e30 avreage temp

[novakiller]

mine runs between cold and halfway is that rite or should it be nearer the middle?

[Chaos]

ive had 5 x m20's now and most have sat around halfway - tho one liked to sit a bit higher.

[RevBillyG]

Lo nova

My temp gauge used to bounce around all over the place so I fiddled with the nut behind it. Now it sits exactly 1/2 way.

[novakiller]

it mite just b a cool engine but it goes halfway in traffic but on the road doing 30 or 40 or 110 it still sits at a quarter!

[LOOPYLEE1965]

mine sits at 1/4 all the time but has had a new rad recently if that makes a difference

[orangecurry]

thermostat probably isn't moving over the full range; engine will run slightly inefficiently if cool; if you are mechanically minded get a new 'stat and change it for fun

I hope you've been changing your coolant every 2 years as recomended by lovely BMW

[novakiller]

yep all by the book lol, i have no money, and my car is filthy f*ckin rich!

[Richy325iTouring]

minesits just under halfway while running or smack on half while on idle

[Widge]

Mine sits on a 1/4, unless I do 120mph for an extended period, autobahns don't you know , in which case it will go to half way. Does that in traffic jams too. apparently there is only a few degrees between cold and hot so any where between the two is totally acceptable.

[oneblueleg]

My viscous fan is no good apparently, that's why mine sits at 1/3 all the time... and sounds like an old volvo when it's warm...

[wayneE30]

my 316 m10 is usually at 3/4 but has been going in to the red lately im assuming this is bad???

[oneblueleg]

my 316 m10 is usually at 3/4 but has been going in to the red lately im assuming this is bad???

You got it brother...

[wayneE30]

so what do i do????

[oneblueleg]

so what do i do????

There's loads of people better qualified than me to tell you, but first, is it erratic in any way... if so, check the nut on the back that RevBillyG mentioned (mine did that too).
Check the coolant level, if it's low check for leaks etc. top it up.
If that's OK, I'd check/replace the sensor and/or thermostat...

[e30-320i]

it mite just b a cool engine but it goes halfway in traffic but on the road doing 30 or 40 or 110 it still sits at a quarter!

mine sits exactly the same mate and my engine is running sweet

[chris325icab]

FAO- Oneblueleg or RevBillyG

Can you tell me more about how you get to this nut behind the temperature gauge, my temp needle over the weekend started jumping around a bit and I couldn't get my head round what it might be, then I found this thread. And did you just tighten it up, was does this nut do if anything?

Atleast I can check this off the list before I start looking further.

Cheers ladz

Chris.

[TOURINGDADDY]

u have to take the lower dash out then remove the black plastic facia behind/above steerin cowlin then u can remove the plastic sourrindin the clocks and finally remove the clocks and then the nut becoms easy to view and tighten really easy to do mate ( ave fun)

[chris325icab]

Cheers for the swift reply touringdaddy, I'll check that out and let you know.

When you say lower dash, do you mean the black cover below dash that covers steering column down to the pedals?

Chris.

[TOURINGDADDY]

yep that b the 1

[oneblueleg]

FAO- Oneblueleg or RevBillyG

Can you tell me more about how you get to this nut behind the temperature gauge, my temp needle over the weekend started jumping around a bit and I couldn't get my head round what it might be, then I found this thread. And did you just tighten it up, was does this nut do if anything?

Atleast I can check this off the list before I start looking further.

Cheers ladz

Chris.

Yeah, what daddy says...

couple of screws to take that cowling off, couple of big aluminium thumb screws behind the dash either side of the steering wheel, then the screws around the clocks binnacle and angle the whole assy outԚ… I put a spring washer behind the nut so it shouldnÔš't loosen againԚ… itÔš's an earth nut apparently, which is a bit odd because it tightens up onto plastic! But tightening it certainly workedԚ…

btwԚ… like the carԚ… could be mine if it wasnÔš't for the black interior and the mud flapsԚ…

[chris325icab]

Thanx oneblueleg, one more little job to check out! That can go on the list with the service it's crying out for. As for the car it's a little different now, interior's been redone in black leather / white piping since that photo, rear headrest's added, and mud-flaps removed... Which wasn't a great move as the lower half of the motor where the mud-flaps were now needs some tlc... Those damned mud-flaps!

Chris