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Thread: My installation tips for FSR/FSU final stage unit blower

  1. #1
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    DIY: Additional installation details/tips for FSR/FSU final stage unit blower

    http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=143393

    Wow, this DIY was a pain!.
    No way this will take anyone 15 mins the first time they try this.
    It took me over an hour b/c I was trying to be careful.
    I do not see a DIY on this forum, so I will just add it here.

    Here is some advice to overcome 3 roadblocks not in the DIY:

    1) When you're trying to unclip the plug, get it so the clips are unseated and can stay that way b/c you've pulled it apart/loosened it slightly.
    Instead of still pulling, from there, just use a flathead screwdriver to pry it apart. This was the only way I got the plug off. WHEW! Otherwise, it's almost impossible to grab/remove the plug with your hands.

    2) After unplugging, it was a nightmare trying to pull the FSU out. There is no room for 2 hands, yet you need 3 if you want light!
    I was trying to pull it out by grabbing the damn socket thing. I tried to grab that little hole with needlenose pliers. Anything. I must have done this for 20 mins.
    THEN I finally reached around to the BACK, and PUSHED it out towards me. Holy ****, that made it 100x easier.

    3) Now, I started getting worried about actually getting the thing back in. When trying to install the new FSU, you need to push the harness/wires UP AND OUT of the way. Don't be ginger, you really need to push these wires far away, otherwise they get tangled. Yet, there is NO extra room anywhere for your hand. (And by now, your neck and arms are starting to tire) So, use a long screwdriver to hold the wires UP over the cavity in order to get the FSU past them.

    Lastly, I was never able to fully seat my new FSU. It just would not go all the way in. There is no way to get it past that release latch again (for the click) I spent 15 mins trying to push it in, and then said F it. There is no way it can fall out with the jack plugged in. Did this happen to anyone else? In the pic, you can see the 2 holes are lined up with the "prong", but it just can not go any further.
    Last edited by OnTheFence; 01-08-2012 at 07:38 PM.

  2. #2
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    That's a decent DIY from the fest. Here's the one I have archived in the E39 DIY Quicklinks thread.
    Final Stage Unit (FSU) Replacement

    Fyi, I did do this procedure in about 15 minutes. The hardest part was lying on my back to be at the correct angle to get in there.

  3. #3
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    PS: My FSU wasn't even defective, but for $50 I figured I'd just change it. But the original FSU in my 2001 530i seemed to have the updated heat sink design. (Same number of skinny prongs) It did not have the fewer and thicker prongs. So, this DIY was probably totally unnecessary.

  4. #4
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    My thanks to the board and OPs above for the tips and links. My FSU R&R took about 15 minutes. Sliding the panel under the glove box out gave me the extra room I needed.
    Also switched out my cabin filters- they looked great on top but were pretty nasty on the underside.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by OnTheFence
    PS: My FSU wasn't even defective, but for $50 I figured I'd just change it. But the original FSU in my 2001 530i seemed to have the updated heat sink design. (Same number of skinny prongs) It did not have the fewer and thicker prongs. So, this DIY was probably totally unnecessary.
    I changed my fsu about a month back. I too had the newer version, but it was def defective. Swapped it out in 15 min, all was working perfect again. I lost all fan power from the faulty one

  6. #6
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    The removal part of my swap was pretty easy because the old one (with the huge prongs) had these little protrusions perfect for grabbing with pliers.

    The new one does not have these. I thought about epoxying one on for next time... but passed.

  7. #7
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    Mine would cause the fan to keep cycling on and off after I turned the car off. Eventually the battery would die. It would also shoosh, shoosh, shoosh when the car was first started.

    At least for the time being, the new FSU seems to have solved both issues.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by JaimeZX View Post
    The removal part of my swap was pretty easy because the old one (with the huge prongs) had these little protrusions perfect for grabbing with pliers.

    The new one does not have these. I thought about epoxying one on for next time... but passed.
    That's an important piece of info., Jaime. Maybe it's the reason it took OTF longer.

  9. #9
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    AquilaBMW is offline Mad Bimmerist BMW CCA Member
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    I came across this thread in my FSU search. The system in my car just does not blow at all. No sound, no airflow, nothing. Could this be the FSU as well or something else?

    Also, someone mentioned the cabin filters - the ones in the engine bay or does the E39 use secondary ones buried under the cluster somewhere as well.

    I am relatively new to the E39 so still learning. Car is a 1998 540i. Thanks!



  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by AquilaBMW
    I came across this thread in my FSU search. The system in my car just does not blow at all. No sound, no airflow, nothing. Could this be the FSU as well or something else?

