How do you take off the Fan on E36?

[curryinahurry 38]

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone has experience with taking off the fan on an E36?

I want to do this, because I am hoping to replace the tensioner and idler pulley. But cannot do so unless I take off the fan.

Any advise would be much appreciated!

cheers!

[CamB 48]

Its a left hand thread and you need a long slim 32mm wrench. There are special wrenches available, or you might get away with a normal one.*

Note the only one I removed was, ahem, using a chisel on an engine that didn't matter.

[briancol 3]

It's a specialists job needing special tools, so your best bet is to get a BMW technician to do the job for you.

[curryinahurry 38]

o real... :-(

I was hoping to do this myself....

Hmm.. any ideas how it costs to get them replaced?

I think BMW told me the parts is like 50 bux for the idler and 140 for the tensioner or vice versa...

Edited January 23, 2009 by curryinahurry

[westy 614]

You can undo the pulley with 10mm spanner too.

????

Edited January 23, 2009 by *Glenn*

[*Glenn* 854]

Ooops.. sorry Tony that was meant to be a reply

This still applies though

????

[curryinahurry 38]

Ooops.. sorry Tony that was meant to be a reply

This still applies though

????

Hey Glen, how much would you charge for the job, parts and labour?

[westy 614]

From memory when I replaced the water pump on our 320 I didn't have a 32?mm spanner so I removed the belt and undid the pulley from the pump (4 bolts).

The pump did have a shagged bearing which had caused the fan to hit the radiater and broke a blade off it. Maybe that made it easier?

Edited January 23, 2009 by tony.

[Guest FrantiC]

I went and got myself a 32mm bicycle headset wrench. They are like 2mm thich so fit easily between the fan and pulley and just give it a whack clockwise and it pops it loose...

[nastnas 9]

From memory when I replaced the water pump on our 320 I didn't have a 32?mm spanner so I removed the belt and undid the pulley from the pump (4 bolts).

The pump did have a shagged bearing which had caused the fan to hit the radiater and broke a blade off it. Maybe that made it easier?

awesome... tks mate!

[*Glenn* 854]

From memory when I replaced the water pump on our 320 I didn't have a 32?mm spanner so I removed the belt and undid the pulley from the pump (4 bolts).

The pump did have a shagged bearing which had caused the fan to hit the radiater and broke a blade off it. Maybe that made it easier?

Sorry Tony thats wrong. Taking the four bolts off the pulley wont get the 32mm nut off. The four bolts hold the pulley only onto the waterpump flange, which also forms the threaded part for the viscous hub to screw onto. You could probably undo the 4 water pump bolts, but then you would have to take out the radiator as well, to get the viscous hub & water pump out together. Real hard way to go about it though

Edited January 23, 2009 by *Glenn*

[westy 614]

Definatly an arse about face way of doing it and yeah it wont remove the fan from the hub but at a push it works.

[*Glenn* 854]

Hey Glen, how much would you charge for the job, parts and labour?

Probably too much

Not trying to be negative here...but I don't repair anything I haven't diagnosed myself. As a business and having a reputation to uphold and give consumers a guarantee. I need to diagnose the problem, give you a price, if accepted, then you have my guarantee.

If you want me to randomly fit parts, because you or others on here have said they are faulty, I really suggest you try and get them to do it or do it yourself, and........

I know this may sound quite negative, however, so much misinformation and misleading information is being given out by people in here who actually dont understand or know what they are talking about.

If a member asks about a problem with his E46... why the hell answer " my E30 had a problem like that...this is what I did " For gods sake E30's dont give the same problems that E46 give. If you actually dont know how to fix something properly...ie: E46 = E46... move on to a thread you actually can help someone with the right info.

If I dont know... I will say so....and I will always try to lead you in the right direction with people than can help you with your problem.

End of rant

Glenn

BTW: I'm still smiling, just getting a bit sick of trying to pick up the pieces because people dont listen, dont give the right info, try doing it themelves... f**king it up and then expecting me to try and help them with a $100 budget....It just doesnt work

Edited January 23, 2009 by *Glenn*

[curryinahurry 38]

I ll try and bring it in on Tuesday afternoon.

"Probably too much"

Thats not good! O well.. I ll bring it in for a quote at least ... then can go from there.

Thanks.

[curryinahurry 38]

I ll try and bring it in on Tuesday afternoon.

"Probably too much"

Thats not good! O well.. I ll bring it in for a quote at least ... then can go from there. Might even have to leave the car with u for a day .. since everytime I drive it in .. it stops squeaking ...

Thanks.

[*Glenn* 854]

I ll try and bring it in on Tuesday afternoon.

"Probably too much"

Thats not good! O well.. I ll bring it in for a quote at least ... then can go from there.

Thanks.

Sorry, I dont quote, I give very accurate estimates on experience, once diagnosed & stripped, then I will give you a written quote, you can ring me on Tuesday, however I'm fully booked till the 30th. You can drop it off if you want earlier. We are very very busy