What temperature does your e30 run at?

General E30 related discussions -
Please put technical questions in E30 Tech Help forum below

Moderator: martauto

kangman
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Heathrow

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:47 pm

My temperature gauge goes a quarter of the way on the clock is that normal? before the conversion, (1.6) the needle use to go half way


:), Just curious
Morat
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 8943
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: The Peoples Republic of Yorkshire

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:53 pm

Mine is bang in the middle, some people seem to run at 1/4. I've seen various explanations from different thermostats to the gauge being very sensitive in the middle of the scale.
E30 Touring 0.35 cD - more slippery than prison soap :)

Image
Praise the Lard... and pass the dripping!
maxfield
Old Skooler
Old Skooler
Posts: 15185
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Mansfield

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:56 pm

My E30 usually runs at just above quarter, always has done and never had issues.
Image
G-Bear
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1631
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Hertfordshire

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:58 pm

Mine usually just under halfway on the gauge.
jimbom30cab
Tech 1 freak
Posts: 7631
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: in the garage

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:59 pm

Just under half way on the 325

About eleven o clock
FinalD
E30 Zone Camper
E30 Zone Camper
Posts: 1098
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:00 pm
Location: Bristol

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:03 pm

I need to bleed mine correctly so at the moment, depending on the heater fan speed and traffic...just under 1/4 to just above 1/3. Really should sort the bleeding properly. :mad:
TPS
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 13119
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Hampshire

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:03 pm

1/4 to 1/2
Image
1991 325i Touring Alpine White II
1994 318i Touring Sterling Silver
Grrrmachine
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
Posts: 8043
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:05 pm

kangman
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Heathrow

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:06 pm

FinalD wrote:I need to bleed mine correctly so at the moment, depending on the heater fan speed and traffic...just under 1/4 to just above 1/3. Really should sort the bleeding properly. :mad:
Mines similar to yours

I think i may need to bleed mine, is it when you raise the front end?
FinalD
E30 Zone Camper
E30 Zone Camper
Posts: 1098
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:00 pm
Location: Bristol

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:07 pm

Yeah, you need the nose properly in the air ideally do it on a steep hill to ensure it gets the air out. Mine *could* be related to the viscous unit as I don't know how good/bad it is, I could do with changing it I suppose.
User avatar
BEERBOY123
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1537
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:00 pm

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:12 pm

Just a couple of needle widths below half (unless it's a hot day and I'm in traffic).
Two headblenders, couple of bags of MC Hammer, 5 litres of FFF, a 48ft bastard, a box of jumped-up custard and some soggy chimps
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49360
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:21 pm

4 pots and 6 pots use different rated thermostats, so run at different temperatures. 4 pots run the hottest, with the gauge in the middle, and 6 pots run a little cooler, at part way between the quarter and centre marks.
kangman
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Heathrow

Post Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:32 pm

So how do i bleed it, raise the front and...
G-Bear
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1631
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Hertfordshire

Post Mon Apr 08, 2013 9:49 am

kangman wrote:So how do i bleed it, raise the front and...
I bled my M20 yesterday.

Raised the front up. Had the blowers on full, at the hottest temp on the dial.

Started up the engine, kept the revs at about 2.5K and opened the 8mm bleed valve on top of the thermostat housing until coolant started to come out.

I repeated this process several times until just coolant came out when opening up the valve.

The vents inside your car should have nice toasty air coming out once its fully bled.
faze30
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 391
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Hertfordshire

Post Mon Apr 08, 2013 12:09 pm

Mine use to run over half and in traffic use to go over 3/4. But i found the cause. It was the fan. The thermostat part of the fan. Now been replaced and sits around the halfway mark or just under
Image
Grrrmachine
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
Posts: 8043
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Post Mon Apr 08, 2013 12:52 pm

faze30 wrote:Mine use to run over half and in traffic use to go over 3/4. But i found the cause. It was the fan. The thermostat part of the fan. Now been replaced and sits around the halfway mark or just under
Mine's been funny like that recently. When I fitted the engine it was bang on the half-mark. Gave it to a garage to replace one water pipe, and since then it sits over half and sometimes goes all bouncy towards the red before settling down again. I've bled the hell out of it but it still does it at odd moments when driving :mad:
User avatar
BenHar
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 3089
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Reigate, Surrey

Post Mon Apr 08, 2013 12:59 pm

Grrrmachine wrote:
faze30 wrote:When I fitted the engine it was bang on the half-mark.
Probably has the wrong stat fitted. Should be 80 degrees in a 325i.

Maybe they disturbed the connector to the sensor when they changed the pipe? Might cause the bouncing.

Ben
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49360
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Post Mon Apr 08, 2013 1:17 pm

Grrrmachine wrote: and since then it sits over half and sometimes goes all bouncy towards the red before settling down again. I've bled the hell out of it but it still does it at odd moments when driving :mad:
Brass nut on the back of the instrument cluster. It's all in the wiki!!
User avatar
Billwill
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 363
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: South Africa

Post Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:17 pm

kangman wrote:My temperature gauge goes a quarter of the way on the clock is that normal? before the conversion, (1.6) the needle use to go half way


:), Just curious
As stated the 4 pots need a "88" deg C thermostat while the 6 pots take the "80" deg C. thermostat....should be stamped on the metal.

My 318i M40 used to run too cool...I saw that a previous owner had the 80 deg thermo fitted. :?
Grrrmachine
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
Posts: 8043
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Post Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:34 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:It's all in the wiki!!
:D
suedenim
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 788
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: London

Post Mon Apr 08, 2013 4:15 pm

For bleeding my 4 pot I've always used the method in the restoration bible, it seems to work for me every time without the need to raise the front.
My guage read a quarter until I fitted a genuine thermostat and has read just below halfway since.
1982 E21 316 Baltic Blau
1989 318i 2 Door Sterling Silber

Feedback: http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... highlight=
Alex
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 22665
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Post Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:46 pm

All 4 pots ive owned with a working thermostat have sat bang on in the middle

all the 6 pots ive had run slightly under half
Ajsingh
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: West Laaaandaan init! / Milton Keynes

Post Mon Apr 08, 2013 9:27 pm

My old 2.7 and current 2.5 sit between the 1/4 and 1/2 mark. Never no issues.

Apprently being dead on halfway and just before is only a few degrees differance
E30 Crazy!