Hi...I dont need one,......but was wondering if anyone has tried one of the aftermarket fan/shroud assemblies?
I see them listed various places, usually in the $85 to $90 range.....................I know, you get what you pay for, but these are a big savings over OEM.....and the OEM's dont seem to last forever .....so maybe worth a try..........the # they give crosses over to the BMW # as the complete unit, so it should contain the part [that fails].

Steve

 

Yup, we ordered one for our 2002 Cooper from importec.com. Rec'd pretty quickly in good shape, but I believe the relay in the fan housing failed after 24 hours. Tests so far add up to that (voltage applied to the control wire does not cause relay to close/open). I'll find out tonight when I pull the whole thing apart again. Good thing I have a few spare relays.

237.00 + 24.00 for 2 day shipping. A good deal? maybe. Certainly cheaper than Mini of Scottsdale who want 362.00 for a fan assembly and you have to drive there to get it, or let them install it for about a grand in total.

 

I bought one off of RockAuto.com (https://www.rockauto.com/dbphp/prt,69,MC3115102) but unless you're electrically savvy... I wouldn't advise buying the same one.

The assembly comes wired with one plug (vice two) and is missing the 'black box' on the top of the radiator shroud. As such, it is missing the relay for low-speed operation. In fact, the motor is wired directly to the 'hot' wire on the large plug and will run constantly. (whether the car is running or not.)

If, however, you want to make it work... you can cut the relay and wiring out of your old fan assembly and splice into the new one. Since the rockauto fan includes the proper resistor and thermal switch, you don't have to mess with those.

For me, the end result in buying the rockauto fan was my being able to get a new and working fan for $85 rather than the $3XX Mini wanted.

 

Did this fan look like an OEM fan? Did the large connector plug right into the car's original harness without modification?

 

Yeah, it's identical to the OEM fan except for the missing 'black box' (The OEM housing screwed in without a hitch; it was missing the box with the relay, but it still had the screw holes) and lack of the 'little' fan connector. The large connector plugged in to the original harness without a problem.

It looks like they wired it up so the hot wire in the harness AND the switched power from the engine fuse box fan relay BOTH go straight to the resistor assembly mounted on the fan housing. Someone didn't really think that one through. (What's most amazing is that they omitted an $11.77 relay and a $2.00 relay base. Not exactly high-dollar parts)

I'll post a wiring diagram when I get to a scanner.

 

You have an earlier model, correct? Sounds like this fan is for the 04 and up cars....they only have one connector with 3 wires and no relay as well.

 

Yeah, I have an '02.

So I guess the later model folks can slide the rockauto one right in without modification.

 

if you put your meter in parallel to the coil and read voltage applied ; then the coil should "pick" if it does not, then it's bad coil
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