Why do BMW's I6 engines generally run hot?

[HennaE30]

Why do BMW's I6 engines generally run hot?

My car only runs slightly warm during the 110 degree summers here, but that's partly because I'm missing a shroud clip and I'm never highway driving, always light to light.

The engine bay heat is just the heat being purged from the motor

[Hooffenstein HD]

2.7i swap with an M42 radiator and an eBay 16" pusher fan wired to a 316ti fan switch. For the most part the temp gauge stays just under the half way mark but it creeps up to just over and the fan turns on. The fan will only ever turn on after 10+ minutes in stop, go traffic conditions though. Can drive it hard through the hills for hours on end and it stays below half.

With all that said, if I open the bonnet at any given time, it will blast out quite a bit of heat. Probably from all the metal heat soaking. Nature of the beast.

[Mr. Tasty]

you guys think the fan shroud is crucial?

of course it is.

[Bearmw]

A shroud is helpful for any fan.

[Kevinl]

Should be e36 318is switch

[redsubdivisions]

Huh? It is supposed to do that. Hook it up to a proper sender, of the right Temp, and it will turn itself on and off where it is supposed to.

I have only an electric fan on my car, and the fan is hooked up to a two speed fan switch at 80*c and 88*c. My car sits a hair below center all the time. On the hottest of days, driving hard for hours on end, it never goes over half.

E32 fan switch? I have that running on mine as well if so.

[efficient]

you guys think the fan shroud is crucial?

[Todd Black 88]

Huh? It is supposed to do that. Hook it up to a proper sender, of the right Temp, and it will turn itself on and off where it is supposed to.

I have only an electric fan on my car, and the fan is hooked up to a two speed fan switch at 80*c and 88*c. My car sits a hair below center all the time. On the hottest of days, driving hard for hours on end, it never goes over half.

[socalife]

But it takes time for it to turn on when i need it most

[haggardfab]

just hook it up to a temp sender like its supposed to be and it will regulate its self..

[socalife]

I guess i wasnt descriptive enough, but what i mean is i dont have stock fan that hooks up to the alternator belt because it doesnt fit. Instead i bought an electric fan that actually cools the engine really good. The only problem is that i wired it to a misc. button since i didn't know their was another way. So, i either drive with it always on which ends up leaving the needle on the first white tick or i try to keep an eye on it and let it bounce around the half tick or i end up forgetting which resulted me into almost overheating twice. Anyways, i guess i understand our cars are normal but can i have more info on hooking it up to a timer. Thanks!

[camshaftgsxr]

I mean coolant runs from the front to the back of the head which is fairly long, they have meh water pumps that don't flow a ton, its not the best design, it just is what it is. I wouldn't call it "bad" but its definitely fragile.

but no it shouldn't be over heating, that indicates a problem.

[estoguy]

No problem with my Eta. Temp gauge usually sits a tick or two below the middle line. I do love how it warms up though. I'm usually at full temp within 6-7 KM. I keep her around 1500 RPM in 5th until I'm past the blue, then usually not pulling more than 80 km/h until I'm past the first white tick.

Occasionally during the summer, if I'm in a traffic jam, my temp needle goes about a tick over the middle line, but never higher. Once I'm moving again, settles right back to the usual position.

[quikveedb2]

+1, zero heat management issues, mine typically runs just below the center of the gauges range, even climbing some of the local +12,000 foot high mountain passes.

[TobyB]

I never noticed a real heat problem either...

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