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501K views 970 replies 198 participants last post by  Toggie 
#1 · (Edited)
Tools/parts:

- Floor jack and one jack stand
- Philips screwdriver
- Torx 25 bit
- 8" extension
- 3/8ths ratchet
- 8mm socket or 8mm wrench
- 9mm socket
- 13mm socket
- Fan clutch tools
- OEM electric fan: 17117561757
- Expanding rivet: 17111712963 (for the expansion tank side to hold fan to frame)
- Torx screw: 17117536972 (for passenger side to hold fan to frame)
- Expanding rivets: 51718229003 (4)
- 51118174185 (as many as your break)
- 51471919209 (as many as your break)

Procedure:

- Jack up one side of car (I did the drivers side) and put one jack on the metal plate
- Remove the 8mm bolts holding bumper to the fender liners
- Take out the reinforcement bolts with 9mm socket/ratchet/extension
- Slide bumper out (unclip wiring for fogs and horn)
- Take out the top air intake
- The center duct is held by four pop in screws
- Aux fan is held by four 13mm nuts, take them out
- Disconnect the aux fan by the fan shroud in the engine bay
- Slide the fan out
- Put the center duct back in and top air intake
- Put the front bumper back on in reverse order (slide in, put in the two reinforcement bar bolts and the assorted bolts to the liners.
- Next you have to take the mechanical fan out
- Pop out the fan control unit on the shroud and the other wiring and put them to the side
- Take out the 1 torx screw on the passenger side top and loosen up the fan shroud
- Use the fan clutch tool to loosen the bolt and take out the assembly
- Take your electric fan and slide it against the radiator and screw in the torx screw
- Plug the electric fan to the connector where the aux fan was plugged into
- Place back the control unit and the other wiring to the electric fan shroud

Viola, you're done.

It is good to also replace preventatively your lower radiator hose sensor and 50A fuse which control the electric fan.

Lower hose sensor: 13621433077

Benefits:

- MUCH easier removal of fan to do engine work
- Remove mechanical clutch fan where the clutch may sieze and blow the fan into pieces
- Preventing cooling system/body damage upon failed fan clutch
- Remove parasitic drag from engine
- Clean up front of car by removing auxiliary fan
- Weight reduction
- Sound reduction
- Improved acceleration (due to removed parasitic drag)


Fan purchase sources: (Updated 10/27/16)

Behr Electric Fan
$187.48 at PartsGeek: http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/2002/bmw/330ci/cooling_system/radiator_fan_assembly.html
$201.36 at AutoPartsWay: http://www.autopartsway.com/search.cfm?allveh/allb/allct/allsct/search:17117561757
$208.99 at BluntTech: https://www.blunttech.com/products/411073
$212.82 at BimmerParts: http://www.bimmerparts.com/searchitem.epc?lookfor=17117561757
$229.95 at Turner Motorsport: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-2...-323i-325i-325i-330i-manual-transmission.aspx
$254.95 at ECS Tuning: http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/17117561757/ES2568885/
$255.99 at FCP Euro: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-auxiliary-fan-assembly-e46-17117561757-17117561758
$274.99 at eEuroparts: http://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/66194/Auxiliary-Cooling-Fan-Assembly-Suction-17117561757OE/


CoolXpert Electric Fan
$173.98 at RM European: http://www.rmeuropean.com/Part-Numb...y-with-Shroud-__17117561757_COO_98550DA0.aspx
$192.00 at Pelican Parts: http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin...search&description=17117561757&I1.x=11&I1.y=5
$185.88 at Guten Parts: http://www.gutenparts.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?sku=17117561757
$185.72 at AutohausAZ: http://www.autohausaz.com/pn/17117561757
$239.99 at FCP Euro: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-auxiliary-fan-assembly-e46-cool-xpert-17117561757


Genuine BMW Fan

$472.99 (449.99 minus potential discount codes) at FCP Euro: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-auxiliary-fan-assembly-e46-17117561757oe
$467.93 at ECS Tuning: https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/ES38183/
 
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#209 ·
i have question. What if my new electric fan fails during hot day in city ?
You'll see the temperature gauge moving into the red.

So there is no warning before you end up in smoke and exploded cooling system.
If it goes that far, you're not paying attention.

Mechanical fan is making some drag onto belts and other things but its more reliable beucase it fails rarely and if it fails, you can hear it that fan is not making truck noise. And most of the time when mech fan fail, its always engaged
= its cooling your radiator even when its broken.
The mechanical fan can fail by locking and spinning all the time, which makes more noise but doesn't hurt anything. The mechanical fan can also fail by losing it's blades and sending them into the radiator, and has also been known to dent the hood. If you scan these discussions, you'll find a number of failures like that.

If you want to drive and don't pay attention to the gauges, you're correct, you should stick with the manual and electric fan combination.
 
#210 ·
yes thats true but who wants to drive with eyes sticked on temp needle ?
And you know that with some passengers in car, music etc you are not able to watch temp needle always.

Other thing is that temp needle will go into red in few seconds and that few seconds can kill your engine because few seconds in red light = thousand of dollares.

