E38 overheating

[barracuda83 0]

Hi guys I have been getting this intermittent overheating issue. It happened all of a sudden once on the motorway and going from Panmure to Manukau city my car overheating and temp. went back down again randomly quite a few times.

Next day checked water level and refilled, only about 10ml was required to get the stick up. Coolant looks clean and no rust at all. And left the car for a day. Then onwards it has been running fine no issues. So this was around 4 weeks back.

Now it has happened again. Overheating 3/4 way up (not reaching the red yet) RANDOM overheating is how i can describe it. Overheating then going straight back to middle and over again while starting and stopping at the lights. This is just on my way to office today. Dont knows what will happen next time im on the road.

Any ideas guys? i mean i have dealt with japanese car overheating issues which just either overheat or they dont. but very troublesome diagnosing this issue.

Just another thing, when i pullover in this situation, i can feel very unusually hot wind underneath the car which makes me feel, the guages,thermostat and all are working and it is definitely overheating.

If you feel i need a mechanic would you recommend any trustworthy bmw service people? as this is the first time i had problems after buying my first bmw.

Thanks in advance.

Edited December 13, 2011 by Barracuda

[curryinahurry 39]

Have you checked the coolant hose going to the radiator to make sure the thermostat is opened to allow coolant to flow through? Maybe you problem could just be a stuck thermostat.

[BM WORLD 1283]

sounds a bit like the viscous fan clutch is had it .

best to get it checked straight away, you dont want to be replacing an engine.

[cliffdunedin 8]

I know this might sound stupid but have you changed the coolant? I had similar issues on my old E36 and it turned out i just noobingly didn't remove all the airpockets!

[Docile 64]

it can be a few things.

i would say

1. waterpump on its way out

2. you got air bubbles in your cooling system

3. the viscous fan clutch (but that should overheat only when on your standstill not running in the motorway)

4. probably the thermostat

5. you got a blockage somewhere.

when was the last time your cooling had service?

if i was you i would flush the system, change thermostat and waterpump while im at it and bleed system properly. if it still happens ill change the fan clutch.

[barracuda83 0]

sounds like a plan. Im not a bmw tech person myself most important i dont want to touch it myself cuz my warranty could be void. any reasonably priced authorized bmw service people you would recommend?

also my e38 did not come with a service history booklet, how do we go about getting the history in nz and where do we buy a replacement booklet ??

thanks guys

[my_e36 43]

also my e38 did not come with a service history booklet, how do we go about getting the history in nz and where do we buy a replacement booklet ??

Replacement books can be bought from a BMW dealer. If you ask nicely, they can look up any servicing done within the dealer network.

[SRBMW 6]

As the guys above have said it sounds like it may be the Viscous fan clutch. I sell alot of these for BMW's which have similar symptoms, you would think it would only be at the lights it would get hot but it can be whilst driving too. Also if the waterpump impellar is starting to fail it can show similar signs but when it's totally gone it will get hot quick and WILL overheat. you can try checking the fan, see if it has any foward to back movement,if it's really easy to spin when the engine is hot (engine off) it maybe gone. Check thermostat, both top and bottom hoses should be hot to touch when engine is hot and up to temp, Can do you a new Viscous clutch for $140 BS Price PM if interested

[*Glenn* 854]

If you ask nicely, they can look up any servicing done within the dealer network.

That's not correct. Like any other business, the dealership's are privately owned and they cannot access each others accounting systems for service invoices. It is also a privacy issue

[*Glenn* 854]

. most important i dont want to touch it myself cuz my warranty could be void. ..

.

Your leaving it a bit late to get it looked at before christmass. Warranty assessors are rushed off their feet ATM. Basicaly there are only 4 days till the christmass break.

If it's been happening for over a month, you should have had it professionaly checked ages ago. These issues never get better by themselves. The fault could be one of the many things others have listed. It needs to be checked and as Brent said it needs to be checked sooner rather than later before it turns into a major.

How many times has it been overheated ?

Which mechanical warranty company is it ?

[Charles200 0]

had exact symptoms on my e34, was air pockets in the cooling system and was instantly fixed by turning the heater on full crank. odd, but it worked. try that maybe?

[barracuda83 0]

Hey guys sorry for my late reply, just busy calling around to get my car booked in.

My usual mechanic (who does my other toyota cars) replaced the top radiator hose as that had a split, $130

after a whole day sitting there, car still overheating so he said its the thermostat, - this kind of random guessing was pissing me off so now i have decided to book it in with some bmw specialists and claim the warranty excess - $200 (why didnt i do that in the first place)

Now im looking for mechanics place who charge reasonable money for a good service as well, planning to book the car in there and have all done there.

what do you say guys? thanks heaps

Edited January 19, 2012 by Barracuda

[shaneg 0]

I think there may be a few on here... maybe..

Try Glenn at botany motorworx... he replied to your post above a few replies ago..

And was offering some advice/help

Plus he sponsors this forum.. so you know..

Edited January 16, 2012 by shaneg

[barracuda83 0]

hey guys im back after a few months again.

Just got the e38 repaired and back on road. after a total of $950 - (YES after claiming the warranty) she is all good and running

Thermostat changed

radiator cap replaced

new coolant

viscous fan wasnt locking on so had the couplings changed.

NOT heat related but had the cam shaft sensor changed as well -because was having a hard start issue

done from Motor Service ltd.

no other issues at this time.

I dont know if I should bad mouth lumleys for making me pay for excess for each and every thing even though few are part of the cooling system, but im just happy to have her back on the road.

Thanks everybody for your help and special thanks to Glen at Motorworx for taking the time to talk to me and looking into my issue, sadly due to our availability issues I had to go somewhere else.

btw why is my AC fans making this growing noise on high rev when the ac is on---- GOD kill me.....