![BMW Radiator Fan / Clutch Removal : DIY [ How To ] /// 330i (E46)](http://img.youtube.com/vi/GuKguZBW_MA/0.jpg "BMW Radiator Fan / Clutch Removal : DIY [ How To ] /// 330i (E46)")
How to remove Radiator Fan-Clutch Unit and Fan Shroud on a BMW 330i (E46) Tools used: 1. #1703 BMW Fan Clutch Tool 2. 32mm “Thin” wrench 3. Sloted/Flat screw…
How to remove Radiator Fan-Clutch Unit and Fan Shroud on a BMW 330i (E46) Tools used: 1. #1703 BMW Fan Clutch Tool 2. 32mm “Thin” wrench 3. Sloted/Flat screw…
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Just give the wrench a hard wack and it would be enough to loosen the fan
nut. The tension of the belts will be enough to keep the pump from
turning.. Good video!
I have a question for you, since I replaced my auto tranny for a manual and
all the re-programming was also done correctly, is it possible to replace
my current fan for the electric fan?? thank you in advance
@mwredfern I’m glad you found this “dark” video helpful. I never did get a
reply back from that guy who had problems viewing my vid… Which was –
what lighting equipment(s) he Would have used if he could have produced a
better video to share. In the end, I suppose he realized his
problem/solution – he must’ve turned up the brightness on his monitor.
Thank you for watching and your comments.
@watuzi Thank you. 1. I ONLY tighten the radiator fan nut with hand
pressure because of the reverse threading… it’ll tighten itself once the
engine starts. (remember to use anti-siege on the threads to prevent the
nut from rusting) 2.Yes, I used a torque wrench on the bolts on the
thermostat and waterpump @ ~ 8-10 lbs. very light, because once the motor
gets up to operating temps.. the system adds it’s own pressure on the
seals. 3. Yes definitely, I’ll post more vids in the near future.
I have an 97 m3 e36 and what tools do I need?? And how do I take it off??
My fan.
@hvacr24 Thank you for the words of encouragement and support. I figured
since I wasn’t going to be the only one needing to know how to get this
thing off, might as well document it for future reference. Too bad I didn’t
have better video equipment and more lighting gear at the time. And, I know
it’s a bit raw.. but at least it’s the truth of the process. I’m just glad
it has helped so Many individuals with their BMWs.
What I did was get 3inch diameter tube and inserted the wrench inside the
tube..so that way I didnt have to worry about breaking the tank and I came
loose easier…
@wellhammer Thank you for your support. Glad to help the BMW community.
Sorry to hear about all the damage. It does seem like that’s happening
quite a bit this year. On auto trans. 3- series… Once the waterpump
bearings fail, it does tremendous damage in the engine bay (It’s different
for manual trans. because they have all electric rad. fans.) Once you
replace all the parts (WP, Fan & clutch, hoses, belt) Do the pulleys too.
But, the most important step is to Bleed the system afterwards.
Who thinks this is a good video? Grittier than old school porn.
wrench+air hammer+0.5 seconds=fan clutch off
hey, whats the other fan right behind the bumper? My fan clutch is spinning
fine, but the other smaller fan seeable from the bumper is not spinning and
I think thats why my 540i is overheating…anyone can help?
When she was running cold was the old fan clutch making a funny sound? I no
my fan has gone because I can stop it with my hand. But that sound I said
about stops when the car warms up. Is that sound coming from the fan
clutch?????
That’s an interesting method for bolt installation. But, how are you able
to comfirm/check the torque that you’re putting on the bolts with a
“shoelace”/cord? You do realize you need to torque them down to spec to
prevent warpage / vibrations, yes?
Note: I have never had to use a clutch fan tool. If you use the 32mm wrench
and a hammer and just tap it quickly clockwise it usually comes loose
easily. I have done this at least 6 times successfully.
@kelvindoan THAT my friend IS why you should use the PROPER tool(s) for the
job. Jimmy-rigging is fine if you don’t care, but you really don’t want to
Crack something Else while you’re already working on a repair! The
expansion tank is Not the only thing you can accidentally break with your
“hammer method”… you can also chip (or worse break off) your radiator fan
blade(s) if you miss. Using “something soft” to cover up those parts will
not protect you from making a very Costly mistake.
That’s great to hear! I’m glad your brother was able to repair your BMW
using my vid as a guide. Tell him > Good job!
@moneyhew Ouch!That’s a catastrophic break,sorry to hear about that
situation.The original water pump (its bearings) are rated to last only
about 80,000 miles,so you definitely went Over your limit. Make sure you
replace the water pump Before the next 80K… About the fan clutch,I would
suggest you replace it with a new one also.Yes that is correct you should
be able to stop it when the engine is still “cold”,but once it warmed up
the clutch would engage. If it’s locked constantly, that’s bad.
