Pictorial DIY: BMW E46 Fan Clutch Removal & Engine Belts Change For Automatic Cars

PART 4

















PART 5









After you are done and double checked everything (including those front-fan shroud/radiator connector plugs) get yourself cleaned up and go start your car leaving the hood up and the windows down. Keep your hand on the key in case you have to shut off the engine immediately.

If the engine starts up okay and everything sounds and feel normal (no squealing or fierce vibrations) after a minute or two go look under the hood. The fan and belts should be moving okay. My fan seemed wobbly for the first couple of minutes but after it was okay-leaving me thinking it was just my imagination.
The worse that can happen is usually the fan blades either break off spontaneously and/or the fan comes off, thus exploding sending pieces of hard plastic everywhere. This is why you NEVER drop the fan, lay it flat or damage it if during the DIY you plan on using it again. Even if one blade gets chipped or scuffed then the fan can quickly lose equilibrium and wobble itself to bits destroying your engine block and hood.
This is also why it is best to first start the engine with the hood up and everyone clear of the engine bay, and your hand on the key in case you have to cut the engine off pronto. I think the rule of thumb is if your fan doesn't explode right away you should be good.

That is it! DIY completed! Now it's time to think about that inevitable WATER PUMP failure prevention upgrade and Thermostat Housing upgrade DIY.
Enjoy,
Delmarco.

Delamrco, that is well illustrated DIY. I was reluctant to overhaul the cooling system, but thanks to you, I am now. Where can I get the pulley tool and the 32mm wrench?

Originally Posted by Reynard

Delamrco, that is well illustrated DIY. I was reluctant to overhaul the cooling system, but thanks to you, I am now. Where can I get the pulley tool and the 32mm wrench?

Delmarco got his off ebay. I spent way more @ http://www.bimmertools.com/product-p...00-sl62100.htm I also paid more than the tool again for shipping, brokerage, duty, & taxes to get it into Canada.

btw - after I received mine I read on the package how the same tool can be used on all these GM, Ford, & Dodge truck engines in the range of 3.8L, 4.3L , etc. If you can find a tool locally for any of these vehicles, then you don't have to order it specially. I coudl have spent just $29.99 !!!

Originally Posted by steve.325i

Delmarco got his off ebay. I spent way more @ http://www.bimmertools.com/product-p...00-sl62100.htm I also paid more than the tool again for shipping, brokerage, duty, & taxes to get it into Canada.

btw - after I received mine I read on the package how the same tool can be used on all these GM, Ford, & Dodge truck engines in the range of 3.8L, 4.3L , etc. If you can find a tool locally for any of these vehicles, then you don't have to order it specially. I coudl have spent just $29.99 !!!

$72 for Fan Tools!
Dude,
You PM me for everything else why didn't you PM me for this I would have helped you out man!

Originally Posted by Reynard

Delamrco, that is well illustrated DIY. I was reluctant to overhaul the cooling system, but thanks to you, I am now. Where can I get the pulley tool and the 32mm wrench?

Originally Posted by delmarco

$72 for Fan Tools!
Dude,
You PM me for everything else why didn't you PM me for this I would have helped you out man!

haha - because I did my accesory belt tensioner last November ... so I guess I ordered from bimmertools some time in Oct of 2008.

Spot on DIY well done!

Just as an FYI to all, we have the fan clutch tool available at much better then eBay prices. And with personal customer service at only a PM, Email or Phone Call away!!!

Click HERE to order or for more information.

Please let me know if you have any questions! Feel free to shoot me a PM or email.

Thanks,
Joe

subscribed

Facing the front of the car turn the wrench to your right (or towards the driver's side in the USA on US spec cars) to loosen the fan nut.
Replacement is the opposite.

another great DIY write-up bro +1

I just did this today with my mechanic and it took about an hour and a half. We didn't have to take off the fan to get to the belt. We removed the bottom panel after we had the car in the air and was able to reach the belt, tensioner, and idler pulley. It was pretty tricky but I'm just letting everyone know that it can be done. Thanks for the writeup! My belt was very worn and my pulleys were howling pretty loud at acceleration. My car has 85k miles on it and it was on the original belt and pulleys and after the change, I have never heard the car this quiet before. If your belt is cracking, then you probably have to change it along with the pulleys. It is very much worth it. The car just feels a bit better now.

Originally Posted by DBLAZE

I just did this today with my mechanic and it took about an hour and a half. We didn't have to take off the fan to get to the belt. We removed the bottom panel after we had the car in the air and was able to reach the belt, tensioner, and idler pulley. It was pretty tricky but I'm just letting everyone know that it can be done. Thanks for the writeup! My belt was very worn and my pulleys were howling pretty loud at acceleration. My car has 85k miles on it and it was on the original belt and pulleys and after the change, I have never heard the car this quiet before. If your belt is cracking, then you probably have to change it along with the pulleys. It is very much worth it. The car just feels a bit better now.

Yeah. Your Mechanic was smart. Had I owned a lift or a really good jack then I would've too accessed the belts from below. I was even able to reach in from below and replace the AC belt tensioner dust cap.


Congrads. I think my pulleys may need changing as well. Since I changed the belts they've been sort of louder than before.

Nice write up. That's going to help me do the overhaul on my cooling system BIG TIME.

bumped for the new guy from Tuscon. Arizona who didn't search in the DIY section for this DIY.

I changed the belts without removing the fan clutch

Very nice write-up, pics and engine bay, delmarco, as usual.

I changed my belts and thermostat today with these observations:

- I found on my car ('00 323, auto) that I had the convenient 16mm (or 5/8") hex attachment site for BOTH tensioners, so there was no need for any torx socket to release tension for either the main belt or the a/c belt. Very easy to detension both with the 16mm socket wrench.

- I also pulled out my (original) water pump to inspect the impeller and found to my surprise that it was stainless steel, not plastic, so I will let it stay in there for now (everything seemed solid and A-OK) to see how long this baby will last.

- I used the 32mm wrench and hammer approach. It took about 15-20 whacks and a couple of WD-40 sprays, but it finally broke loose. If you use this approach, I suggest removing your air filter box first, because when the nut does break loose, your 32mm wrench will rotate over and crash into this box (it broke off a small piece of mine, luckily in an unimportant pre-filter area).

- As an experiment, I tried draining the coolant from the radiator drain plug only (and not the engine drain plug) to see if it would drain enough to avoid spillage when removing the thermostat and water pump (and to see if I could avoid dealing with the engine drain plug). But I still had a lot of coolant spillage when I took off the thermostat as well as the water pump. Only about 4 quarts was drained/spilled by this method, so removal of the engine drain plug is necessary to do the thermostat/water pump without spillage or if you just want to completely change out your coolant. If you don't completely drain the engine, use a large, wide, flat pan to catch the spilled coolant.

I have the BMW fan tool and wrench...Having a hard time getting the fan nut out...Which way does the fan nut loosen??? Should I turn the wrench clockwise or counter?

turn the wrench towards the airbox to loosen it.

how does this diy change for an electric fan?

Originally Posted by golf_234

how does this diy change for an electric fan?

When you have an electric fan, you simple remove the electrical connections & the fan comes out with the fan shroud. You do not need the fan/clutch removal tool & you get to skip that step - lucky you.

This following link has pictures with an electric fan.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...ght=water+pump

bump for all the people that refuse to search