HELP, my e30 keeps overheating

[ColbsE30]

Hi guys, so recently my lower radiator hose split and the car over heated pretty badly. When it over heated the water pump shot on me, so following that I replaced the water pump and my thermostat. Since then I have replaced my steering rack, and removed my power steering. I removed my power steering because multiple times since I replaced the thermostat and water pump the power steering pully would split my lower radiator hose. I have all the hoses rerouted and working properly now. But now when I start my E30 it runs at about normal temperature for a while (about a quarter or so) then starts to run hotter, then cool down a little, then run hotter, then cool down a little, then she seems to run almost touching the red and go back and forth. I thought it was my thermostat again but I tested it and my thermostat still opens. My radiator still seems good, hot in the upper hose and cooler in the lower hose. I'm completely stuck at a loss now, I'm clueless what to do and I will never take my car to a mechanic. So any help anyone could give me would be just lovely. I have work all next week and need to get her back into shape this weekend because I cannot miss work. So pleeeeaaase, anything that will help, let me know.

Thanks,
Colby

[dnguyen1963]

You need to bleed your coolant system again. Does your t-stat have a little hole on top? If not drill a small hole on the top plate to facilitate bleeding.

[ColbsE30]

You need to bleed your coolant system again. Does your t-stat have a little hole on top? If not drill a small hole on the top plate to facilitate bleeding.

So drill a hole on the plate that opens?

[glnr13]

So drill a hole on the plate that opens?

like this:

[ColbsE30]

like this:

Thank you so much, I'm going to drill the hole and bleed the system when I get back from work and hopefully it works!

[ColbsE30]

Alright so I bled the system and it fixed my idle problem but didn't fix my overheating problem. But what I did notice is that the electric fan in front of my radiator isn't working. It's a newer fan, my coolant light is on on the dash. So I'm thinking maybe the sensor for that fan went out?

[vpilarrt]

The coolant level sensor is not the one that controls the electric (aux) fan. The aux fan should't have to turn on to keep the engine from overheating. Have you checked or replaced the fan clutch?

[ColbsE30]

The coolant level sensor is not the one that controls the electric (aux) fan. The aux fan should't have to turn on to keep the engine from overheating. Have you checked or replaced the fan clutch?

What will checking/replacing my fan clutch do?
Also I've noticed when I drive at higher speeds the engine starts to cool down a little.

[PridgNYC]

Definitely the fan clutch. Try to stop the fan with a rolled up newspaper when the engine is at operating temperature. If the clutch is good it will shred your newspaper, if bad, it will be easy to stop the fan. Bad clutch doesn't pull enough air through the radiator when you aren't driving fast so it doesn't cool efficiently.

[ColbsE30]

Definitely the fan clutch. Try to stop the fan with a rolled up newspaper when the engine is at operating temperature. If the clutch is good it will shred your newspaper, if bad, it will be easy to stop the fan. Bad clutch doesn't pull enough air through the radiator when you aren't driving fast so it doesn't cool efficiently.

So you don't think the fact that my aux fan doesn't work at all isn't the problem?
But that does make sense.

[ColbsE30]

The coolant level sensor is not the one that controls the electric (aux) fan. The aux fan should't have to turn on to keep the engine from overheating. Have you checked or replaced the fan clutch?

Confirmed that the fan clutch is the issue. And I meant the sensor that tells the aux fan to turn on at a certain temperature. I ordered a new fan clutch. But now how do I go about addressing my auxiliary fan problem?

[JFarhanbod]

I'm pretty sure the Aux fan is controlled by the sensor on the radiator, don't quote me on that though. The car shouldn't overheat even if it doesn't work though. Make sure to bleed all the air out

[ColbsE30]

Okay, so now I've replaced the fan clutch and the temp gauge is still shooting up and down. What the hell do I do now?

[JFarhanbod]

Bleed, bleed, bleeeeed

[ColbsE30]

I already bled it, should I bleed again