E46 Cooling / Auxiliary / Pusher Fan issue?
Discussion
Hi all,
Hoping for some insight. I've got a 2004 E46 330ci auto.
I've been working my way through coolant system maintenance.
I noted my auxiliary fan (the electric fan which sits behind the kidney grills and not the one running off the water pump), also known as the pusher fan didn't work.
Since I've owned it the Aux fan never worked, so after a bit of research on various forums a suggestion was to get the air con regassed. The air was as cold as a warm fart with aircon on so thought why not. Went to ATS as they have a no recharge no charge guarantee, and more importantly, they are 2mins walk from my front door. Anyways ATS did a sterling job and following that the aux fan would kick in when the air con was enabled and I now have ice-cold air. Result! However I'm just wondering whether I still need to troubleshoot further...?
As far as I'm aware the aux fan should work in the following conditions;
- start up self test. Kick in within 30 seconds of car being started with air con button off.
- always run at Low speed when A/C on
- run at variable / high speeds to aid additional engine cooling when required.
So what I have found on my aux fan is it doesn't appear to self test on start up. When plugged into INPA responds to the cooling fan test. I.e can run at 20% and 80% etc and spins accordingly.
When parked on my drive up I purposely allowed to car to heat up to 106 degrees to see if the auxiliary fan kicked in. It didn't - so I switched off. When I did this test the outside temp was about 8/9 degrees so the external temp may not have been hot of enough for the DME to enable to the auxiliary fan. Apparently dme has to measure several conditions before kicks in.
Questions, can it be my relay? Or fan module? Fan appears to respond to INPA test so module should be OK??
Am I being paranoid, is the system working as it should?
Any help / direction greatly appreciated.
ahas,
Hoping for some insight. I've got a 2004 E46 330ci auto.
I've been working my way through coolant system maintenance.
I noted my auxiliary fan (the electric fan which sits behind the kidney grills and not the one running off the water pump), also known as the pusher fan didn't work.
Since I've owned it the Aux fan never worked, so after a bit of research on various forums a suggestion was to get the air con regassed. The air was as cold as a warm fart with aircon on so thought why not. Went to ATS as they have a no recharge no charge guarantee, and more importantly, they are 2mins walk from my front door. Anyways ATS did a sterling job and following that the aux fan would kick in when the air con was enabled and I now have ice-cold air. Result! However I'm just wondering whether I still need to troubleshoot further...?
As far as I'm aware the aux fan should work in the following conditions;
- start up self test. Kick in within 30 seconds of car being started with air con button off.
- always run at Low speed when A/C on
- run at variable / high speeds to aid additional engine cooling when required.
So what I have found on my aux fan is it doesn't appear to self test on start up. When plugged into INPA responds to the cooling fan test. I.e can run at 20% and 80% etc and spins accordingly.
When parked on my drive up I purposely allowed to car to heat up to 106 degrees to see if the auxiliary fan kicked in. It didn't - so I switched off. When I did this test the outside temp was about 8/9 degrees so the external temp may not have been hot of enough for the DME to enable to the auxiliary fan. Apparently dme has to measure several conditions before kicks in.
Questions, can it be my relay? Or fan module? Fan appears to respond to INPA test so module should be OK??
Am I being paranoid, is the system working as it should?
Any help / direction greatly appreciated.
ahas,
Elliot2000 said:
Sounds like you are being paranoid. It sounds like it’s working fine. Can’t be a relay problem as you said it powers up ok from diagnostics. It will only run when it’s needed - even with air con on it will only run when it needs to cool the condensor
Indeed - the DME and other control units are smart enough to only kick it in when needed. The one on my E46 doesn't do the startup kick either, but works just fine.
Thanks for the responses both!Elliot2000 said:
Sounds like you are being paranoid. It sounds like it’s working fine. Can’t be a relay problem as you said it powers up ok from diagnostics. It will only run when it’s needed - even with air con on it will only run when it needs to cool the condensor
Second that - my E39 had a new fan just after I got it and that doesnt run all the time that the A/C is on, just when it decides that it needs to.That's great! Thanks for the responses.
Now that I'm happy with the cooling, next job is a small oil leak to rectify.
I think it's sump gasket!
when I get a chance I'm going to try the technique of cutting the old one out and cutting the new one in.
Once that's done almost sorted 330! Whooo
Now that I'm happy with the cooling, next job is a small oil leak to rectify.
I think it's sump gasket!
when I get a chance I'm going to try the technique of cutting the old one out and cutting the new one in.Once that's done almost sorted 330! Whooo
Elliot2000 said:
You sure it isn’t leaking from further up and running down And running around?
Rocker covers and oil filter housing worth cchdcking
Thanks for the suggestion Elliot, Rocker covers and oil filter housing worth cchdcking
Rocker cover was done couple of weekends ago, I'm certain it's not that.
I wish it was the OFHG, I'm going to do an oil change and will probably do the OFHG anyways, however can't see oil in the tell-tale sign of oil running down the grid imprint on the oil filter housing on the engine.
Its one of those leaks where it's easier to just keep oil topped up, but I cannot stand small 5p sized drops of oil on my drive.
