Help over heating

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Nickerz
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Post Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:06 pm

Car e30 m20 325i sport temperature gauge in the red. I suspected blown head gasket. checked oil and water no mixing or loss of either? cold radiator any help please
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Nickerz
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Post Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:16 pm

:x :x :cry:
n1tr0_9
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Post Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:35 pm

Thermostat may not be opening if rad stays cold. Take it out and stick it in boiling water see if it opens
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Nickerz
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Post Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:46 pm

i actualy hate my car
n1tr0_9
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Post Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:47 pm

I'll have it then, im currently without an e30!
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Nickerz
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Post Wed Jan 27, 2010 6:15 pm

Would thermostat explain why radiator is cold? Can i take the gutts out of thermostat as a temporary measure?
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Nickerz
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Post Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:23 pm

Bump
n1tr0_9
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Post Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:53 pm

If thermostat fails in the closed position, water will only be circulating within the block, so it will get hotter and hotter. If you take it out you can put it in hot water to see if it opens. If it opens, then maybe you water pump has failed and isnt pushing water round the cooling system. Or it could also be your radiator is blocked with crud. If you run your car without a thermostat at all, the flow rate of water round your engine may be too high for the water to absorb the heat energy from the block. If you want to check for head gasket leak, get compression test or sniff test done at your local garage.
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Nickerz
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Post Wed Jan 27, 2010 8:03 pm

Thanks for help just got to find motivation to even look at the car :cry:
n1tr0_9
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Post Wed Jan 27, 2010 8:17 pm

Yeah its a c**t when its cold out!
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Nickerz
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Post Thu Jan 28, 2010 4:56 pm

Got a new thermostat going to fit I'm a minute if all else falls will be doing a compression test tomorrow what compression should I expect eg what is the tolerances? Help much appreciated!!
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Post Thu Jan 28, 2010 5:19 pm

Use a drill bit with your fingers remove the crap around the bleed hole inside the alloy casing, that way you can bleed the system when finished also raise the front of vehical before you start.
e301988325i
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Post Thu Jan 28, 2010 5:46 pm

Nickerz wrote:Would thermostat explain why radiator is cold? Can i take the gutts out of thermostat as a temporary measure?
If you run without a thermostat in an M20 there will not be enough flow to the rear of the head!!
I said:

Can anyone suggest how to test if the boot lights are staying on with the boot shut?

e30topless said:

lock the wife in there
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Nickerz
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Post Thu Jan 28, 2010 6:08 pm

Took thermostat out and managed to snap pipe that goes into the housing at the bottom the one the feeds the throttle body my pipes to the throttle body have previouly been bypassed any advice or do I need To buy a new housing? Thanks in advance