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I'm running the above thread for work I've done which initially looked like head gasket. After replacing thermostat and coolant and bleeding I can't get the radiator low speed fan to turn on. Here's my latest status:
Got the old coolant drained. One thing I did try was shopvac on the lower rad hose. Wasn't sure it made that much of a difference. Dumped 2 gallons of distilled water through the therm housing to try and flush out all the old coolant. Seemed to work.
Filled with new coolant. Did bleeding thing several times. I managed to get about 5 quarts of new coolant installed. No leaks, no bubbling in the overflow tank. This all VERY good. BUT..... I've noticed the rad fan doesn't kick on. Let car warm up for 25 minutes. Interior heat was cranked and good and hot. Temp gauge stayed right at mid-level like it always does. Pretty sure thermostat opened because top rad hose was pretty hot. Yet fan did not kick on. Finally turned on air cond and every time the compressor engaged, the high fan kicked on.
I've read several threads about the low speed resistor going out.

Does anyone know how to test the low speed fan without removing it? I checked fuse panel next to battery. Can't tell if large resistors for fan low and high are good or not. Is there a way to run a wire to some connector and test fan. I don't mind replacing fan but want to ensure it's the fan first.

Also, why does the temp gauge on dash stay at mid level. I would think eventually it would rise showing signs of overheating.

Apologize for long post. Appreciate anyone's thoughts.

 

I found a YouTube video which showed how to test resistance on connector for fan for low and high speeds. I used my ohmmeter and found that the low speed was shock. Just to be sure I ran a jumper from the battery positive and negative terminals to the connector. High speed kicked of just fine. Low speed nothing.
Just ordered new fan. Wanted OEM. Normally buy everything from Pelican but it was $402.25. Found it at Mini of Kennesaw for $279.84 plus tax. Just ordered it. For reference my prod date is 11/2003 and the fan part # from Real OEM is 17117541092.
I reviewed a YouTube and see that I'll need to remove the front rubber, bumper, slide to side air cond, remove top radiator hose, lean radiator forward, slide old fan off and new fan in. If someone has a better way I'm all ears.

 

Switched mine out recently. It's just the resistor that goes bad. And we all know the OEM will fail again...

Anyway, I did remove the bumper cover and bumper. Slide radiator forward into "service mode". Didn't touch the AC condenser (it slides forward with the radiator in service mode). Did unclamp one end of the pper radiator hose but didn't take it all the way out. Some have reported doing this job with that hose attached - seemed like removing it would make the job easier so I did...

 

Thanks David.R53. I'm warming up to the project. Told the wife and daughter not to come in garage when I'm doing it. Might freak them out to see front of car removed. Fan ships in 5-7 days.

 

David.R53. I was able to get the fan switched out without removing the MFE. Couple notes for future: I removed the 4 plastic screws/anchors in the wheel well attaching the well to the MFE. Don't need to do that. Saves you from having to remove wheels as well. Also, I removed the top radiator hose too, all the way. Did not drain coolant. Removed bolt holding tran fluid cooler and moved that to side without disconnecting lines. Same for air condenser. Leaned radiator forward, slide old fan off, new fan on.
This was my first time removing bumper cover and support. Looked more difficult than it actually was. I'll post pix soon.
And... Of course when I got a good look at radiator I saw a leak on bottom. Bumper cover had a nice pool of the pretty blue BMW coolant I had recently installed! So my next project is to swap the radiator. Guess I'll be draining coolant after all.
Ordered aftermarket radiator from Getallparts.com, about $75.

 

I leaned the bumper cover forward, rested it on a stool, and did not remove the 2 screws on bottom.





Bentley manual says remove just the pins holding radiator. But I found it easier to also remove the plastic anchors.





Here's my old fan removed, laying on top of engine.

 

New radiator arrived yesterday. Swapped out this morning. Pretty easy now that I already knew how to get to it. Took my time filling and bleeding coolant. This time I totally removed the bleeder screw on heater hose, the one below and next to battery box. Also removed bleeder on top radiator hose. Went much faster if I poured coolant in therm housing while holding finger over top hose bleeder. Then when coolant went down I released finger to let air out. Did this until heater hose bleeder started showing signs of coolant. That was after a little over a gallon. Closed everything down, test drive until hot. All good.