    Also, someone mentioned the cabin filters - the ones in the engine bay or does the E39 use secondary ones buried under the cluster somewhere as well.

    I am relatively new to the E39 so still learning. Car is a 1998 540i. Thanks!
    Thanks for reviving this thread man. BTW the cabin filters are inside the two black boxes on either side of the back of the engine bay. Very easy to check but the other procedure to remove the boxes and air "horns" is a bit more complex. No secondary filter afaik...

    When I turn on my windshield defroster, the heat is SO intense, it will chase you out of the car. Is it my FSU failing (no codes)?
    Last edited by ViolinARC; 05-06-2012 at 04:18 PM.

    '00 540iA Sport w/235k+ Original TCG's, Vanos and transmission.​*Trans failure at 244k+...FS Now

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by AquilaBMW View Post
    I came across this thread in my FSU search. The system in my car just does not blow at all. No sound, no airflow, nothing. Could this be the FSU as well or something else?

    Also, someone mentioned the cabin filters - the ones in the engine bay or does the E39 use secondary ones buried under the cluster somewhere as well.

    I am relatively new to the E39 so still learning. Car is a 1998 540i. Thanks!
    -
    Last edited by ninetyseven1; 02-22-2013 at 10:29 PM.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by 12CoolDude View Post
    Thanks for reviving this thread man. BTW the cabin filters are inside the two black boxes on either side of the back of the engine bay. Very easy to check but the other procedure to remove the boxes and air "horns" is a bit more complex. No secondary filter afaik...

    When I turn on my windshield defroster, the heat is SO intense, it will chase you out of the car. Is it my FSU failing (no codes)?
    My guess is it has something to do with the little scrolling wheel in the dead center of the car. Make sure it isn't on triple red dots. If it isn't on that and is still pushing out super hot air then maybe its something along the lines of that.

    There is a thread somewhere either in the fest or forum that fully explains it. Can't remember where it is though....
    e39 2001 540i 142,xxx miles - CAI, Redline MTL, Bilstein Sport w/H&R Sport, m60 manifold, 10w AA, Hankook ventus v12, and maintenance

  13. #13
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    Many thanks to all in this thread, and others like it!

    My AC fan was intermittent, and I was all set to tear into the dash and replace the blower motor when I came upon these threads. Figured the FSU/FSR is a much less expensive and far less invasive/time-consuming DIY, I ordered a replacement from Deutsche Auto Parts. 15 minute DIY later, the AC is working perfectly. Saved me an entire Saturday, plus possibly a Sunday morning, a lot of cursing, and plenty of Lowenbrau.

    I didn't find it too difficult to swap the unit out. I found it helped to move the passenger seat all the way back, recline the seat as far back as it goes, and lay on it, with your head and shoulders in the wheel well. I just used an inexpensive LED light clipped onto the glove box for light, and was in and out in fifteen minutes.

  14. #14
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    This certainly can be done in 15 minutes or less by someone with experience. It must be a big money maker for the dealer service department.

    My suggestion is to unclip the FSU and remove it before attempting to remove the electrical connector. The single FSU retaining clip is easy to release by feel and the attached wires give a good gripping point. Once the assembly is removed, it's pretty easy to see how the electrical connector clip works when viewed from the side.

    My connector already had a retaining clip broken off. (This seems to common on my car. The first owner only had "professional" service, which seems to mean "if it slows down installation/replacement, break it off".)

    My broken one is a Sitronic part marked "294200002 12 10", "MADE IN GERMANY" and with Valeo and BMW part numbers. The 12/10 date suggests that it failed in less than three years, which is unreasonably short. I'll check my stack of receipts from the previous owner, but it's likely just beyond BMW's two year warranty.

    The module contacts show signs of overheating, with a dull reddish-brown finish and melted/oozing substance at the base of the middle contact. Any modern design, especially a re-design of a failure-prone part, should be robust against overheating.

    I'll probably buy a $20 off-brand part from FleaBay special to replace this one. I'm often an advocate of OEM parts, but not when an expensive replacement fails so quickly.

    Update: If you break the connector clips during replacement, the connector housing seems to be readily available from BMW. The new part number is 61-13-8-377-762, so perhaps it's improved over the original. At only $1.63 list price you might even order it proactively, expecting that it has baked to brittleness. Or just leave yours broken for that 'pro' look.

    I see Chinese replacements selling on Alibaba for $12 ea when you 100 or more. They'll probably print any logo you like on the sticker. If you really want a brand-name part, only buy from a trusted supplier.
    Last edited by djb2; 08-19-2013 at 05:46 PM. Reason: Added connector part number.

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