Cooling Problems...

['85 325e - RJ]

I've searched over and over and I'm getting really confused...

1) My temp gauge doesnt work... From my search, what I gather is that I need the e30 temperature sensor that threads into the head next to the blue temperature sensor (for the ecu). Is this sensor white topped with the 2-tab hook-up that will plug right into the e36 harness plug?

2) The car keeps overheating... I have a small line run from the bottom of my e30 reservoir to a T, which splits off, one end to the front of the engine and one end to the back of the engine; then, of course the big hoses from the radiator to the thermostat housing; and the smallest hose from the reservoir to the top of the radiator... How do you bleed this and why is it still overheating?!

Thanks for any help and if I'm a dumbass and you know of a thread that has these answers, please call me out on it - I don't care, I just need to know how to fix these issues because I leave for school soon. Thanks again!

[416stroker]

you sure you t-stat is opening also the e30 sensor only fits in one spot

['85 325e - RJ]

don't have one yet - gonna put it in tomorrow.

['85 325e - RJ]

running a brand new e36 radiator and 16" spal pull fan on the inside of the radiator... I ran it for about 50 minutes today and the reservoir water never reached more than 120 degrees. Then I drove it for about 10 minutes and it starts bubbling out of the reservoir. so lost...

['85 325e - RJ]

ok, so I installed the thermostat and sensor (it's a brown top, not white).

Gauge still doesn't work... ? Do I need to replace the sensor wire with the e30 one too and splice it into the e36 harness?

With the front end jacked up and reservoir filled up, we started it. Nothing happened until 10 minutes later when it started to bubble over the top of the open reservoir. Help?!

Can anyone post pictures of the way their lines are run?