Electric fan switch replacement
- Thread starter Sajk
- Start date
The thermostatic sensor is located at the top of the radiator on the passenger side of the car (US CAR). All you need is to relieve the pressure in the system and then the sensor can be accessed safely. If fluid comes out it should not be much, but prepare anyway.
Thanks Rudyrov. Just done the job. Replaced the sensor with the lower temp one from a 1.9. Also discovered that If you over tighten it the it leaks quite a bit. Backing off half a turn stopped it leaking but does anyone know the o ring size as I better replace it. I looked on realoem but it's not listed. I would guess any silicon o ring would do or is there some bmw voodoo in these ones.
It's been a while but if I remember correctly the switch uses Teflon tape or a thread sealer compound, I don't recall an o-ring.
AirOps
Dedicated Member
When I recently replaced the radiator in mine the new radiator came with a rubber washer and a brass plug in the thermostat location, I had to remove both before installing the fan switch which uses a crush washer not an o-ring. The fan switch connector on the 2.8 is different from the connector for the 1.9's, the 1.9 switch can be modified to fit the 2.8 connector. The other thing to observe is that there are 2 different types of pins (flat or round) for the switches and connector, my original pins were round (97 2.8). I used a Colorstat 1.9 fan switch and BMW part # 61 13 8 365 348 (universal socket housing uncoded 3 pol) to replace the original factory connector. I did this in conjunction with a mechanical fan delete and added a 16" Spal electric fan controlled by the 80 deg terminal on the 1.9 fan switch, the 88 deg terminal is wired the same as the factory to control high speed on the Aux fan.