Electric Fan for e30?

[bimmer8604]

I went to Autozone, bought their 12" or 14" universal fan and a thermostat kit for a total of like $80. Takes 10 minutes to install and has a fully adjustable thermostat, with a probe that goes onto/into your radiator.

It's been working on my 325e for about 2 years, so I installed one in my 325is a few days ago. I don't have A/C in either car, so I installed it as a pusher in front of the radiator.

I can do anything I want in the front of the engine, with no fan there. There's a LOT of room. Sometimes I invite friends and have a cookout right in front of the timing belt, we play football and stuff in the big open space behind the radiator.

i know what you mean about the space hah.

I'm sure the factory aux fan will work, but when driving in NYC in bumper to bumper traffic for a long time, i dont want to risk it. If I move back to California, its going to be the same - just hotter, and if I was going to Kansas i'd probably just do the m42 switch thing. I'll try to find an autozone around here, but I think I'll go with the SPAL fan, as Ryan suggested that,too.

kyle

[nando]

The aux fan is only enabled if A/C is selected. In high ambients it alone may be insufficient if you've removed the engine driven fan. Adding a 1600cfm (or more) electric fan and controlling it with an 80-82C thermoswitch would be the right solution.

this is not true. it will come on automatically regardless of the A/C if it hits the temperature threshold of the switch. that is why you need the E36 switch, because the stock one doesn't turn on until 90c, while the E36 switch turns on at 80c.

aside from that a 16" pusher fits fine in front of the radiator. I have a flexalite 2010CFM fan on mine, works great.

[PeaveyBassist]

If you're buying a Spal, go to ebay and find the seller "universalparts" I got my Spal from him for an awesome price.

Will

[MrK]

I can do anything I want in the front of the engine, with no fan there. There's a LOT of room. Sometimes I invite friends and have a cookout right in front of the timing belt, we play football and stuff in the big open space behind the radiator.

Yup, enough room to fit a longer engine, like an M30 for example

I have the aux fan on high all the time, no need (or space for that matter) for an engine fan.