Happy for more suggestions, would love to get it sorted.
Other places could be ccv I think...
StuntmanMike said:
Your fan is fine op.
I removed the Viscous fan from mine completely. The pusher fan works then alright.
Thanks Stuntman, I removed the Viscous fan from mine completely. The pusher fan works then alright.
Interesting, I've seen a lot of folks do the mechanical fan delete. So do you have just one electric fan which sits where the viscous one used to, and no pusher/Auxiliary fan behind kidney grill?
I don't think I can bring myself to it, I've read many for/againsts, but to me two fans for cooling got to be better than one...
OK, so managed to get the car out for a drive today with outdoor temps in the early 20 degrees.
Drove for an hour or so just locally, drove spot on. By time pulling up on my drive temp guage creeping past halfway mark. Went into test function on dash, and temp was at about 118 degrees. Opened vents got heating upto max heat and speed and temp dropped straight away.
However got out looked under the car to see coolant dripping from middle of car where auto box is.
So I think that means heater core, I only changed it 6 weeks ago or so, used a NISSENS rad and bmw o rings so parts should be of quality.
This weekend I'll be getting back into heater core and having another look.
Anyone got any ideas? Is it possible too much pressure in the coolant system that it bursts somewhere?
Why isn't the cooling system reducing the temperature of the coolant?
Is it possible coolant started leaking when I switched on heating and vents? Therfore the core not installed properly?
Suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks
Drove for an hour or so just locally, drove spot on. By time pulling up on my drive temp guage creeping past halfway mark. Went into test function on dash, and temp was at about 118 degrees. Opened vents got heating upto max heat and speed and temp dropped straight away.
However got out looked under the car to see coolant dripping from middle of car where auto box is.
So I think that means heater core, I only changed it 6 weeks ago or so, used a NISSENS rad and bmw o rings so parts should be of quality.
This weekend I'll be getting back into heater core and having another look.
Anyone got any ideas? Is it possible too much pressure in the coolant system that it bursts somewhere?
Why isn't the cooling system reducing the temperature of the coolant?
Is it possible coolant started leaking when I switched on heating and vents? Therfore the core not installed properly?
Suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks
Scratch that! A little more research and I think it may be aircon condensing?
https://youtu.be/bQPCi7ILFF8
I had air con on for the full drive. Looked under car just now (about an hr after driving) and there no sign of any fluid. Its all dried / evaporated from drive.... If it was coolant I'd have expected it to see have left damp spot.
Didn't realise the air con drip tube is the same place as where the heater core is.
Car probably still warm now so tomorrow I will check coolant level. It was full 2 days ago, so if coolant level has dropped it's coolant leaking and back to square one, if still full it'll be air conditioning condensing fluid (fingers crossed, I really cba taking heater core out)
But still would like any insight as to why care continues to overheat. I'm certain aux fan should kick in at higher temps.
https://youtu.be/bQPCi7ILFF8
I had air con on for the full drive. Looked under car just now (about an hr after driving) and there no sign of any fluid. Its all dried / evaporated from drive.... If it was coolant I'd have expected it to see have left damp spot.
Didn't realise the air con drip tube is the same place as where the heater core is.
Car probably still warm now so tomorrow I will check coolant level. It was full 2 days ago, so if coolant level has dropped it's coolant leaking and back to square one, if still full it'll be air conditioning condensing fluid (fingers crossed, I really cba taking heater core out)
But still would like any insight as to why care continues to overheat. I'm certain aux fan should kick in at higher temps.
Edited by ahas on Friday 26th June 20:55
Edited by ahas on Friday 26th June 21:06
I just put a cheap viscous fan hub on my 328Ci, I wish I had spent the extra on a proper one as it makes a lot of noise for the first few miles. Not the end of the world but I wish I had known.
Paid £10 for a pair of spanners to lock/undo the fan after 30 years of using home made tools, wish I had bought them in the first place, makes the job a piece of cake.
Paid £10 for a pair of spanners to lock/undo the fan after 30 years of using home made tools, wish I had bought them in the first place, makes the job a piece of cake.
OK so bit of research and it's easy enough to test the coupling, looked at my viscous fan coupling and even though it looks very old. When I'm trying to rotate the Viscous fan there's a decent bit of resistance.
Rotating anticlockwise if said a full rotation was 12 o'clock to 12 o'clock, mine bearly moves 12 o'clock to 10 o'clock (going anticlockwise doesn't even make a quarter turn).
Cold engine too.
That suggests the fan clutch is knackered? Should give probably one full free rotation before coming to a halt. But I suppose that means my viscous fan is probably always engaged? So over cooling? Danger here is it spins too fast it breaks off cause other damage. So needs replacing.
Rotating anticlockwise if said a full rotation was 12 o'clock to 12 o'clock, mine bearly moves 12 o'clock to 10 o'clock (going anticlockwise doesn't even make a quarter turn).
Cold engine too.
That suggests the fan clutch is knackered? Should give probably one full free rotation before coming to a halt. But I suppose that means my viscous fan is probably always engaged? So over cooling? Danger here is it spins too fast it breaks off cause other damage. So needs replacing.
Edited by ahas on Sunday 28th June 12:45
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