ALERT! Every e21 owner should read this...

[Tha Driver]

OK so the other day I was driving along & started hearing a weird noise. Turned out it was the radiator hitting the fan. The top mounts had turned loose (rubber came loose from the studs) & allowed the radiator to lean back. Of course it damaged the radiator beyond repair. So before this happens to you, replace the top mounts or wire them with a "safety" wire to prevent it.
In my case, I replaced the radiator with one from a Fiero ('cause I had one). The car had always ran a little warm anyway; the Fiero radiator runs cooler so I'm liking that. :up: I did have to relocate the battery to the trunk but I've been wanting to do that anyway.
I do have a question. I've removed the engine fan 'cause it hung down below the bottom of the Fiero radiator anyway, so I wired the AC electric fan to stay on all the time. Works great but I'd like to hook it up to a thermal switch: is there a place on the engine where such a switch could be used? If so, have a part number for an appropriate switch?
Thanks,
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Custom Fiberglass Parts

[jc72]

your BMW radiator had switches in it for the high & low speed operation of the aux fan, I dunno if the fiero one does...

[Tha Driver]

your BMW radiator had switches in it for the high & low speed operation of the aux fan, I dunno if the fiero one does...

Yes I know I straight wired the fan switch for it to stay on all the time. I was surprised to find the Fiero radiator did not have a place for a switch. It was a manual radiator; might have also been from a car without AC...
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Custom Fiberglass Parts

[AndrewBird]

There are various kits that will do what you want to do. There is a style where a probe is pushed into the radiator core or under one of the hoses and then there are also some that come with a metal tube with a threaded bung that you put in one of your radiator hoses (slice the hose in the middle, insert "splice" tube).

[Tha Driver]

Well I blew the fuse for the fan: not only that the box around one of the contacts was a little melted. :( I guess the circuit was not designed for full time operation...
Since I had added an inline tube on the top radiator hose to keep from buying a new hose, I welded a nut (after drilling a hole of course) & added the fan switch from the stock radiator to the inline tube. Now the fan turns on while idling at the 3/4 mark & turns off at the halfway mark. I guess that's fine as it doesn't seem to overheat, but I'd rather it turned on a little sooner. Does anyone make a switch for the stock location that turns on sooner? Would still like it to turn off at the same temp, as that will keep it from coming on while driving.
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Custom Fiberglass Parts