I know what im saying. I had one engine swapped. And why ? I was trying to park my car between 2 cars when my viscous clutch failed. I had my head turned on rear glass when trying to park correctly and when i turned my head to front, i saw white steam.

Electric fan can fail anytime because its fact. And imagine that you are driving in city with 38C outside, talkin with friend and you didnt notice needle in red.

All you wrote about mechanical fan is true but fact that its more reliable in term of cooling is proven by bmw mechanics. I want to do swap to electrical too but im just thikning and asking myself what if ...

I know that mechanical fan can damage some other things but mechanical fan will fail when clutch is engaged and you spin your engine to 6500rpm. And when cluthc fail, you can hear it. When you hear it = its time to replace clutch.
 
#211 ·
And one thing should be useful : sound warning when temp needle goes away from 12o`clock position, constant beeping when temp needle touches line after 12oclock position etc. Something like beeping or long beep which depends on temperature.
I think that with this feature, most of engines which were blown should be still alive.

I`ll speak with my friend about it. If its possible to install sensor into engine bay and make warning system based on cooling temp.
 
#215 ·
Looking forward to someone who can reply to MichalTT's statements. Maybe even E46Mango because we have been tag teaming the boards today! But yes, I was almost about to order this until reading Sansho's reply...made me think that these electric fans CAN fail, and what about the people who said the fan was running up to 10 minutes after the car was shut off?
 
#217 ·
Don't forget that even if you have the mechanical fan you still have the electric aux fan that can fail. You will overheat just as bad and cause just as much damage if you don't notice the temp gauge going up. Judging by the awful sound it makes when its on I bet its lower quality/lower lifetime than the "full" electric fan too.
 
#221 ·
#223 ·
My local AZ doesn't carry this tool but you find them for sale every once in a while one this site. I just bought a set from a fellow E46Fanatic & after I do this conversion I will be placing the tools up for sale for someone else to use.
 
#230 ·
i'll be tackling this mod soon, right after i figure out why my e46 can't idle smoothly.

my mechanical fan blew up on me twice in less than 10,000 miles- primarily because the 1st time, the shop didn't diagnose the water pump to be problematic- so i didn't change it, and it had play and wobbled the mechanical fan to death. both times it punctured my hood. plus, i hate the sound and the drag it creates for the revs.
 
#234 ·
I would also recommend adding those stupid expanding rivets to the parts list.


Expanding rivets: 51718229003 (4)
51118174185 (as many as your break)
51471919209 (as many as your break)

Just finished this diy in about 2 hrs. Though I broke all those plastic rivet's that hold the air duct on. So I had to order those. But very easy and worth it.
 
#237 ·
for anyone who didn't buy the rivets (im assuming you mean the ones for the plastic guard in front of the old puller fan), i realized i had none and used generic door clips (for holding on interiors to door frames) from the closest part store and they fit very solidly, just my 2 cents.
 
#238 ·
I finally am endorsing this mod. 3 days and no problems so far. Fanfreakingtastic. And believe me I was nervous when first installing. If you want to test to see if it works right away, fire up the car and turn the A/C on. The fan should turn on...and your fears will catch the next train out of town.
 
#239 ·
Bumper removal

All you need is is this:

floor jack and one jack stand
philips screwdriver
I think Torx 20 head
8" extension
ratchet
8mm socket or 8mm wrench
9mm socket
13mm socket
fan clutch tools
OEM electric fan: 17117561757
Expanding rivets: 51718229003 (4)
51118174185 (as many as your break)
51471919209 (as many as your break)


- Jack up one side of car (I did the drivers side) and put one jack on the metal plate
- Remove the 8mm bolts holding bumper to the fender liners
- Take out the reinforcement bolts with 9mm socket/ratchet/extension
- Slide bumper out (unclip wiring for fogs and horn)
- Take out the top air intake
- The center duct is held by four pop in screws
- Aux fan is held by four 13mm nuts, take them out
- Disconnect the aux fan by the fan shroud in the engine bay
- Slide the fan out
- Put the center duct back in and top air intake
- Put the front bumper back on in reverse order (slide in, put in the two reinforcement bar bolts and the assorted bolts to the liners.
- Next you have to take the mechanical fan out
- Pop out the fan control unit on the shroud and the other wiring and put them to the side
- Take out the 1 torx screw on the passenger side top and loosen up the fan shroud
- Use the fan clutch tool to loosen the bolt and take out the assembly
- Take your electric fan and slide it against the radiator and screw in the torx screw
- Plug the electric fan to the connector where the aux fan was plugged into
- Place back the control unit and the other wiring to the electric fan shroud

Viola, you're done.


I will make a DIY video later.
Thanks for this info. I have gotten as far as 'remove reinforcement bolts', but I can't find them.
 
#242 ·
Thanks. I did find them yesterday, then had fun getting them to release from their plastic sleeves (easy if you know what you should do). Bumper is off and I'm just waiting for my fan to arrive. Anyone have a problem with the stamped-on bolts that hold the fan on? One of mine started to spin before the nut came off. Now I'm likely going to replace it with a bolt with hex head.
 
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