M20 Electric fan Installation

[robgoesvroom]

Greetings!

I wanted to get some insight and help from the E30 community regarding electric fans. I am going to be replacing my mechanical clutch fan with a 16” Puller SPAL from bimmerworld (Model 30100400).

I am retaining the stock A/C system including the auxiliary fan that connects to the side of the radiator. The car is a 1990 model with aluminum Mishimoto radiator and is a multipurpose California car (autox, track day car, daily driver). The car is run at Willowsprings and Buttonwillow if that helps any.

The main reason for this post is regarding how to hook up the electric fan. I have searched the main E30 forums (r3v and e30tech) as well as spece30 forums and the majority of people either wire up their electric fan directly to a switch in the cabin or use the thermoswitch/bung on the passenger side of the radiator. As I am planning on keeping the air conditioning I would like to keep the auxillary fan operational. I plan on using an “adjustable temperature control switch” similar to the one below available from JEGS. It uses a probe type sensor that is inserted between the radiator coolant tubes and allows for fan activation between 160-240 *F




I am also planning on purchasing the SPAL installation harness kit with relay from bimmerworld and modifying the OEM shroud to accommodate the fan.

Will this combination work successfully? Any positive input would be appreciated.

Parts to be used:
16" SPAL puller - Bimmerworld
Adjustable temp control switch - JEGS
SPAL rubber fan surround gasket - Bimmerworld
Billet water pump shaft nut - Bimmerworld
SPAL Installation harness w/ Relay – Bimmerworld

Thanks

[KenC]

You can still keep the condenser fan operational and tap into the low-temp circuit of the radiator thermoswitch.

[YeOldeBuggy]

Eliminate them both, and hook the spal up to the fan temp switches in the radiator, oh, and go through spal for your shit! You'll need 4 mounting brackets, and the pigtail. I've got the spal pusher on my 24v e30, with an m42 radiator, spliced into the connector from the original electric fan, and plugged into the original wiring harness. (Nice wording, asshole.) No overheating issues, and its Easy-peasy.

Love,

Thad.

[Bimmerman325i]

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=618192&highlight=cooling+diy

read through that and do what he did. I am doing the same on my M3 this week.

[tjts1]

Get a real OEM fan from any manufacturer not this made in China aftermarket garbage.

[Bimmerman325i]

Get a real OEM fan from any manufacturer not this made in China aftermarket garbage.

The fans are made in Italy, and are very reliable as proven by thousands of E36s and E30s using the fans in place of the OEM mechanical fan.

Asshat.

[jlevie]

The fan you have picked is only rated at at 1300cfm, which is not even close to being equivalent to the engine driven fan & clutch. A 16" fan rated for at least 1800CFM would be the minimum that I'd use. The fan I'd choose would be a 30102120 (16" rated for 2360CFM). That is almost, but not quite, as effective as the OE set up. That fan will fit behind an OE radiator, but it will have to be mounted off center to the left.

The biggest problem will be mounting the fan. The through the radiator "zip ties" should never be considered as they can (and will) eat through the radiator fins and cause a leak. The fan mounts must be made so that the load of the fan is carried by the top and bottom flanges of the radiator.

If you are keeping the AC and want the fan to be automatic, you need a second bung in the radiator for an 82-83C thermo switch or you need for the thermo switch to be in the top radiator hose next to the radiator.

Since this car appears to primarily be a street car that sees some track time, my advice is that you retain the engine driven fan and make sure it's clutch is good. Switch to an electric fan only when you've turned the car into a pure race/track car (and deleted the A/C). And in that case use a +2300CFM pusher and shroud in front of the radiator.

[tjts1]

The fans are made in Italy,

LOL thats reassuring. Stick with OEM.
Asshat.

[Earendil]

Since this car appears to primarily be a street car that sees some track time, my advice is that you retain the engine driven fan and make sure it's clutch is good. Switch to an electric fan only when you've turned the car into a pure race/track car (and deleted the A/C). And in that case use a +2300CFM pusher and shroud in front of the radiator.

Is there an accepted way to attach a pusher in place of the AC fan using off the shelf parts? Or is it all custom fabrication? My AC and Aux fan were removed a long time ago.

Edit: Whoops. Didn't mean to go sifting through the grave. Sometimes after reading a thread I forget if I got here by browsing or by googling.

[jlevie]

Not that I know of.