Cooling Fans seem to work overtime...

[Jerich0]

Hello guys... I have a 2015 X5 50i M-sport

I bought this truck used with just 1200 miles... and I used to have a 2011 50i and don't recall the cooling fans being on stoplights and slow traffic this is very frecuently and it does not happen with other cars that I have including an M235i... The oil temps are around 99c and the coolant temps are around 105c so they seem ok... whats your results?

JC

[Jerich0]

Bump... How often do you notice you cooling fans kick in?

[sssmokie]

Where do u see the coolant temp? My f15 only has a cluster for the oil temp

[Jerich0]

Via the hidden menu on the instrument cluster

[sssmokie]

Originally Posted by Jerich0

Via the hidden menu on the instrument cluster

Ah, that's something new for me. Can you please elaborate a bit?

Thanks

[Jerich0]

Originally Posted by sssmokie

Ah, that's something new for me. Can you please elaborate a bit?

Thanks

Sure

1. Press and hold the odometer reset buttons on your gauges for about 10 seconds
2. A menu will appear on your gauges screen
3. Browse trough the menu by pressing once and hold to select an option
4. Select on the menu the option "unlock" I believe its named
5. It will ask for a code, its the sum of the last five digits of your vin
6. When entering the code you will enter the extended menu and then select "temperature", That will display your intake, oil and water temp.

If you have a 50i could you tell me how often do you hear you fan kick in? It is very subtle....

Thanks
JC

[Jerich0]

Guys with 50i engines...

Could you pay attention to you cooling fans and hear how often do you hear them on?

Thanks!
JC

[opasha]

I got your PM. I can't help you right now, but once I get my car back, I'll let you know. I'm sure it is normal. It's not like the car is a TESLA where you don't hear a sound, lol. It's a 50i engine, so noise for cooling fan is most likely going to be evident in order to keep everything at decent temperatures. Nonetheless, I know of the hidden menu, but never really bothered. I'll check it for you though.

[barcelona]

Mine (50i) came on after 20 minute drive, outside temp was -12c before slight wind chill.
Fan and coolant pump were both and did shut off at appx. 11 and 20 minutes respectively. I was surprised that they came on.

Technical Training Product Information N63TU Engine:

[MysticBlue]

it didn't take long after purchase before I noticed the fan running often... Sooner and at lower outside temps than any car I've owned before. It also doesn't seem to take much for it to run after shutting the engine off. Even slightly aggressive driving on my way home will result in the fan still running for a bit after I park in the garage. It hasn't bothered me. I just chalked it up to being a high output V8 packed into a small space. And turbochargers. My guess is this thing produces A LOT of heat, and a lot of design work went into cooling.

[buckeyewalt]

Originally Posted by Jerich0

Sure

1. Press and hold the odometer reset buttons on your gauges for about 10 seconds
2. A menu will appear on your gauges screen
3. Browse trough the menu by pressing once and hold to select an option
4. Select on the menu the option "unlock" I believe its named
5. It will ask for a code, its the sum of the last five digits of your vin
6. When entering the code you will enter the extended menu and then select "temperature", That will display your intake, oil and water temp.

If you have a 50i could you tell me how often do you hear you fan kick in? It is very subtle....

Thanks
JC

Thanks for the insight on the "hidden menu". Never knew it existed. I wonder what else is hidden that I don't know about??

[opasha]

Originally Posted by buckeyewalt

Thanks for the insight on the "hidden menu". Never knew it existed. I wonder what else is hidden that I don't know about??

Well, if you do the same procedure with your car in AC Power (one button push) only, it will give you access to the service options (those options in your iDrive that show you all GREEN OKs where your transmission fluid, oil, etc need to be changed or not). This allows you to reset them manually (it's what the service department at BMW does when changing your stuff at the set intervals).

[42pilot]

Originally Posted by MysticBlue

it didn't take long after purchase before I noticed the fan running often... Sooner and at lower outside temps than any car I've owned before. It also doesn't seem to take much for it to run after shutting the engine off. Even slightly aggressive driving on my way home will result in the fan still running for a bit after I park in the garage. It hasn't bothered me. I just chalked it up to being a high output V8 packed into a small space. And turbochargers. My guess is this thing produces A LOT of heat, and a lot of design work went into cooling.

More than you know.

Your turbo's are actually on top of the engine due to BMW's ingenious design of reversing the intake and exhaust ports on the V8's heads to reduce turbo lag. Each side of the V8 has it's own turbo. There is an issue of keeping this area cooled, but much more important is keeping the bearings of the turbo cooled. Otherwise you get what is called coking of the center section - oil stops circulating around the turbo's center common shaft (one end is the turbine -hot- and the other is the compressor -cold) when the engine is turned off and with the heat from the exhaust, the oil is cooked onto the shaft and bearings. The oil becomes sludge then becomes a solid, then the turbo is toast.

