getting very frustrated with my car fellas
i;ve not had it long and i've been driving it with a dead thermostat for a while (the temperature gauge would go just above the blue region (very poor fuel economy, poor starting from cold...)
anyway, last weekend i replaced the thermostat with a new one (87oC) but now the temp gauge works and gives a true reading and the car drives ok (the temp stays in the middle position) that is PROVIDED THE CAR IS MOVING! if it is idling (as in stuck in traffic) it will boil over...The cooling fan seems too sluggish which probably explains why the car boils over when left idling...
what should i do next? the belt tension seems fine...could it be the water pump?
this bmw is my daily driver and i need to sort this out asap
any advice is appreciated
cheers
Overheating 316i
Moderator: martauto
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Martinaston
- E30 Zone Addict
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- Location: London
Sounds like you need a new viscous coupling for the fan.
Do a search for overheating problems on that engine.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=11&fg=35
.
Do a search for overheating problems on that engine.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=11&fg=35
.
There is NO nucleus.
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
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- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Viscous coupling, without a doubt.
Just to verify, Thomas has an H plate 316i, has swapped the stat for an 87deg item? Haynes reckons 80deg... Is this the correct stat? It's also not a BMW item.
Does this info alter the advice?
He's a good lad, btw!
Does this info alter the advice?
He's a good lad, btw!
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
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- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
88 degree stat is what the ETK says, and I think that's a bit more trustworthy than Haynes!
I looked on my etk (old) and there were no stats for the stat (or the viscous coupling).
Where do I find them?
Innaccurate as Haynes is, I'll wager they are more accurate than AV Taylor Motor factors! Clueless IMHO...
Where do I find them?
Innaccurate as Haynes is, I'll wager they are more accurate than AV Taylor Motor factors! Clueless IMHO...
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
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- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
I looked up a '90 316iM40 4 door - engine - water pump/ thermostat , and one of the columns had 88CEL in it.johnna wrote:I looked on my etk (old) and there were no stats for the stat (or the viscous coupling).
Where do I find them?
Innaccurate as Haynes is, I'll wager they are more accurate than AV Taylor Motor factors! Clueless IMHO...
johnna could it be that your etk is not on the correct view ....there are 2 views when you set it up ..one gives a basic view and the other goes into much more detail and gives a lot more part numbers
Don't want to hijack the thread but I keep having to reset my default values on the ETK to English. Press store and it reloads but next time I open it it's back to yank and full of sedans, hoods and LHD again.
Fixed it!!!
I told Thomas to lift the front when swapping the stat to minimise coolant loss. I'm not sure he did.
The heaters blew cold and the car overheated in traffic.
I sold him my spare brand spanking viscous coupling and fitted it. I knew that wasn't the prob, but he said it was.
I got him to run the car on my inclined drive and took off the rad cap. The coolant was low! I added more and pressurized the system using a flexi pipe to compress the coolant. I massaged the top and bottom hoses and air came through, I topped up and up until the level was almost brimmed at the bleed screw.
We sealed the screw and cap, leaving the car to idle.
What a sweet little runner it is! The needle settled to 1/2 a mm to the left of the centre line.
Took it out for a run, brought it back and let it idle. It stayed just left of centre and his heater blew hot!!!!
Sucess! I just wish he had listened in the 1st place!
Hope you are reading this Thomas!
I told Thomas to lift the front when swapping the stat to minimise coolant loss. I'm not sure he did.
The heaters blew cold and the car overheated in traffic.
I sold him my spare brand spanking viscous coupling and fitted it. I knew that wasn't the prob, but he said it was.
I got him to run the car on my inclined drive and took off the rad cap. The coolant was low! I added more and pressurized the system using a flexi pipe to compress the coolant. I massaged the top and bottom hoses and air came through, I topped up and up until the level was almost brimmed at the bleed screw.
We sealed the screw and cap, leaving the car to idle.
What a sweet little runner it is! The needle settled to 1/2 a mm to the left of the centre line.
Took it out for a run, brought it back and let it idle. It stayed just left of centre and his heater blew hot!!!!
Sucess! I just wish he had listened in the 1st place!
Hope you are reading this Thomas!
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smithy318i
- Engaged to the E30 Zone
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- Location: Tyne & Wear
the viscous coupling comes off with a 32mm spanner? right ?
Graeme, I have a 32mm viscous spanner if you need to borrow it.
Remember it is the shock that releases the nut, not winding up the torque!
TBH, I loaned Tommy my 32mm spanner and he could not do it.
He came to mine for me to do it- and forgot to bring my spanner...
So I used an adjustable spanner.
Stand it up about vertical, place a length of wood end-on against the handle. Then twat the other end with a hammer.
BTW, tommy came to mine last night for me to do his brake bleed.
Did he bring his eezi-bleed?
Did he bring any fluid?
Sackless...
Remember it is the shock that releases the nut, not winding up the torque!
TBH, I loaned Tommy my 32mm spanner and he could not do it.
He came to mine for me to do it- and forgot to bring my spanner...
So I used an adjustable spanner.
Stand it up about vertical, place a length of wood end-on against the handle. Then twat the other end with a hammer.
BTW, tommy came to mine last night for me to do his brake bleed.
Did he bring his eezi-bleed?
Did he bring any fluid?
Sackless...