brackets to mount electric fan

#1

thought this info might be interesting - it lists bracket p/n’s to mount the stock electric a/c fan to the radiator without the a/c condenser in the way.
I’m just assuming that an e30 m3 will be the same as a regular e30.
cheers,
bruce

In a message dated 11/26/2005 2:10:28 PM Eastern Standard Time,
louis@goldsman.com writes:

European E30 M3s without air-conditioning didn’t use a mechanical fan at
all. All they had was the push-type electric fan in front of the radiator.
Cars with A/C (all U. S. versions) used both.

Most of us that race our cars remove the mechanical fan and the A/C
condenser. The electric fan can then be mounted using the European brackets
(total cost less than $10). If you would like to have both fans Spal makes
electric pull-type fans that can be mounted behind the radiator but you’ll
have to fabricate brackets.

Louis

Brackets to mount fan without A/C condenser:
17-40-1-372-828
17-40-1-372-829
17-40-1-373-069

picture of parts:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=1232&mospid=47263&btnr=17_0073&hg=17&fg=10&hl=67
(some have had to buy item 13 in this picture also)

Post edited by: leggwork, at: 2006/01/14 12:14

#2

Any idea how many CFM’s the stock electric fan can pull? I’ve always wondered if it can compare to a SPAL in terms of cooling capacity.

#3

I don’t know this answer - I have just heard that a number of racers find this fan alone adequate.
cheers,
bruce

victorhall wrote:

#4

victorhall wrote:

When I ran JS I used this set up…euro brackets w/AC condensor removed. I shorted the resistor so that my aux fan only came on when I used the AC button. Never once had any cooling problems, you only need a fan when you’re sitting in the paddock or not really moving.

Close on track competition can sometimes cause elevated temps (blocked air from the car in front of you) but I have run more than a couple races in mid summer heat hot on someone’s tail for 30mins with no issues. One way to combat this is to use a temp switch (stock or lower, whatever you prefer).

Sorry, to answer your question, I don’t know the CFM rating. Oh, and by shorting the aux resistor it will run on high speed only with the button.

#5

Bruce - thanks a bunch for this info. I finally got around to installing the electric fan (off of the condensor) on my car a couple of weeks ago and these brackets made it much easier than trying to fabricate some out of scraps.

#6

Whatd you guys use to mount the fan brackets to the radiator support? There is no way to get behind the metal to hold a nut so you can use a bolt. I’m going to go find some plastic push pin/plug things at autozone for now, but i’d like to hear what you guys did. Maybe theyll have some kind of anchor thing, too.

Thanks

#7

sorry, double post.

#8

If you remove the front grilles, which is not at all difficult, you have access to everything you need to make the OEM mounting brackets listed at the bottom of these posts work great.

Sasha

#9

hrmm yeh the grill and light/grill parts are off, radiator pushed back… i have the brackets on the fan and the fan in there in position. The only problem is how to attach the brackets to the radiator support itself… its basically just a hole in the support w/ no access behind it. the brackets line up perfectly, i just need a way to attach em.

#10

Speed nuts…

-Scott

#11

Well, I signed in to post what I thought might be elpful pics of today’s project - mounting the electric fan! :ohmy:

I made this setup in no time at all using the top/bottom brackets scavenged off of the condenser and using some 1" aluminum flat stock and 1/8 steel pop rivets. There are three mounts for the fan, top, bottom and side. Since the side bracket was welded to the condenser, I made a short bridge piece and attached it to a rubber radiator mount that I found on my workshop bench.

BTW - this fan will definately be adequate. It’s quite a bit larger than the single factory electric fan that I ran on my 944 w/out any problems ever. It has two speeds so I am going to install a 3 way toggle on the dash, low for in the grid lane and on the track and high for the cooldown lap and trip to the scales.

elec_fan_installed2.jpg600x671

#12

Pic of bracket on my bench.

elec_fan_bracket.jpg600x516

#13

Pic of side bracket

elec_fan_mount.jpg600x514

#14

Looks good. Why did you decide to space the fan away from the radiator, though?

#15

The answer of speed nuts is correct. Take the two speed nuts from the top engine side where things used to attach. Move them to the new holes that you say are now aligned, and use the old bolts. It worked like a champ.

Sasha

#16

I mounted a spal fan (from JEGS) as a puller and used the holes in the radiator and the enclosed straps to bolt the fan to the radiator. Also mounted a adjustable temp sensor and direct wire to the to AC switch.

Ed

#17

TXBDan wrote:

I really didn’t "decide", I simply used what was there vs. fabicating something from scratch. The distance away from the radiator will only be the thickness of the condensor so I would say that’s about 3/4". Will find out in Feb (or, probably more correctly, will find out this summer) if there are any ill effects from the gap.

#18

cool, got mine in today after i scrounged around for the old speed nuts. Thanks a lot for the info.

#19

OK, I’m putting the aux fan back in after the regular fan and A/C delete. Using the M3 brackets Bruce listed & speed nuts. The brackets aren’t fitting quite right. I’m thinking I probly got the fan turned around backward. Here’s a photo. Can someone please let me know my level of stupidity.
many thanx,
tom:P

#20

damn I have trouble with uploading photos
here it is hopefully