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Thread: Aux fan issues

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    Posts
    155

    Default Aux fan issues

    I keep blowing the fuse for the aux fan. It happens every several weeks here in the summer and the A/C won't blow cold while at the traffic lights. Motor runs cool all the while.

    I am told this is the result of a bad aux. fan ballast resistor. Does that make sense? If so, anyone have the proceedure to change that out?

    I'm no sparky, so these things are a little mysterious to me.

    TIA
    Robert Callaway
    Dallas, TX
    '94 530im 143k mi
    '94 Land Cruiser FZJ-80 202k mi.

    "If I could have back all the time and money I ever spent on cars.......I'd spend it all on cars."

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Benneton (United Colors of)
    Posts
    3,067

    Default

    i think mine is blown too, only my ac is kinda weak, and doesn't go down when stopped. im gettin the cordoba resistor and seeing if that fixes things.

    fix courtesy of don gale


    http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_20.htm



    Quote Originally Posted by Super90
    I keep blowing the fuse for the aux fan. It happens every several weeks here in the summer and the A/C won't blow cold while at the traffic lights. Motor runs cool all the while.

    I am told this is the result of a bad aux. fan ballast resistor. Does that make sense? If so, anyone have the proceedure to change that out?

    I'm no sparky, so these things are a little mysterious to me.

    TIA
    "..Torchinski v. Peterson that it is legal to carry a concealed weapon, so long the weapon is totally slick like a huge ass machine gun that you carry under a trench coat, like in the Matrix."


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    baton rouge, loserana
    Posts
    6,922

    Default

    " To access the ballast resistor, remove the "kidney grill" " i've done at least a dozen resistors and you don't need to remove any of the grills, on cars that still have the plastic on the very bottom of the core support intact you remove that piece of plastic, it's held with plastic + screws then you can reach it with ease
    all america wants is cold beer warm cat and a place to take a poop with a door on it

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Macomb, MI
    Posts
    80

    Default I am very interested if this fix works.

    Just checked my aux fan and it is not working either. May actually be able finally figure out this a/c issue. Got the same characteristics of Ryan's problem. Ryan, let us know if the resistor that you bought worked out and how difficult it was. Thanks.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    159

    Default

    Is the resistor a plug and unplug item, or does it require soldering?
    '94 540I A (149K miles on orig. Nik motor) & EAT enhanced

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Yorktown, VA
    Posts
    216

    Default

    I replaced mine recently without removing the grill or anything. Yes, it was a PITA, but I saved alot of time and my hand did return back to it's normal shape. On my car, there are two resistors available that the guy at Bimmerparts said are not interchangeble, do a visual to make sure you get the right one. I removed the resistor (small screws), cut the wires, reattached the new one using environmental splices, reinstalled and tied up the excess wire. I did it in well under an hour and it works like a champ.

    zmuff--1989 535i 5-speed--17" E39 Style 32's--JC chip--UUC Short Shift--
    --Racing Dynamics Springs & Sways--Bilsteins--Yorktown, VA

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    MASS
    Posts
    100

    Default The aux fan motor needs to start on slow speed

    I had the same problem and tried shorting the resistor so the fan started on high speed. Not good cuz the fan kept blowing fuses. Draws too much current when starting at high speed.

    The resistor is a .5 ohm 85 watt. If your a handy solderer, you can go to radio shack, buy 4ea. 2 ohm 25 watt resistors, solder them in parallel and get .5 ohms at 100 watts. However the package is much larger than the oem single resistor. I was too cheap to pay the $35 the stealer wanted.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    49

    Default

    In the beginning of the summer season I just checked everything arround A/C. There are two relays in the front fuse box (sometimes they fail), one for slow and one for fast aux vent speed, also checked the fuse which is 30A, checked the ballast resistor, cleaned the contacts (removed the front bumper in a minute and had a clear access to it), while I was there I washed clean the a/c radiator from bugs and dirt, topped up the system with refrigerant and that's about it.
    Started the engine and went for a trip, but forgot to set the temperature (left it deep in blue) after a few minutes I got frozen!
    Oh yes, changing the microfilter sometimes wont hurt.

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