Strange goings on; Temp***FIXED WHOPEEEE******

[Widge]

Right, I've fitted the BBTB I got of Cabrio327, and the car now goes like stink. But Dave had modified the TB so it doesn't have any water jacket/heating, which is ok, but I have noticed today that the temp gague is stuck on cold, not broken because when I turn the ign on and off it moves up slightly from the stop so its hovering on the blue bit
Could this be because I have plugged the two pipes that go to the TB, they weren't longe enough to connect one to the thermostat housing and I didn't have a sutible piece of pipe to connect them. Would that make an air lock form? I really don't want to cook my engine as I have to drive to Leeds tomorrow?
Thanks for the Help


Right just been out having a fiddle and although the engine is hot the temp gauge is cold and the rad is cold. So I must have a huge air lock. And then the fcuking bleed screw has sheared Any other way of removing an air lock in the thermostat housing?

[Brianmoooore]

Overfill the header tank and take the hose off the stat housing as far as the end of the spigot untill the air/water comes out.
Depending on how much water you've drained, you may have an airlock in the heater circuit.
Switch the fan on and the heater to hot as you warm the engine, and make sure it blows hot air.
Same procedure to release this airlock as at the thermostat, (with the heater hose of course).
Be carefull - it's easy to crack a M20 head with airlocks.

[Geeman]

Don't plug the pipes dude!

You need to connect them together, so the water flows round the system again. This will cause problems. I had the same problem when I put the BBTB on my 318iS... Don't bend the pipes into shapes they weren't meant to be in though, as they will split and cause more problems. (take it from me, I know!)

Connect them together.

HTH

Giles.

[Widge]

Cheers guys, I've changed the T'stat housing for the one on my spare engine which had a bleed screw that came out dead easy. So I now have it back to geather. What's the correct way to bleed the cooling system? Overfill the header tank put the lid back on (or leave it off??) then start the car heater on and on hot. Undo the bleed screw till only watercomes out like a raiator?
Cheers

Once I have the system working again I'm going to B&Q to get a bit of pipe for the TB hoses.

[craigieeb]

widge do you know the pice of pipe we were using yesterday?????? see where im going???

cut a bit from out of the middle, atatch to both pipe's and put a jubliee clip in both ends, it should be just about the right size, orrrrrrrr failing that i'll cut the dipstick off of the bottom end of the enging i have here

[Widge]

Hi mate got your bottom end?

I tried the bit of pipe when i put the BBTB on it was too big, and so's the dipstick tube. But I've done it now found a connector off the spare engine, just the right size but it's plastic so I'll have to put a metal tube in there when I'm at home this week.
So everything should be back to normal, just off out to bleed it now I hope the temp gauge starts reading normally and all the air comes out............ will up date in a mo

[Widge]

Right guys still abit strange. The heater is pumping out hot air not scorching but hot none the less, probably as the car isn't up to temp.
The temp gauge is still reading blue though even though some of the hoses are getting warm. Could this be a fcuked thermostat? Or temp sensor? The top rad hose is getting warm but the bottom one is still stone cold

[craigieeb]

how did you bleed it widge?

[Widge]

I undid the screw with the engine running and a load of air came out then water. And now everytime I undo it there is only water
I think the thermostat housings were a little different, I think that the new one is stopping the thermostat from opening as it was a little shorter, would that give the symptoms I am describing? Although looking at the pic I think it was just the tube on it that was shorter I dunno what to do now I have fixed what I thought the problem was, could a dodgy bit of wireing in the temp sensor circuit give this reading.


PS Craig do you need the flywheel?

[craigieeb]

widge pull the thermostat out stick it in your sink boil the kettle and pour the water straight on to it, the temp of the boiling water will open the thermostat, if it doesnt, then you know it's buggerd mate


p.s yes i do

[Brianmoooore]

As long as it's out of the blue and into the middle sector, it's fine.
The E30 gauge is not linear. The whole black section only covers a few degrees.

[Widge]

Right gonna whip the thermostat out and test it.

And its at the bottom of the blue Brian, but it does rise when the ignition is turned on. Always used to be on the first 1/4 mark unless I was in a traffic Jam when it went to 1/2.

[Brianmoooore]

That's only a couple of degrees difference, but if it's the same sensor, stat and gauge, then it should read the same as before.
I've come across a few stats, (on M50s, IIRC), where one arm of the bridge piece across the stat has cracked through. This seemed to make the engine run slightly cool.

[Widge]

The thermostat checks out, opens in boiling water, and says 80C on it.
Right I'm starting to think now that the water pump could be buggered Any Ideas?