The other reason you will hear the 5.0's fans during operation is to keep cooler air flowing through the engine compartment and cold air intake for the motor. Hot air is deadly to your 5.0 because it is 10:1 compression and turbo charged. This means the ECU must retard timing and boost to keep from detonating. You can see up to 25-30% less power just because of hot air in the intake adjusted by the ECU. On the other hand, the opposite is true - if you want to feel the full power of your 5.0, go drive on a cold dry (humidity) day and you will feel an improvement in performance over a typical day.

[buckeyewalt]

Originally Posted by opasha

Well, if you do the same procedure with your car in AC Power (one button push) only, it will give you access to the service options (those options in your iDrive that show you all GREEN OKs where your transmission fluid, oil, etc need to be changed or not). This allows you to reset them manually (it's what the service department at BMW does when changing your stuff at the set intervals).

Thanks for the info on that. This type of information might be "sticky" worthy!!

[Jerich0]

Well Thanks a lot 42pilot!

This makes a lot of sense as to why the fans seem to run a lot in this X5s... My old E70 X5 ran the fans a lot less but maybe thats why so many of them had turbo failures...

Cheers!
JC

Originally Posted by 42pilot

More than you know.

Your turbo's are actually on top of the engine due to BMW's ingenious design of reversing the intake and exhaust ports on the V8's heads to reduce turbo lag. Each side of the V8 has it's own turbo. There is an issue of keeping this area cooled, but much more important is keeping the bearings of the turbo cooled. Otherwise you get what is called coking of the center section - oil stops circulating around the turbo's center common shaft (one end is the turbine -hot- and the other is the compressor -cold) when the engine is turned off and with the heat from the exhaust, the oil is cooked onto the shaft and bearings. The oil becomes sludge then becomes a solid, then the turbo is toast.

The other reason you will hear the 5.0's fans during operation is to keep cooler air flowing through the engine compartment and cold air intake for the motor. Hot air is deadly to your 5.0 because it is 10:1 compression and turbo charged. This means the ECU must retard timing and boost to keep from detonating. You can see up to 25-30% less power just because of hot air in the intake adjusted by the ECU. On the other hand, the opposite is true - if you want to feel the full power of your 5.0, go drive on a cold dry (humidity) day and you will feel an improvement in performance over a typical day.

[barcelona]

So, the above reported actual extended cooling times creates a big drain on battery. The replacement, 105 Ah battery (this is an upgrade from the originally fitted 90 Ah battery).

My N63 has a recall issue, Dealer would not change battery until annual oil change.
CBS Info: " Replace 12v battery according to SIB 61 30 14... combined with Engine Oil change"

For SI B61 3014:
At every engine oil service covered under the 4 year/50,000 miles BMW Maintenance Program. BMW's --design-- flaw-- necessitates-- me, to-- buy --a new-- battery --thereafter!

Vehicles with an N63 Engine

Vehicles with N63 engines require additional cooling capacity, and the activation of the various cooling system components places additional demands on the battery.

Several enhancements have been made to the power management system on such vehicles. However, in a quest to ensure total customer satisfaction, please replace the 12-volt battery on a preventive maintenance basis at every engine oil service (engine oil service counter # 1, # 2, # 3, etc.), unless the battery was replaced within the last 12 months.

Note: The Key Reader/ISPA Light application will not show a “combined” battery replacement with engine oil service counter # 1 and # 3. Disregard this and replace the battery while performing the engine oil service.

http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1126569

[Alan l.]

FYI for the N63TU the cooling system is even responsible for cooling down both of the DME's located in the engine bay. Twin turbo V8 mounted at the top of the V banks....there is going to be A LOT of heat.

Alan

[puckybadger]

I have never heard my fan run after shutdown. love the performance of the 50i. love it, love it, love it

[Lighting.Grey]

Is there a difference between the 50i and the real M? According to some X5M/X6M members, the fan always running after their drive. I'm curious because I have a F86 X6M and my fan doesn't run every time I shut down the engine, sometimes it will run and sometimes it doesn't.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Lighting.Grey

Is there a difference between the 50i and the real M? According to some X5M/X6M members, the fan always running after their drive. I'm curious because I have a F86 X6M and my fan doesn't run every time I shut down the engine, sometimes it will run and sometimes it doesn't.

The X50i has the N63TU engine. The X5M has the S63TU engine. So yes, there is a difference.

The ambient temperature can also have an affect on the engine's need to be cooled. I noticed that some of the older posts in this thread don't have any info as to where they were located (geographically).

N63TU engine:





S63TU engine:

[X5M50D]

I have the M50d and alot of the times the cooling fan stays on for up to 5 mins after driving the SUV mainly when it’s been driven hard
It does not bother me one bit and always thought it was normal being a big heavy SUV.