@curemymind I’m glad that you decided to get the correct tool(s) for this
job/project. Some people/mechanics try to shortcut this process with
home-made rigs or, use a hammer and wrench routine…(sometimes it works)
However, when it’s NOT their car, I suppose they don’t much care. Then when
they break something in the process > They can just “add it up” as Oh look,
I found “something” else that’s broken after I removed your fan, etc. etc.
I appreciate your comments. Thank you for rating.
thanks for your help… 2000 740i, automatic 92,000 miles my fan blades
exploded! I think my water pump went bad causing the fan to wobble and hit
which broke the fan blades the the serpantine belt. I replaced water pump
thromostat, belts and hoses but I am thinking my fan clutch is stuck…
because I read on bimmerfest its suppose to disengage when car is cold, to
where you can stop fan with a magazine.
question? how do you know if fan clutch is bad? spinning hard even when car
is cool? does the fan clutch effect the way my car drives? thank you for
the help
@wellhammer Good to see you back online. Once you get all the parts (order
some BMW coolant while you’re at it.) and things put back together. Make
sure you route the serpentine belt back correctly. Don’t forget to bleed
the system, I can’t stress this last step enough – you’ll need to evac all
possible air bubbles/pockets from the cooling & heater core to prevent any
overheating issues. Keep an eye on the temperature gauge on your first
drive around the block after all things are said & done
@opnsesame No, I did not… My coolant was already a tad low. You may want
to have a bucket ready under your vehicle though, just in case. I should
state: I remove my upper hose ONLY because I found it easier for me to
reach those bolts, not because it was a requirement. So, if you can get to
those bolts as is, then you may not need to remove that hose.
Great video. I have a 2004 BMW 330ci automatic trans and need to change
thermostat, so I would like to ask you a few questions. 1. Do I need to
remove radiator fan in order to change thermostat? 2. Was there any fluids
to spill in upper radiator hose you removed? 3. Whats the torque spec for
fan screw? 4. Where do I buy 1703 special tool? Thanx and have a nice
Thanxgiving.
Nice video, I am in the process of replacing my cooling system of my 528i.
The only thing I won’t be replacing is the radiator. Did you use a torque
wrench when you put it all back or did you just tighten it by feel? The
manual says 10 in=lbs for the thermostat and water pump screws. Hope you pt
up more videos like replacing shocks, that would be awesome.
buy the tools its worth it. had to stop midway coz i didnt have the tool to
lock the pulley nuts. thought i had everything i needed. geez what a waste
to my time and skin to try and jimmy that fan off with other tools. now im
just gonna ice my knuckles (i wore impact gloves mind u. still hurt) and
drink my ass off for 4 days to ease the pain till those tools come in. and
if it still doesnt work im using sabot rounds with my shot gun, then tow it
to the mechanic and have em fix the block too.lol
Did you drain coolant before disconnect the upper radiator hose?
Great vid! I own an E38 and its just a simply matter of wacking a 32mm
wrench really hard. When I went to pull the Fan clutch of my buddies E36
which is the same setup it was not so easy lol. Thanks to this vid it
cleared up what I was doing wrong and I was able to make a tool and take
the fan off! Once again your vid was a great help 😀
@riichieboiii It’s only necessary if you’re working with or around your
alternator or any of your major ECUs and/or airbag systems. What
component(s) are you working on now?
True not everyone would want to try this themselves. However, for those who
are handy with a wrench and enjoys working on their own vehicles, the main
reason is so that you know it’s done correctly – Especially if you intend
on repairing any part of the cooling system yourself.
I need help and dont know what wrong, i went to put some gas on my e46
330i, and once i got home, turned the car off. And for my surprise, the car
started but after two seconds it died, and it blew me of because it had
never happened to me. A while ago when i bought it it had the same problem
when starting. It had trouble starting up. We change the fuel filter,
injectors and it worked great, but now this happened. What could the
problem be?? Thank you very much.
CrashBand, Yeah when I was making this video, I was using this tool for the
very first time. There was no instructions… So, I did the best I can at
that time. But, if you can get both bolts locked down within the holes,
great…but not necessary as you can see from what I did. Basically the
tool helps in preventing the water pump from spinning/moving when you try
to release the fan. Good luck.
@AutoTechHector Thanks. Good question – I believe so, since the reverse
threading is a safety function to the rotation of the crank to prevent the
fan from ever unscrewing itself; even if it Wasn’t tighten down to proper
specs/torque. But, you’ll have to confirm that on your own. NOTE: I don’t
have access to all BMW’s models, so I’m not able to verify if it is that
way on every vehicle. (At least the ones with mechanical fan clutches.)
They are going with more electric fans on all newer models.
@carbidutz Thanks for trying bud. Looking forward to your video(s). And, if
you have better lighting to share/donate. I be happy to re-film.
would i need the same 1703 fan clutch tool and 32mm wrench for a 1998
328is? Thanks for the great vid!