I think this is the most disassembled I've ever had my car

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee) 05/07/2019 at 10:20 • Filed to: None

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But, now I know exactly what that rattle was:

New fan is in and working fine, and now I’m taking a quick break before I *shudder* start putting it all back together again.

Aso, I think the clutch for the mechanical fan is busted as it’s ALWAYS on, but seeing as how that’s the best possible way it could have failed I think fixing it isn’t much of a priority.

HammerheadFistpunch > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/07/2019 at 11:14

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i know that feel. i just basically stripped my interior to get at a rattle.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/07/2019 at 11:14

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Aah the legendary BMW service position. (I know it should be lifted for it to be but still...)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > HammerheadFistpunch 05/07/2019 at 11:15

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This particular rattle was preventing me from using my AC so at least I had a g ood motivation

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 05/07/2019 at 11:16

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I think you're thinking of Audi

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/07/2019 at 11:30

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I was thinking, those are funny looking headlights for an Audi....  didn’t know BMWs had the same service position.  

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/07/2019 at 11:54

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BMW has the same right?

OPPOsaurus WRX > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/07/2019 at 12:40

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nice audi

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/07/2019 at 12:40

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Ok, about the clutch fan, a few things worthy of mention . Assuming it’s similar to the ones I’m familiar with t hey DO fail and when it happens it causes massive carnage, up to and including blowing holes through the hood and eviscerating wires and hoses and rads. (Oh my!)

It’s a fluid filled coupler type of design and will always spin when the engine is running, however it should not be engaging at full tilt at all times. If it’s locked up and spinning at engjne rpm it may grenade at some point. (Ie: When you romp on it and take it to redline)

An easy way to test is to cold start the car then take a rolled up newspaper and insert it into the spinning blades. If the fan stops, you’re good. If it shreds the paper, you need a clutch.

Another easy way to tell is if you roll down your windows and listen to the car at idle, then begin accelerating. You should be able to hear the fan ramp up, as t hey usually make a fair amount of whooshing when they do. If it’s loudly whooshing all of the time and seems to only get louder with rpm with no sign of letting up , you likely need a clutch. (They kick in at temp or under load, but release or slip after a certain rpm, so if it’s not releasing that is bad.)

Few more notes, just because I care. If you ever have a damaged fan blade or a missing blade, replace it immediately. The imbalance may cause the fan to explode. Also, and this is a big one, but if you ever remove the fan clutch and plan to reuse it, be certain to store it in it’s usual vertical position. I do not know why, but leaving them laying horizontally seems to cause them to fail more frequently after reinstallation.

Nice work btw. Good luck getting her back together. Should be straight forward. 

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > HammerheadFistpunch 05/07/2019 at 12:49

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Trying to fix an interior rattle is a no win situation. Sure you might eventually fix the original rattle but in the process you are going to make at least 10 more.

HammerheadFistpunch > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 05/07/2019 at 12:50

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nope.  Solved.  It was a pretty obvious issue that had a straightforward solution.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/07/2019 at 12:57

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You'd know

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 05/07/2019 at 13:00

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Oh, no no no. Audi’s service position involves removing the bumper, the radiator, and the cross member to get at literally anything on the front of the engine. I had to pull the bumper off because the component I needed to replace was between the bumper and radiator. It’s more or less the only job you need to pull the bumper for besides the AC condensor.

This is Audi:

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 05/07/2019 at 13:04

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No trim panel ever goes back on the same way. It’s just a universal law, like gravity.

OPPOsaurus WRX > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/07/2019 at 13:38

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yep

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 05/07/2019 at 17:23

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Aah ok

Longtime Lurker > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: 05/07/2019 at 18:21

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Fan clutches sit on the shelves at part warehouses horizontally. I don’t see how it would be bad for them.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Longtime Lurker 05/07/2019 at 18:39

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Don’t ask me why, but once they’ve been p ut into service, it matters. The minds at Bimmerforums have spoken through collective experience on the matter, but ymmv. Dowhatchalike.