How to make your own BMW special cooling system & drive belt counterhold tools

Ahh..Awesome!!

Originally Posted by MatWiz

I guess you put it in so small because it is not that important.

Oh no! It was actually very important. I just wanted it to be clear it was a verbatim quote of a paragraph or two. I just "fixed" it by bringing the font back up to a size 2, italicizing it, and blue'ifying the text so that it stands out as an important quote.

Thank you very much for pointing that out!
(As for the PM thing, I guess it has a purpose in a public forum.)

Note: Here's a smaller pic of the tool dimensions previously posted:

FIRST....make it out of cardboard using scissors, see that the cardboard version fits your vehicle, then just trace/transfer the measurements to steel...EASY! (Thanks to Mr. Gilkey, 7th grade metal shop teacher!)

Originally Posted by JephyM3

FIRST....make it out of cardboard using scissors, see that the cardboard version fits your vehicle, then just trace/transfer the measurements to steel...EASY! (Thanks to Mr. Gilkey, 7th grade metal shop teacher!)

This is a good idea. I think, for example, Fudman's tool didn't have the curved cutout deep enough.

The dimensions on Michel's otherwise wonderful diagram don't seem to show 'exactly' how the curve should go (e.g., the distance from the curve to the holes is not shown).

So, it seems to be some stiff cardboard would be perfect as a doublecheck.

Originally Posted by Eric Chang

I use a free software to do the CAD and which name is sketchUP.
It's simple for a novice just like me.
You can download the software from google.
http://www.google.com/sketchup/download/
..

You guys are full of awesome information! Thanks for that link!

Originally Posted by bluebee

...I just wanted it to be clear it was a verbatim quote of a paragraph or two. ...

I am not sure because you've been here for such a long time, but do you know about the Quote feature? You click on this thingy, and it gives you a quote frame.

Like this

mw

Originally Posted by MatWiz

You click on this thingy, and it gives you a quote frame.

I don't know about you, but I don't generally click on any thingeys. I just type [ QUOTE ] when I need a quote. And [ U R L ] when I need a URL, and [ BOLD ] when I need bold, etc.

Anyway, good ole' Ågent99 posted his (rather unique) fan-clutch replacement tool ensemble here and referenced it today, so I figured I'd add it to this thread to keep that 'all in one place' feeling for newbies.

It looks like there is no dearth of ideas for both the source of the 32mm wrench and the counterhold tool.

Here, Ågent15 recommends a Park brand bicycle headset wrench from REI for the fan counterhold tool. The other end of that $15 headset wrench can double as a 36mm wrench for the oil filter cap in a pinch.

1.25" = 31.75 mm

32 mm = 1.2598"

Close enough me thinks....

Thanks to the technical drawings here, I was able to use 1/4" thick plate and plasma cut these on my CNC table... They worked great. Took about 10 minutes and I used some scrap plate I had laying around. I got video of it on the camera. Will get that up eventually if anyone is interested.

Thanks for the info. Just finished my cooling system overhaul and I had to make this tool to do it. Mine wasn't perfect, but it worked.

Originally Posted by hawk22

I had to make this tool to do it. Mine wasn't perfect, but it worked.

We're very glad it worked for you. We'd love to see a picture of your results, as it gives us courage to do it ourselves.

It won't be anywhere near as pretty as what my store-bought tool looks like, but the satisfaction of doing it yourself is worth the effort!

BTW, here are some pictures of the tools in operation.

This first pic is my store-bought tools in place on my M54 engine (2002 BMW 525i). Notice the tool only fits over one set of the four bolts because they are in a rectangle, not a square.



For others to get an idea, here's how the two tools work in conjunction with each other on the BMW E39 engines.


Here's another shot of the two tools working together on an E39.


And, yet another (different style tool but the same effect) shot on an E39.


And this shows how thin the tools must be to both fit in place.

Originally Posted by Scotts Elle

I got video of it on the camera.

I just saw your post for the first time, as I had not seen it before.

What a WONDERFUL job you did there on these tools! I like the hand cutouts for your fingers too!

We're glad the drawings helped you out!

I'd love to see the video as I can't imagine how CNC machining works.

BTW, can your CNC file format be posted here for others to use?

Originally Posted by Ågent99

32 mm = 1.2598", Close enough me thinks.

Luckily, for the poor-man's method, the 1 1/4" open-end wrench isn't all that hard to come by in the USA.


And, here's the poor-man's method in operation on a BMW E39.

As yet another cross reference, here is a thread which I had not known about previously where the measurement of the BMW fan clutch nut counterhold tool are listed for the purpose of making them yourself.

- DIY BMW tool thread

In that thread, they cover the making of a bunch of tools:
- Rtab removal tool
- Upper timing chain locking tool
- Flywheel locking tool
- Cylinder head bolt removal tool
- Cam locking nut tool
- Fan clutch removal tool <===== the topic of this post

As a cross reference, here's yet another option for sourcing the fan clutch nut removal tools ... these are from Lowes.

In case anyone wants the measurements to these tools that I have, just let me know.

All I'd ask in return is the CNC or CAD file so that others would benefit.

No Problem... Heres what I made for the CNC table. This will work for water jet and laser tables as well. Just give the file to your local fab shop.

32mm Water Pump Wrench DXF file
Water Pump Pulley Holder DXF file

I have the g-code but that is usually written for the machine its going to be cut on.

The video...

Originally Posted by bluebee

In case anyone wants the measurements to these tools that I have, just let me know.

All I'd ask in return is the CNC or CAD file so that others would benefit.

Bluebee,
Where were the tools purchased and how much? My Christmas Present to me.

As a cross reference, here is a COMPLETE cooling system & drive belt overhaul toolkit apparently!
- Fan Clutch Removal Set for BMW & Mercedes

For the record, 540indiana
successfully removed the viscous fan nut using this $22 tool and a 32mm wrench (details here).

I was wondering ... do we really need the SLOT in the fan counterhold tool?

Look at this picture of my M54 with the fan counterhold tool in place.

WHY would we need the slot (which is harder to manufacture at home)?

Do you think it would work (almost?) as well without the slot?

For the record, here's yet another way to use a common tool as a viscous fan pulley nut counterhold tool!
- Single Vanos Seals! Done (post #57)

For the crosslink record, folks over on the E34 side of the house are making some really uuuuugly 32mm fan clutch nut counterhold tools!
- Fan removal

BTW, did anyone ever make that CNC program for others to download?

For the record, the video of fan clutch removal is pretty nice here:
- Fan Clutch Tool Question, need one, in central PA

For the record, folks on the E34 side of the house are asking for people to ship the fan clutch removal tools to them (and they'll ship 'em back).
- Anybody wanna lend me tools?

Seems to me we've got plenty of solutions in this E39 thread which would cost less than two-way shipping of the tools!

BTW, here's the famous smolck video of the hammer & wrench method: