Gets hot when idling

[London]

Hey guys,

Soooo anyway, nothing to complicated here. When I'm driving my car stays cool(ish) a bit warm for my taste but the radiator is kinda junk at this point but it works well enough to keep the box going happy. Thing is, if I stop the car and it's sitting there the temp just starts to rise and rise until its like on the last tick before red… This concerns me big time. Would this be something with the fan clutch? I just noticed this tonight and haven't had time to investigate. I'm moving tuesday so I'd kinda like to know while I still have the ability to fix it.

[5Toes]

Sounds to me like your fan clutch is shot.

[5Toes]

Heres what you need.

http://www.blunttech.com/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=1989-BMW-325is&yearid=1989%40%401989&makeid=31%40%40BMW&modelid=989%3AED|66%3AMBC|168%40%40325is&catid=240909@@Cooling+System&subcatid=240997@@Fan+Clutch&mode=PA

Test first with a rolled up newspaper. Shove it in the fan while car is idling. If you can stop the fan.. or really slow it down. Buy a new one

[Komzorz]

Sounds like a fan clutch to me. My e24 did the same thing and that's what it was.

You can test it by wadding up some newspaper and seeing if you can stop the fan while it's cold. If it stops, the clutch is toast.

I think it's when it's cold. It's cold or hot. You may want to search. I may be a little drunk.

[London]

Alright thats what I figured it was. Cool, more money gone haha.

By the way, thanks for the honesty Komzorz ;)

[5Toes]

Komzroz... lol almost had the same response

[Komzorz]

Hey the best part about beer wednesday is you only have to get through thursday before drinking again.

Anyhow, when you're taking that shizz off, I had to use a metal hammer on a thin wrench to get enough sharp impact to break it loose. A deadblow wasn't doing it.

Also, when threading the new one on, if it's resisting, don't force it. I got a little rough with it and unlike a few girls I know, it didn't care for it so much. I had to reform the ridge a little bit with a steel pick punch thing and then it went right on.

[urbancynic]

If money is tight you can get a fan clutch from rockauto.com for $35.

[KenC]

Clutch is reverse threads.

The newspaper test is or when the car is hot and the clutch is engaged.