fan clutch test? cooling issues

[viali8]

I just a 89 325i and i am having some cooling issues. These are the things i just replaced.

Thermostat
Water pump
timing belt
airfilter
all v-belts
coolant flush
spark plugs
cap + rotor

I have flushed and bled the system as well. Car is running about 1/2-3/4 sometimes a little more.

I also took the thermostat out and drove it around the block a few times. It was running less than 1/2 when i did that but when i but it back on the ramps to bleed it again the temp. began to rise again.

What is the best way to test the fan clutch?

Could it be the temperature sender? Sometimes the needle is erradic.

Is it true the nut on the back of the temp. gauge in the instrument cluster could be the problem?

Thanks

[YAN-3]

when the engine is HOT, turn if off and manually spin the fan, it spins more than 1 - 1 1/2 rotations your fan clutch is weak. if it has free play in it thats a sign of a worn out fan clutch. it should not turn much as the fluid should be hot and expanded to lock the fan.

[nando]

if it is running hot while driving above 20-30mph or so, the fan clutch isn't your problem. it should take a good 15-20 minutes at idle for an M20 no fan at all to even reach the stage that the fan needed to push air through the radiator (which is about ~85c at the middle of the coolant gauge).

[Brew]

I'd guess the radiator is clogged.

[viali8]

when the engine is HOT, turn if off and manually spin the fan, it spins more than 1 - 1 1/2 rotations your fan clutch is weak. if it has free play in it thats a sign of a worn out fan clutch. it should not turn much as the fluid should be hot and expanded to lock the fan.

Thanks i will give it a try.

[viali8]

car

I'd guess the radiator is clogged.

i flushed the radiator until clear water came out. Any other possibilities?

[drift]

just wondering if u tried to get the actual temp reading on the engine when its hot?
( use infra red pointer temp gauge, or manual gauge)
just in case the temp gauge on the dash is not reading properly?

[viali8]

car

just wondering if u tried to get the actual temp reading on the engine when its hot?
( use infra red pointer temp gauge, or manual gauge)
just in case the temp gauge on the dash is not reading properly?

how would i do that?

[viali8]

i have flushed the system and have been driving it with the thermostat out to let the cleaning solvent do its work. I did this with my brothers iS and the temp never went passed the 1/4 mark.

When i am driving my car i am almost at half and sometimes it went passed that. This cant be correct. With the thermostat out the car should run cold. Which is making me think the gauge is not giving me the correct reading. How do i test the temp gauge sender on an 89 325i? It is the sensor with the single prong, correct?

[elsabor67]

I would still say the radiator. I was having the same problem before and did everything step by step. One night one of my hoses blew and when I checked my radiator after pulling it out, the core had a "smile" at the bottom and had bad flow. All the other things checked out fine. Ever since I swapped my radiator with the type that has the reservoir integrated on the radiator itself and it barely gets to 1/2 now.

[ADEN]

you need to open the radiator and clean the small pipes separately then i bet you'll have a cool engine always coz heating problems may lessen the life of your engine.