Mishimoto eletric fan for track use.

[youngblood750]

I am considering installing Mishimoto Electric fan. Car is for track use. The temperature is pretty high in summer for the place I live.

Main Question is "Is electric fan is suitable for track use? " Mishimoto seems to be easy and quick to install.

If you have the experience with electric fan for e46 m3, any input will be appreciate.

thanks!

[Altaran]

The fan is to create airflow through the radiator when standing still or in slow traffic.

You don't need one in the track as you are always at speed.

So yes, Mishimoto works on track. Had mine for years without issue.

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[Estoril]

The above assumes no session black flag time spent in hot pits and no Red flags. OE is bulletproof, Mishimoto has proven otherwise. I can't think of a reason to move away from OE.

(Just spent last weekend on track at 97 F).

[youngblood750]

The above assumes no session black flag time spent in hot pits and no Red flags. OE is bulletproof, Mishimoto has proven otherwise. I can't think of a reason to move away from OE.

(Just spent last weekend on track at 97 F).

I belive there are 2 reasons for replacing the fan. OE fan is clutch fan. if clutch fan fails, shrapnel will be all over the engine bay. So clutch fan wouldn't go alone when it fails. Also clutch fan use the power from crankshaft. So, installing an electric fan will add few more hosrepower to the wheels I believe. that's the clear benefit.

[youngblood750]

The fan is to create airflow through the radiator when standing still or in slow traffic.

You don't need one in the track as you are always at speed.

So yes, Mishimoto works on track. Had mine for years without issue.

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thanks for sharing your experience.

[Estoril]

I belive there are 2 reasons for replacing the fan. OE fan is clutch fan. if clutch fan fails, shrapnel will be all over the engine bay. So clutch fan wouldn't go alone when it fails. Also clutch fan use the power from crankshaft. So, installing an electric fan will add few more hosrepower to the wheels I believe. that's the clear benefit.

I have done ~12 track weekends/year for a lot of years up-and-down the East coast and have never even heard (let alone seen) a clutch fan failure on track. So no "shrapnel all over the engine bay" basis in reality in that large sample. There are plenty of things that can fail on the M3. Singling out the clutch fan is a big reach. The very small mass of the fan doesn't/cannot take several horsepower to spin. If someone on track is going to miss even 1 HP (which is an over-statement) - then their driving skill needs a lot of further development. These days we're commonly on track with cars with 100 HP and more than the E46.

I'll literally lay money that anyone who complains that their clutch fan is causing them to be even slightly slower is being regularly passed by cars with 50 HP less - or greater difference.

[tlow98]

I belive there are 2 reasons for replacing the fan. OE fan is clutch fan. if clutch fan fails, shrapnel will be all over the engine bay. So clutch fan wouldn't go alone when it fails. Also clutch fan use the power from crankshaft. So, installing an electric fan will add few more hosrepower to the wheels I believe. that's the clear benefit.

A new OE fan is pretty cheap and will provide another 20 years of anti-explosiveness.

when going for the last hundredths of a second I can understand replacing the stock unit. Otherwise, risking an overheat due to an oversight seems like a lot of risk for little reward.

but yeah, lots of people have been running without them and claim to be fine. That sample size seems small compared to every m3 that’s running as stock, but hey some people are willing to go for it. I’m just not one of those people I guess? To each their own!

[Arith2]

Keeping the fan shroud seems like a better idea than ditching directed airflow to the engine for a fan that isn't being used. It replaces a fan that works wonderfully. Stay OEM, there are no gains to be made. The shroud is extremely important which people seem to forget.

[Nate047]

Anything Mishimoto should be avoided like the plague. Their quality is shit and has been documented on many chassis over the years. Bimmerworld has a couple of SPAL kits if you really need an electric fan.

[Tbonem3]

Anything Mishimoto should be avoided like the plague. Their quality is shit and has been documented on many chassis over the years. Bimmerworld has a couple of SPAL kits if you really need an electric fan.

Marimoto, mashimoto, mishimoto, mashed potato and quasimoto don't belong int he same sentence/paragraph as "track"

[bigjae46]

Anything Mishimoto should be avoided like the plague. Their quality is shit and has been documented on many chassis over the years. Bimmerworld has a couple of SPAL kits if you really need an electric fan.

A lot of their products are tarted up ebay stuff.

I would use a SPAL fan and then trigger the fan from a temp switch in the upper radiator hose and a manual switch so you can cool down the car in the paddock.

SPAL sells a slimline version and a HO version. The HO version is insane...its like a hurricane. The motor assembly is really close to the water pump. I cut off the threaded portion where the fan clutch screwed on to so I could get the fan out. Also did that to save weight.

[youngblood750]

Thanks for all comments. Now I think I would keep the OE fan.

[youngblood750]

I have done ~12 track weekends/year for a lot of years up-and-down the East coast and have never even heard (let alone seen) a clutch fan failure on track. So no "shrapnel all over the engine bay" basis in reality in that large sample. There are plenty of things that can fail on the M3. Singling out the clutch fan is a big reach. The very small mass of the fan doesn't/cannot take several horsepower to spin. If someone on track is going to miss even 1 HP (which is an over-statement) - then their driving skill needs a lot of further development. These days we're commonly on track with cars with 100 HP and more than the E46.

I'll literally lay money that anyone who complains that their clutch fan is causing them to be even slightly slower is being regularly passed by cars with 50 HP less - or greater difference.

True. I need to develope driving skill rather than complaining about horsepower.