Ideal temp gauge position

[Daryll]

After reading Pete's post regarding his hose I'm a bit concerned after seeing that a BMW specialist said the engine temp should be half way on the gauge when driving about.

Mine only ever reaches 1/4 no matter what the distance. Is there something wrong with my baby?

[Jimbob]

very much doubt it but maybe your viscous fan constantly stays on?

[320Touring]

mate, between the cold and the hot there is only a few degree's temp difference...

basically if it aint in the blue all the time and not past the 3/4 mark, then no need to worry!

if yur fan kicks in straight away even when the engine is cold then either the coupling in the fan has gone (try stopping the fan spinning with a rolled up newspaper-if it stops then the coulpling is fudged)

or the blue temp sensor is sending a false signal to the temp gauge-easy enough to replace and not too expensive from the stealers!!

HTH

[kidsinister]

Mine stays more or less around the 1/4 mark, only increasing to 1/2 in really heavy traffic.

However, if yours stays there no matter what, there may be a dodgy connection somewhere; mine was the same until I had the console out, thought nothing of it until I put it back and the gauge started working properly!

[Daryll]

I had a new fan coupling and the blue and brown temp sensors/senders replaced a couple of days after buying the car along with the thermostat and water pump, due to the car over heating on the way from from buying it.

Phew..

[320Touring]

there ya go then! just chill about it

[Daryll]

Thank the E30 God for that! For a minute then I thought she was poorly!

Thanks for the input!

Now well and truely chilled!

[PeteE30Tourer]

I must admit, i thought it was a bit strange when BMW told me it should be on the half-way mark, or even slightly over. Mine had always sat around the 1/3 position before.

I have noticed that the engine is running noticely hotter - just the air from the heating is almost too hot now, though of course it's warmer now outside anyway.

[astondg]

Mine stays about 1/4 too. Even on the race track it only gets to about 1/2.

Aston

[Adam318i]

Mine sits just below the half-way mark

[kevin316i]

My 316i always sits just left of the half way mark. My new 318iS always sits at the quarter mark.

[Andy_magic]

Mine sits just below the half way mark, even when caning it it only moves up very slightly and never over half way.

When I got the car is took ages to warm up, like 20 miles and then sat at about a 1/4 of the way up the guage.

If your car takes more than about 4 miles to start warning up I would fit a thermostat.

[Demlotcrew]

Ive owned a few E30s now and after changing the thermo stat and ussing a good dilution of anti freeze i get them to stay exactly on 1/2 which is what a good engine is meant to be on.

Remember that oil takes longer to heat up than water.

Andrew

[rickk]

Hate to say it, but sounds like a classic symptom of a broken (stuck open) thermostat.

All good E30s (or cars, for that matter) I know settle around the middle marker.

Get it fixed, as it causes extra wear on your engine and higher fuel consumption.

[Zayyan]

Soon as it gets warm (5 miles/7-10 minutes or so) mine sits just above the middle and doesn't move. At all.

Just how I like it

And I get 40mpg, which might support rickk's idea....

[astondg]

Mine had a new thermostat fitted when I got the car (about 1 1/2 years ago) but it still sits at about the 1/4 mark? It also got a brand new radiator and viscous coupling for the fan.

Aston

[Andy_magic]

Apart from the technical reasons for the engine needing to operate at the right temperature it's nice to have a heater that works quickly when you need it.

[Andy335Touring]

Mine had a new thermostat fitted when I got the car (about 1 1/2 years ago) but it still sits at about the 1/4 mark? It also got a brand new radiator and viscous coupling for the fan.

Aston

Your thermostat might have a lower opening time due to a high average temprature in Aus ?

I think the US got a couple of differant ones to chose from as they have a wide temptrature range accross the US ?

It normally says on the 'stat what the opening temp is ?

I've just looked on the ETK for a 323 'stat and it says "80CEL" which i'm assuming means 80 celcius(sp?) opening temp ?

[astondg]

Yes you could be right about Australian versions. I also just remembered that the mechanic I went to when I first got the car said he put in a different thermostat because we go racing. So that is probably why my car runs cooler.

This is going to sound stupid but where is thermostat on an M20?

Aston

[Andy335Touring]

This is going to sound stupid but where is thermostat on an M20?

Aston

Sorry for the picy but the thermostat (housing) is mostly hiding behind the coolant pipe,you can see the bleed bolt on top of it.



Andy