Replacing fan clutch

[1st 5er]

I thought I'd do this this afternoon, but when I got in there, it looks as if the only way is to first remove the radiator,
unless of course you've got super tiny hands, which didn't come on my 6'4" frame.

Don't find any comments in the FAQ section.

???

[Robert Bondi]

There are two types of fan clutch. You must have the old style?
The new style comes off with a giant 32 mm wrench - threads are
left-handed. As I remember, the old-style is held on with several
small bolts to the fan pulley. I converted to the new style about
6 or 7 years ago.

Check the archives on the topic. There have been many posts.
Also, you'll see a lot of complaints about new fan clutches that
are dead out of the box...

[Mike W.]

Expounding on Roberts remarks, yes, the early bolt on clutch does require the removal of the radiator. The later does not. However I think it is only the new screw on type that are often bad out of the box. IMHO the early kind are much longer lasting. I've even got a stock of them now that I don't have anything that uses them 4 in the garage I think, all good

[1st 5er]

There are two types of fan clutch. You must have the old style?
The new style comes off with a giant 32 mm wrench - threads are
left-handed. As I remember, the old-style is held on with several
small bolts to the fan pulley. I converted to the new style about
6 or 7 years ago.

Check the archives on the topic. There have been many posts.
Also, you'll see a lot of complaints about new fan clutches that
are dead out of the box...

Yes, and thanks, mine is the old style.
Not sure how to search the "old" archives, maybe a tutorial is in order.

I had a friend make me my own tool for use on my E28's.

[Adam Gravois]

Not sure how to search the "old" archives, maybe a tutorial is in order.

Nothing to add on the subject of fan clutches, but on the bar to the right is a link marked "Google Search" that uses Google to mine all of firstfives.org for your search terms. I use it all the time as there's lots of good infomation in the old, no-longer-live, Bulletin Board. You can also get the same results from a regular Google search by adding site:firstfives.org to your search terms. It'll only pull up results from this website. Very handy.

[1st 5er]

Not sure how to search the "old" archives, maybe a tutorial is in order.

Nothing to add on the subject of fan clutches, but on the bar to the right is a link marked "Google Search" that uses Google to mine all of firstfives.org for your search terms. I use it all the time as there's lots of good infomation in the old, no-longer-live, Bulletin Board. You can also get the same results from a regular Google search by adding site:firstfives.org to your search terms. It'll only pull up results from this website. Very handy.

Found the "Google Search" function on the bar to the left.
It works, and I'll use it too, "all the time", from here on out.
Thanks for the help.

Looks as if radiator pulling is the way I'll go vs. the scraped/cut knuckle method.

[Adam Gravois]

on the bar to the left.

LOL! No wonder I'm always getting ticketed for driving on the wrong side of the road!

[1st 5er]

on the bar to the left.

LOL! No wonder I'm always getting ticketed for driving on the wrong side of the road!

"Keep Austin weird".

[T.Hanson]

Older type has a bolt in the center, my opinion says needs the radiator out to properly remove or install, tighten. When you remove the bolt you'll see it has two tabs, notches that have to fit together. I found it strange, the fan assembly was wobbly, sloppy until the last quarter, half turn to tight.

Fan belt was installed proper tension, bolt tight spun the pulley. I opted to take that, as I didn't have a contraption to hold the pulley or pulley bolts. I'll find out if it is tight enough.

There are posts about pulling the radiator. Do use a sheet of cardboard to protect the radiator fins from the fan blades.

[Adam W in MN]

I'm not sure why you would need to remove the radiator?

Mine is the version that spins onto the water pump shaft, and I bought a skinny 32mm wrench from a bike store which works beautifully to remove and tighten it. I've never had to remove the radiator.

[1st 5er]

I'm not sure why you would need to remove the radiator?

Mine is the version that spins onto the water pump shaft, and I bought a skinny 32mm wrench from a bike store which works beautifully to remove and tighten it. I've never had to remove the radiator.

Mine is the version with the center bolt.
Above post shows tool I use on my E28's.

Job started and completed this morning in just under one hour.

My reason for changing it out is because my dash temp needle sets just to the right of center when fully warmed up.
When I first bought the car I did the E28 radiator upgrade, installed a new 80 degree thermostat, have changed the temp sensor, and decided since I'd gotten the donor car I'd swap out fan clutches and see if that would change things.
Evidence proves otherwise, maybe the gauge is out of calibration, is that possible / probable?
My IR Thermometer reads in the 195 range at the thermostat housing.
Should I go to a cooler, like a 71 or 75 degree one? Or am I OK the way it sits?


Thank you all very much for the guidance.

[T.Hanson]

My opinion is based only upon twenty years of experience, not the Penske school of engine building. Three 528i's, used, 100, 200 thousand miles, who knows who did what. Driving temps go from -20 to 98 F, humid.

Temp gauges run to the white line before center or on the center, depending upon the car, thermostat. Assume lower would equal a lower number stamped on the stat, but what came out worked so it went back in, or new was whatever it was. Either way, the needle stops where it does and that's that.

My suspicion is the hot summer days raise my concern more than the real stress on the engine temps. Of course hot air over the radiator fins isn't as refreshing as ice cold winter, but the thermostat open is still restricting the coolant from full gush circulating, so I figure the BMW engineers had some idea what they were doing.

Not to be confused with owners never flushing, filling with new coolant every two years, because it does crap out. After taking apart the components that are involved in the circulation, thirty years makes gobs of corrosion on the aluminum or steel pipes.

My experience has it old style heads, or new, stock radiators, pumps etc. work just fine if clean and maintained.

[1st 5er]

To all who responded.
So as to not be redundant, here's the latest for your reading pleasure.

Thanks for the help.

All this is an effort to be able to drive this car to 5erFest instead of one of our E28's.