe it will fit between the engine and the mishimoto :(

So how do I get at that fan? Does the valance come off? It unbolts correct? Wiring? Thinking in theory I can just "T" off the high circuit of the A/C fan so if I get stuck in traffic just pop on the A/C(and eventually when I build custom A/C lines this will still kick on the fan) and the fan will come on high power. Ideas on this? DIYs? Additional tips/help?

I did drive it and even with 80 degrees outside and sitting at lights it would only go a little over halfway. And there is no mechanic fan at all(because it won't fit).

Thanks for the help guys.

[sharky]

I run a 16" pusher in front of my Mishimoto and a/c condensor, I wired it just like the aux fan so it kicks on with the themostat fan switch, your fan resistor is probably shot and thats why yours isnt working. I fabbed up some brackets for it and it fits and works absolutly perfect.

[Stevie30]

The front bumper and valance must be removed to gain access to the auxiliary fan. If you can't figure out how to mount it, call Blake.

[dude8383]

The front bumper and valance must be removed to gain access to the auxiliary fan. If you can't figure out how to mount it, call Blake.

Thats definitely the easier way lol, I managed to do it by removing the rad and pulling the condenser out of the way to have just enough room to remove the old fan.

I have no idea how the valance is held in though, bolts?

[dinanm3atl]

I can mount it and wire it no problem. No issues there. I was hoping the valance didn't have to come off. Guess it is just some bolts though and the bumper is already off.

[ed94r]

I just did this about 3 weeks ago on mine. I have the mishimoto rad and A/C.

I replaced the stock fan with the OEM replacement. If you remove the upper rad bracket, the rad+condenser will lean back a bit, creating enough space to wiggle the fan out from underneath without too much drama. You will have to bend one of the fan brackets (the driver's side bracket) a bit to r+r the fan, but not major surgery at all.

I expected to evacuate the A/C and cooling systems, and was prepared to do so..but in the end did not have to. Took me about an hour.

ed

[SamE30e]

I got a 14" in by taking the grilles out.

[dinanm3atl]

I THINK I would be close doing that...

[nrubenstein]

I took out the radiator. It's just so much easier that way that it isn't worth thinking about.

If you do that, you can do it all from the top with the car on the ground. I would caution you to make sure that the fan you are installing actually works well. I ended up with a very expensive and useless perma-cool paperweight because it pushes virtually no air through the condenser or radiator.

[dinanm3atl]

Well... this motor and all parts and brand new coolant and such were JUST put in... I try through grills first. Not hard to unbolt the valance I don't believe.

[Gnarles]

the valence isn't hard to take off, just annoying because there are a million little bolts you have to find. I installed a 2400 cfm 16" spal pusher fan wired into the aux fan circuit. My stock fan didn't work either, but I replaced the low and high speed relays and added the lower temp switch and it works beautifully now. It cools down immediately but it is kinda loud (sounds like its gonna take off lol). If I had to do it all over again, I would have gone with an S-blade fan which should be quieter.

[dude8383]

the valence isn't hard to take off, just annoying because there are a million little bolts you have to find. I installed a 2400 cfm 16" spal pusher fan wired into the aux fan circuit. My stock fan didn't work either, but I replaced the low and high speed relays and added the lower temp switch and it works beautifully now. It cools down immediately but it is kinda loud (sounds like its gonna take off lol). If I had to do it all over again, I would have gone with an S-blade fan which should be quieter.

I'm in the same boat, I really want to get an S-blade because it sounds like a friggin jet preparing for take off. People give me weird looks when that thing starts to "boost"

[Wh33lhop]

You do not have to remove the bumper and valence to get to the aux fan, at least not on a DB car. I removed the kidney grille and headlight grilles and jacked the car up a bit to get rid of the stock AUX fan and install a SPAL. To remove the condensor, I just removed the rad. It wasn't that hard.

[dinanm3atl]

Mine is an 88... I think I can snake it out...

I would just want to connect to the high power? Does someone have the wire coloring on that plug on the AUX?

[Wh33lhop]

I think you can just bypass the resistor by connecting all three resistor leads together, which will make the low speed circuit high speed. Then, try shorting the aux fan temp switch harness plug. There are three sockets, if you look at it like this:

| o o |
....o

(Where the vertical bars are the clips)

Shorting the bottom socket with the rightmost top socket should activate the high speed circuit, and shorting the bottom socket with the leftmost top socket should activate the low speed circuit. If the low speed circuit does nothing after you've bypassed the resistor, your low speed relay needs replacing. If not, then it's probably your resistor. If neither do anything, try replacing one of the relays with another insignificant relay in your relay box. If that doesn't work, it's probably your fan.