e30s in 100 degree heat

[Stanley Rockafella]

I drove a 7 hour, 450 mile roadtrip, non-stop in 100+ heat with A/C blasting; needle was below half the whole way. E30s are glorious prices of machining. If its overheating, you've got some issues.

Stop and go traffic is NOT the same as a road trip on the highway. You cannot compare the two

I also thought I had an issue with overheating and purchased a new fan clutch. It wasnt' the clutch, there was no problem with the system.

What the OP failed to indicate, was exactly where "climbing" was?!?! that could be a smidge over half or even a quarter for all we know.

[GaryE30]

I drove a 7 hour, 450 mile roadtrip, non-stop in 100+ heat with A/C blasting; needle was below half the whole way. E30s are glorious prices of machining. If its overheating, you've got some issues.

Stop and go traffic is NOT the same as a road trip on the highway. You cannot compare the two

I also thought I had an issue with overheating and purchased a new fan clutch. It wasnt' the clutch, there was no problem with the system.

What the OP failed to indicate, was exactly where "climbing" was?!?! that could be a smidge over half or even a quarter for all we know.

Agreed. Moving in 100*+ temps is nothing. Its when you're sitting still and radiator can't cool enough from natural convection that causes issues.

[DaveNorCal]

To clarify, once the engine is warm the needle is always at half (vertical) When the temp gets into the upper nineties it sits a bit over half so long as driving on level highway. Head uphill for long stretches and it approaches the next notch. Yesterday sitting at lights it was getting very close to the red.

[CabbE30]

Cruisin I sit right above the cold line, stopped in traffic it climbs to the middle line. I have bubbles in my line though.

[DaveNorCal]

Do you have a thermostat?

[Exodus_2pt0]

Do you have a thermostat?

This would cause a "Never gets to operating condition" concern.

[DooDanE30]

no heating issues here either

[ecuastyle84]

Running a 88degree tstat and temp needle stays at the middle during 105degree weather.

[Exodus_2pt0]

^ This guy has a fucking tit in his sig. (2 up, I got bumped down)

You can stay

[bastianshaw]

^ This guy has a fucking tit in his sig. (2 up, I got bumped down)

You can stay

lol

[bastianshaw]

To clarify, once the engine is warm the needle is always at half (vertical) When the temp gets into the upper nineties it sits a bit over half so long as driving on level highway. Head uphill for long stretches and it approaches the next notch. Yesterday sitting at lights it was getting very close to the red.

mine does the same thing

[Irish1]

DaveNorCal, thanks for getting back to me. I recommended RyanGangemiMotorworks in Auburn to you. He could solve the overheating issues quickly and he's not expensive. I ran my old 89 325is at a ThunderHill Track Day as an instructor pushing my old car hard in 108 degree heat and I never got close to the mid-point on the gauge.

[DaveNorCal]

Could lower coolant level in the expansion tank have caused this?

[DaveNorCal]

So I added some distilled water to the recovery tank and drove the car today. It's 100 degrees. On level ground the gauge stayed in the middle. Driving downhill the gauge dropped below the middle. Climbing a one mile 20% grade it climbed to about halfway to the next marker but, once I dove half a mile on level ground i returned to the middle. I let it idle with the AC on for about ten minutes and the deedle climber to about two thirds of the way to the next marker. It passed the "newspaper test" so presumably the fan clutch is fine. I'm thinking it was low on coolant and is alright. Opinions?

[MikeDE]

M42, no ac.
80deg Thermostat( may switch to 88, takes too long to warmup)
80deg fan switch
Spal 16" puller
BMW blue/dist. water (30/70%)

I've sat in traffic for 45min or more, outside temp 30-33c(86-91f) and have not had the needle go over half. Before the puller, yes it did creep over 1/2 -> 3/4 but slowly. Rolling for a few seconds brought it right back down. I had even gone so far as to blast the heat, and crack the hood in traffic, as a precaution.