E39 face-lift auxiliary cooling fan.

[Tristan]

I think my fan is fecked, it throws a fault codes regularly. Is there any simple Way to test it, seeing as it's PWM?
And what other cars have a compatible replacement unit?

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[Tristan]

I presume it's a bumper off job, before I start?

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[dergside]

The rolled up newspaper test used to be the first test of any BMW cooling system a few years ago. This really just tested how bunched the fan's viscous coupling was. If the fan stopped rotating when a lightly applied rolled up newspaper was touched off the edge of the fan blades then it needed replacing.

As these cars are a bit older now there seems to be a whole load of new, mostly age related, issues to look at and others here probably have more relevant experience than me.

Having said that, its still a good place to start.

[318is-joe]

It's much easier swap it out with the bumper off, RealOEM shows it's common across all E39's so you shouldn't have any problem picking one up

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/part...&q=64546921946

The rolled up paper test is for the viscous fan (usually if not always on the water pump) and behind the rad. The Auxiliary is in front of the rad. (Just in case your referring to something else)

[Tristan]

No,definitely the auxiliary one.

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[Tristan]

So that happened.

Anyone got a spare aux fan, 3 wire?

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[318is-joe]

So that happened.

Anyone got a spare aux fan, 3 wire?

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Has to be a few in a nearby hedge or breakers yard Tristan?

[Tristan]

You'd think so? So far all PFL or missing the front end.

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[hamish262001]

I take it pre facelift is different?

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[Tristan]

Yep, it has a 2 wire fan, and speed is controlled by resistor packs.
Fl is a 3 wire, speed is controlled by pulse wave modulation (PWM) from the ecu/DME.

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