Over heating issue

Tue Jul 15, 2008 6:45 pm

Hi All

My 318i was over heating the other day on the red looks like it needed a drink so i topped it up. A week on and i noticed it was 3/4 on the gauge, not on the red though. Ive done arround 20 miles mostly short journeys today. Its a hot ish day today is me or should it not be lower than that. I didnt run it any longer to see if it would hit the red. What are the solutions for this, i have checked for leaks (none). HELP, thanks in advanced.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:00 pm

was the car stationary?
Could be a air block in your cooling system, i'm a 6pot guy so dont know if you 4potters have viscous fans, but if so it could be the thermo couple on the fan. to check the thermo couple, start engine, let it warm up, then try the newspaper trick (stick a rolled up newspaper in your fan) if the fan eats the newspaper, the couple is fine, if the fan stops, you need to replace the couple.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:34 pm

Yup, check the fan's viscous coupling as Georger suggests, watch those finger/hands when you do it tho!!

Are you getting hot air through the heater? If so, keep you're windows down and on full blower and hot until you can get the coupling replaced if you need to drive it at all...

Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:48 pm

Cheers, ill have to take it to a garage for a service and ill let em look at it. It was stationary when it went on the red last week for 15 to 20 minutes, funny thing today i had the fan on turned it off 1/2 hour before getting home and the car went from 1/2 to 3/4 on the temprature.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:55 pm

it was in the red of 15-20 mins and you didnt turn the engine off?

Warped head? (wouldnt have anything to do with the over heading but would need to be checked)

Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:59 pm

check your fan, wont take long. if its not that, check your radiator veins arent filled with leaves and crud (outside of the radiator not internals), if its not that would be good to clean your cooling system, remove your rad, and washing it out, and make sure there arent build ups of grime in the pipes.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:04 pm

The first time it went on the red i was in the garage went back and was on the red, didnt sit there watching it. today i took it back home when it went to 3/4 on the dial.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:06 pm

Also i never use it until the sun shows its face so its inactive for 7 to 8 months a year.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:06 pm

drive faster..... more airflow through the rad.... Sorry officer i had to be traveling at speed and with enthusiastic driving or my engine will over heat.

Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:25 pm

If it passes the fan test, and you're not using it 8 out of 12 months then I would flush out the whole system - hose in the top of the block and the radiator as George says, till it runs clear. New thermostat and then replace the coolant for a long life type from BMW. Sediment can build up over long standing periods if the coolant isn't the right mix and then when it gets run again that can then start to gunge all around the cooling system. Buy dedicated fluid mix from the Dealer as it is matched with inhibitors and strength for your engine type.