How hot does your S52 run?

[Varinn]

Not talking about readings taken from the gauge cluster, either through your OBD2 port or with an aftermarket coolant temp gauge that is unbuffered and has indicated numbers.

I think I might have an issue with my coolant temp sender feeding the DME, it seems to read a bit high. I have been getting my indicators through my round diag plug to an OBD2 adapter and the torque app on my phone. I can also go ahead and hook it up to INPA but it's a little harder to do a driving test that way.

88 degree thermostat seems to open at around 91-93
91 degree fan switch in the rad starts the fan at more like 96
98 degree average temps while cruising on the highway (flat ground steady speed 2500rpm in 4th/5th)

My water pump is a newer GRAF, rad is an e36 mishimoto, thermostat is a new Behr. When my gauge works, it reads middle of the gauge cluster as it always did. Are my temps normal?

[MC Hammered]

I'll record the coolant temp readings from my vent gauge and post up some numbers.

[Varinn]

thanks Winston, let me know what you come up with.

Are you running a mechanical fan on the touring or purely electric? Stock thermostat?

[MC Hammered]

Build sheet shows a 14" electrical fan and I'm guessing a 80*C thermostat based on the temp readings I'm seeing.

90/10 city/hwy driving last two days. Oil temp around 95*C, coolant temp 82*C (low of 78*C)

I will be going to Langley tomorrow and will report back as to what the temps look like when I'm ripping around.

The white hash mark on the coolant gauge and what my VEI gauge reads

[Varinn]

Hmm, I definitely have something going on then. I shouldn't be sitting 10 degrees over the thermostat at a steady highway cruising speed. I think I might replace my temp sender, and inspect my thermostat/water pump to make sure everything looks alright. I'll be pulling the intake manifold anyways so seems the prime opportunity.

[MC Hammered]

Today I went to Langley and mostly cruised in 5th at 110kph, on the way home at midnight I did a couple of pulls past 6500rpm in 3rd and 4th to detect any pinging and then cruised at 110kph home.

The entire time the temperature reading was at 82*C

[BlackSpeed66]

Cruising temp on mine from my OBDII app seems to hang around 192ºF to 196ºF. At idle it seems to run up to 200-204ºF and this is about where the electric aux fan kicks on at low speed. I've never gotten high speed to kick on yet, though since it got much warmer here I haven't really driven it when the ambient temps are pushing 80. I need to do this in the near future here to make sure that everything with the cooling system is up to snuff for some track duty this summer.

Cooling system specs: Stewart HP pump, late model Hella/Behr rad, no mech fan, stock aux fan & T-stat. 80/88ºC fan switch.

[Varinn]

I will be digging in this week, I find it very odd that my obd2 reports higher temps cruising on the highway than at a lower speed. I also have some doubts about my charging system due to gauge issues anf measuring only 12.5v at idle, I'm wondering if a messy voltage regulation might be causing my readings to go a bit funky

[MC Hammered]

I've been seeing fluctuating voltage readings from 12.0-13.7V ever since I got my vent gauge installed and assumed that was normal operating condition.

Only when I swapped in a different alternator and saw a solid 14.0 reading did I realize my car wasn't getting proper power at all, which could be what I was getting weird issues.

I do know when the voltage dropped close to 12v I saw the needle on my oil temperature gauge flutter.

[Varinn]

Yep, did a proper AVR test today and my charging system is kaput. I think I am still within the Bosch 2 year warranty so I'll see about that. If not then I guess I'll be out a couple hundred bucks (or more, depending on the condition of the alternator/brushes/volt reg)