Finally drove my car tonight..

[bimmer630]

Got Kamotors intake today, New MAF, and stayed up last night till 2am Welding up my exhaust..

This car is a blast to drive. Its super cold here so theres some ice on the roads still.. so I have only driven around town a little and havent gotten on it heavy cause I dont wanna hit ice and kill the car.

I have some coolant air pocket issues (I hope thats all it is) The temp stays at operating temp, once it gets there, and the heat works, but after driving the temp goes up slightly (not to red) and the heat blows cold. Depending on RPM's and load etc the temp fluctuates between 1/2 (operating temp) and 3/4.

I tried running the motor with the small coolant return hose off (the little guy on top of radiator)( Im running a late model E30 M20 cooling system)).. Some air bubbles came out and it got way better but Its still doing it sometimes. I might have my heater hoses on wrong, im checking that tomorrow.

Exhaust sounds great. Just an Ebay header into columbia river mandrel y-pipe with o2 bung welded in, and flange welded on after o2. the rest of the system is one removable piece all the way back with 2.5" stainless and a magnaflow muffler. no cat.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?p=3562545#post3562545

[AnimalE30]

I think your heater core hoses need to be switched (The spider hose and hose off the back of the head). That should fix the heat in the cabin problem.

[328ijunkie]

^As mentioned check heater hoses. You running late model M20 setup? Assuming the HG is fine it mostly self bleeds. Right now it seems like you have or are getting air in the system.

[bimmer630]

I'm pretty sure when I installed the hoses I went from head to upper heater core pipe, which is wrong from what I read. I don't think its a head gasketshitty ..it never gets hot it just creeps around 3/4

[bimmer630]

Swapped hoses tonight and heat works.. but temp still hangs out at 3/4.. and was in the red after shutting her off and restarting.

I think when I first drove it and it started to overheat I must have fried the T Stat. I drove it around the block and noticed the temp was hot, and pulled over to let it cool

[AnimalE30]

Swapped hoses tonight and heat works.. but temp still hangs out at 3/4.. and was in the red after shutting her off and restarting.

I think when I first drove it and it started to overheat I must have fried the T Stat. I drove it around the block and noticed the temp was hot, and pulled over to let it cool

Nice, one less thing to worry about. How are you trying to bleed the system? Are you jacking the front of the car up and putting the heater on full? Are you burping the hoses and tapping the radiator?

[bimmer630]

yeah I jacked the front up, poured coolant into upper hose, reinstalled hose, revved motor, squeezed lower hose ALOT, had heat on, ... I didnt try tapping on the radiator though.


My electric fan is working but doesnt come on Low until the temp gauge is slightly above 3/4 which almost makes me think the temp gauge is off.. but I used the Brown E30 sender.

Ill install the t stat tomorrow and see whats what

[AnimalE30]

yeah I jacked the front up, poured coolant into upper hose, reinstalled hose, revved motor, squeezed lower hose ALOT, had heat on, ... I didnt try tapping on the radiator though.


My electric fan is working but doesnt come on Low until the temp gauge is slightly above 3/4 which almost makes me think the temp gauge is off.. but I used the Brown E30 sender.

Ill install the t stat tomorrow and see whats what

Your car shouldn't really need a fan in this weather if you are still in NY. I know janderson had to hit his radiator with a mallet to stop his over heating problem. Also try burping the top radiator hose.

Hopefully someone else can chime in as my car isn't picky with this type of stuff so I'm not to experienced with it. I just chuck coolant in and go.

[328ijunkie]

Tstats dont really 'fry' for the most part. coolant level always full when you pull the cap? New water pump i assume?

[bimmer630]

Yeah man the level is always ok. Low level light hasn't come on at all. My fan should work when the car is sitting idling shouldn't it?

I don't know ... my rad hoses were fairly hard after a long drive and it made me think maybe the t stat wasn't fully opening. Also another thread on r3v that I read posted by a guy with similar symptoms ended up being a tstat.

Yeah my water pump is new. I got the e36 "kit" with tstat, metal housing, pump, and hoses

[AnimalE30]

If your upper radiator hose is fairly hard you may have combustion getting into the coolant system. My upper rad hose is rock hard after driving and I know my head gasket is going.

In regards to your fan, it depends on how you wired it up.

[bimmer630]

Fan is stock e30.. I didnt wire it up



So I replaced the t stat with a 180° new one I had leftover for an m20, and drilled an 1/8 hole in it.
Everything is perfect now. I just drove the car from home (long island) to bloomsburg, pa. It ran perfectly and I'm in love with the way this car drives with this motor. The sound is awesome too.