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N52 Cooling Fan

Discuss problems you have had or are having with your Z4
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Scooba_Steve
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N52 Cooling Fan

Post by Scooba_Steve » Sun Feb 25, 2018 6:01 pm

So...

A few times over the past couple of months I've noticed the cooling fan come on at varying points.

One morning, starting from cold, OAT near freezing the fan comes on immediately.
Other times it's been after a few minutes. Doesn't happen consistently and also hasn't done it for at least 2 weeks.

I know the consensus is that the pump is about to fail but it has thrown zero codes. Not gone above normal temp either.

So, any other ideas?
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Smartbear
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N52 Cooling Fan

Post by Smartbear » Sun Feb 25, 2018 6:09 pm

Scooba_Steve wrote: Sun Feb 25, 2018 6:01 pmSo...

A few times over the past couple of months I've noticed the cooling fan come on at varying points.

One morning, starting from cold, OAT near freezing the fan comes on immediately.
Other times it's been after a few minutes. Doesn't happen consistently and also hasn't done it for at least 2 weeks.

I know the consensus is that the pump is about to fail but it has thrown zero codes. Not gone above normal temp either.

So, any other ideas?
That’s exactly what mine did, normal temp on gauge & no codes-pump is about to commit hari kari and melt your engine :(
Rob
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N52 Cooling Fan

Post by Scooba_Steve » Sun Feb 25, 2018 8:59 pm

How often did it start up? At random intervals and engine on duration like mine?
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N52 Cooling Fan

Post by Scooba_Steve » Sun Feb 25, 2018 9:00 pm

I was expecting at least an implausible pump speed code.
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N52 Cooling Fan

Post by Smartbear » Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:22 pm

Scooba_Steve wrote: Sun Feb 25, 2018 8:59 pmHow often did it start up? At random intervals and engine on duration like mine?
I only noticed mine coming on just after starting from cold.
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e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
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Post by Smartbear » Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:23 pm

Scooba_Steve wrote: Sun Feb 25, 2018 9:00 pmI was expecting at least an implausible pump speed code.
Sorry Steve, my si did have that code but didn’t trigger a warning light.
How many miles has your car done? They seem to fail anywhere north of 70k miles :(
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e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold

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N52 Cooling Fan

Post by Scooba_Steve » Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:36 pm

100k+ so to be expected, was just trying to rule out anything else, though preventative replacement by this point isn't unreasonable. I have zero errors stored though.
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ph001
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Post by ph001 » Tue Feb 27, 2018 3:14 pm

The water pump is the more common culprit but there is an engine temperature sensor on the front of the block which do seem to fail occasionally on the BMW 330...(item 10). Under £6 from Ebay so got to be worth a punt... http://r.ebay.com/F7O06o
engine termp sensor.png
engine termp sensor.png (476.9 KiB) Viewed 708 times
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Post by Smartbear » Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:16 pm

ph001 wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 3:14 pmThe water pump is the more common culprit but there is an engine temperature sensor on the front of the block which do seem to fail occasionally on the BMW 330...(item 10). Under £6 from Ebay so got to be worth a punt... http://r.ebay.com/F7O06o

engine termp sensor.png
If that was faulty wouldn’t the temperature gauge give strange readings though, or does that get its input from elsewhere?
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e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold

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N52 Cooling Fan

Post by Scooba_Steve » Tue Feb 27, 2018 5:39 pm

I'm not sure where the coolant temp is measured from, will have to sew if there is a tech guide. Certainly worth a punt, thanks.
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Post by ph001 » Tue Feb 27, 2018 6:03 pm

Hard to say Rob - there is loads of conflicting info about that sensor all over the web. It gets worse as many people say that the sensor on the bottom radiator hose is the one that controls the radiator fan (part code 13621433077), but I think that is just a switch rather than an analogue sensor - in which case it could just be unplugged to rule it out one way or another. I do agree that an imminently failing water pump is the most likely culprit though.
engine coolant switch.png
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N52 Cooling Fan

Post by Crazy Harry » Tue Feb 27, 2018 6:14 pm

I've not had the water pump issue yet but at 44K I think I'm almost into the failure window judging by the comments on here and the poll of failures which was complied last year (was it Marlon who did that?). Going to do mine on a nice warm day in summer :)

If I remember correctly at 100K+ you've probably done well. I'd be thinking about setting time aside to change it in controlled conditions rather than have it throw codes and over heat at the side of the road.

If it is a sensor and your draining the system to change it then why not go the whole hog statistically that pump isn't going to last a lot longer. Sh1t news I know :thumbsdown: but I guess your expecting that!

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