But surely if that was the case I'd get cold air from the heater? as the water wouldn't be circulating

[craigieeb]

widge have a look at the belt to make sure its not slipping, and if its fine try taking it for a good thrashing it might just submit and sort it's self out

[dazleeds]

sorry to hear bout this predicament widge
when mine was undercooling i did the stat and had to bleed it several times but eventually the temp settled heaters turned to ovens lol and not had a prob since also done it before with 325s always seem to need a few bleeds before theyre right good luck mate Daz maybe see you in few days

[Widge]

I'll have a look at the belt, got to put it all back togeather now.
I'm really worried about taking it for a thrashing and fcuking the head / head gasket. I've already taken it for a drive and it was still stuck below the blue

[Brianmoooore]

If the heater's working there's no serious problem. Takes about a week to get every last trace of air out. Take it to Leeds, without thrashing it and it will probably sort itself out.

[craigieeb]

or drive it round to mine and drop the fly wheel off for a price of course.

[Widge]

Right, just been chillin trying not to worry about it.
I'm gonna put it back togeather and take it for a drive and just keep bleeding it.

Craig if you want the fly wheel you'r gonna have come and get it cos I don't have my socke/allan key thingy set with me to undo the clutch.

[craigieeb]

yeah giving it another bleed wont do it any harm

erm,,,,,, when are you due back from leed's? i'll probaly pop round then and whip it off, if thats ok matey?

[Widge]

Not till thursday mate, then I'm off to scotland on friday on a field trip. I am around untill tomorrow evening though.

[craigieeb]

right well i'll see if i can get a lift over for about half an hour/45 mins time?? and failing that how does tomorow early afternoon grab you?


and im sure i'll have a look at your car for you aswell matey : )

[Widge]

Yeah fine by me mate, either way.

Just taken the car for a spin, bled it again (all water) and it got really hot but the bottom rad hose was cold, and the rad was warm. But the heater works thats what gets me
I think it may be the water pump, OR the temp gauge and I'm just being paranoid

I unplugged the blue sensor (is that the gauge one?) and then turned the ignition on and the gaugge jumped up to the blue, so even disconnected it does that, maybe my sensor or the wiring inbetween is dodgy. Brian you know about this elatictrickery stuff

[cabrio327i]

No Widge, the Blue one is the Motronic sensor for the ECU, its the brown one thats for the temp, Have you linked the two pipes together now? Dave

[Widge]

Linked the two pipes, put a new thermostat and thermostat housing on (old one bleed screw was fcuked) and put it all back togeather, then bled it 2-3 times. I'll see what happens when I disconnect the brown one.
Cheers

[Brianmoooore]

When you disconnect the brown sensor, the gauge will read cold. Do you have a spare brown sensor? Your fan viscous coupling's not seized solid is it and overcooling the rad?
E30 water pumps don't normally fail in that they don't pump the water.
If the water pump failed, the water would boil and blow itself out the pressure cap.

[Widge]

Ok I think I'm feeling a bit better after that Brian cheers
I have just tried unplugging the brown thingy and it reads the same! Think I / you guys have found the problem I have a spare brown one and I have just had it plugged in and held a lighter to it and it made no differance to the gauge, but I don't have a blow torch so the chances of getting 80C ish is unlikley. Where do the wires go? I suppose i could have disturbed one when putting the BBTB in. And there are a bunch of bullet connectors under the inlet manifold I have always been suspicious about.
Cheers guys

Oh and PS I checked the viscous fan it's ok, and I've had the engine hot and there has been no steam.

[craigieeb]

widge as per fcuking usuall no one can give me a lift or lend me there car, but its a difrent story when it's the fcuking other way round !!!!


soz, i'll be over tomorow early afternoon ish 2/3ish ok??
and if your's is not sorted out by then i'll give you a hand matey

[Widge]

Ok mate, I'll see you tomorow.

[Brianmoooore]

Short the single pin in the brown sensor plug to the car body or engine metalwork with the ignition on and see what the gauge does.

[Widge]

Cheers Brian I'll try that now..........

[Widge]

Nope, nothing, zip, squat, diddly poo. No movment of the needle with the temp sensor lead earthed to the earth strap on the strut top. I assume that means my cable is snapped some where? What resistance should a cold temp sensor have Brian? If such info exists I'm sure you'll know
Cheers for the help.......again!!

[Brianmoooore]

Brown temp sensor - 828 ohms at 16 c
185 ohms under hot water from tap
63 ohms at normal engine temp.
These were actual measured values, from a good sensor, taken during a fault finding session.

[Brianmoooore]

Wire is brown/purple and passes through pin 4 of the big c101 engine loom plug and socket. Unplug this, short pin 4 of the socket to earth with the ignition on. MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT PIN 4. Also check the continuity on pin 4 in the plug to the connector at the temp sensor.