RUNNING HOT

[schwarz88 0]

i noticed a week or so after i acquired my e30 that the temp gauge crept up in traffic, which i pointed out when i got it serviced and subsequently had the viscous fan clutch replaced...thing is it still runs "warm" when idling/stationary in traffic.

i say warm cos previously it would move up to and beyond the 3/4 mark now it approaches it but hasn't actually reached/passed it. the thermostat is working fine, the fan's working fine, there's apparently no airlock/air in the system...BUT it's still frikkin WARM as soon as i sit there in Dorkland traffic.

Would replacing the water pump and hoses be a worthwhile next step? any other ideas??

[CaM 0]

I bypassed the resitor that halves the voltage to the aircon condensor fan with a switch and relay on sparkles 5-0... does heaps for keeping it cool, esp in traffic..... cost like $5 to do the whole thing, well placed switch looks factory..

mean

[cage 0]

mine has the exact same problm if iam in trafic it get Hot.

No idear hoe to fix it tho

[Guest Andrew]

It would get hot all the time if the waterpump was really dead - does the waterpump have play in it or leak even?

I'd say go back over the airlock, thermostat issue - check the viscous works still.

The temp gauges are dodgy at the best of times - they seem to range anywhere from 1/4 hot to 3/4 hot and be fine. Water temp should be around 80 - high 90 deg cel, so measure it.

Your radiator could be poked also.

Also hit the dash hard - the temp gauge may give a better reading

[schwarz88 0]

haha, when i hit it, it got hotter :-(

[CaM 0]

lol

try holding it at a high idle when it gets hot - see if it gets cooler....

you may also hear your viscous fan cut in....

bah, i duno... as you say, you've checked it all. might be worth hooking up an extra gauge to keep an eye on it??? radiator flush (at a radiator shop, wynns sh*t probably doesnt do much) might help, for the sake of it a new thermostat with a colder opening temp, blah blah blah.... process of elimination and mods to sort it

[Gus 5]

check if the fan actually works..thats the main thing..

run the heater if it starts getting too hot..works in winter well

could be radiator blockages....a brand new radiator usually makes it run round the 1/4 mark, even without a working fan clutch

just dont run it too hot, like sitting there revving it....m20's dont like heat..heads crack

[schwarz88 0]

ok, so what's the deal with revving it in neutral? seemed to cool it off nicely (or at least bring it back to halfway)...

any ideas what a new radiator would run me? i like the idea of it running cooler, especially given that this is winter performance and summer ain't gonna make it no easier.

[CaM 0]

it gets the water pumping round the block & radiator a lot quicker....

[*RJ* 0]

And would spin the fan more???

[Carl 3]

The fan and pumps all run off the engine so revving the engine speeds up the fan and pumps. Can work wonders but not if there's a radiator problem.

Listen to Andy and Gus, check everything is running right and check their ain't no airlocks, otherwise you could do a Tim and use heat tape and put some rice vents in your bonnet or perhaps even buy those z3 gills off trademe

Edited May 17, 2005 by ///Carl

[schwarz88 0]

i'll try those gills...that'll look sweet.

the fan def. works, i got a brand new one put in two weeks ago and had it double checked the next day cos i wasn't seeing much improvement in my temp gauge. According to bmworkshop at the time the water pump et al were all good, there wasn't much air in the system and they bled that out anyways, i'll try getting the radiator flushed and work from there. cheers.

[Gus 5]

new radiator for m20 manual is 468+GST

annoying little prob....air vents would work!

[downlow 0]

i gota mint m10 radiator forsale, i think they are round the same size,

[bumpstop325 0]

otherwise you could do a Tim and use heat tape and put some rice vents in your bonnet or perhaps even buy those z3 gills off trademe

easy tiger,

those vents are designed for purpose. watch who you call rice. and the heat tape is to reflect the heat off the airbox. :finger:

[schwarz88 0]

hang on, if the revving strategy works - which you're saying wouldn't if i had a radiator problem...is that pointing to a new coolant pump, rather than a radiator flush?

[CaM 0]

not necessarily...... thats like the "tried and true" way of cooling down hot cars - old school cars have that in the trouble shooting parts of their owners manual for "car overheating" quite frequently

with an older raiator though, they tend to begin to "block up" and therefore the flow, and with that, cooling efficiency goes out the window

[downlow 0]

get a radiator flush or a new one, then get a electric fan u'll be safe as a donkey.

[schwarz88 0]

aaaaaaaaaaaaargh. According to Trevor Morris Radiators it was only about 10% blocked which shouldn't cause it to overheat, they've run it and it's still creeping up over halfway when stationary.

So am guessing I need a new water pump? Unless anyone has any other suggestions???

[Carl 3]

It could simply be your temp gauge

[schwarz88 0]

but if it was the temp gauge, why would it get better with air flow/revving it? if the gauge reads wrong wouldn't it read wrong all the time? or is that not the case??