That's hot!

[mikeedler]

your probably right.

[blunttech]

he said it was an electric fan.....- so it has no clutch
and if the waterpump isnt moving ENOUGH water at lower rpms then it will get hot.(kinda like e36 waterpumps with the plastic fins that like to break off)-----
the nuts on the back of the dash panel were on mine too, it was the actual guage itself that was bad.

i still think its the fan clutch

[mikeedler]

he said it was an electric fan.....- so it has no clutch
and if the waterpump isnt moving ENOUGH water at lower rpms then it will get hot.(kinda like e36 waterpumps with the plastic fins that like to break off)-----
the nuts on the back of the dash panel were on mine too, it was the actual guage itself that was bad.

[blunttech]

Just because it worked this summer doesn't mean it works now.

The fact that the car runs cool while moving implies that the coolant is circulating because the engine can't be cooled just by air passing outside of it. It needs cool coolant. If it ran hot while moving, you could rule out the fan because the fans job is easily done by the air passing through the grills, but it doesn't do this. We then have to assume that the coolant is circulating fine (ie. Good water pump) because it runs cool when air passes through the radiator. The car still overheats but only when stationary, it is very likely that the reason for it is poor air ciculation.

I have had more than one car with the same symptom, and each time it was due to a poorly functioning fan. Just because the fan spins doesn't mean it is working right.

you think its the fan clutch then maybe? im glad youre here. forget what i said earlier

[structured]

i would like to gamble with a guy like you. so his electric fan has worked fine in california summers for a year and all of a sudden its not working hard enough?
you sound like a gold star certified master BMW tech. what is your BMWCCA member number?

Just because it worked this summer doesn't mean it works now.

The fact that the car runs cool while moving implies that the coolant is circulating because the engine can't be cooled just by air passing outside of it. It needs cool coolant. If it ran hot while moving, you could rule out the fan because the fans job is easily done by the air passing through the grills, but it doesn't do this. We then have to assume that the coolant is circulating fine (ie. Good water pump) because it runs cool when air passes through the radiator. The car still overheats but only when stationary, it is very likely that the reason for it is poor air ciculation.

I have had more than one car with the same symptom, and each time it was due to a poorly functioning fan. Just because the fan spins doesn't mean it is working right.

[Jean]

try your waterpump first. it doesnt make any sense that the car would run hotter at idle with a bad headgasket. the coolant isnt circulating well enough.-- possibly the belt is slipping on the pump pulley?

I agree, fan of thermostat/waterpump-- but not the headgasket.-- try tapping on the cluster (by the temp guage)to when it creeps up-- sounds stupid, but I had a M10 car that did that- the needle would drop right back to the half mark.

I'll double check the water pump / belt (belts are also new). Cluster is 100% working, i just recently put in brand new odometer gears, newish si board with lithium batteries and made sure the two nuts on the back of the cluster are there.

[fretburnr]

.-- try tapping on the cluster (by the temp guage)to when it creeps up-- sounds stupid, but I had a M10 car that did that- the needle would drop right back to the half mark.

I'm going to go with this, same thing with my old '90 i

[Hick]

atleast its and m10 headgasket. those take 15 minutes to change, tops.

[blunttech]

You win, I should read closer. But if I had read and did see that you didn't have a fan clutch, I would have said that your electric fan wasn't working hard enough. So I'll bet you a headgasket that your electric fan sucks.

Come on, double or nothing.

i would like to gamble with a guy like you. so his electric fan has worked fine in california summers for a year and all of a sudden its not working hard enough?
you sound like a gold star certified master BMW tech. what is your BMWCCA member number?

[mikeedler]

try your waterpump first. it doesnt make any sense that the car would run hotter at idle with a bad headgasket. the coolant isnt circulating well enough.-- possibly the belt is slipping on the pump pulley?

I agree, fan of thermostat/waterpump-- but not the headgasket.-- try tapping on the cluster (by the temp guage)to when it creeps up-- sounds stupid, but I had a M10 car that did that- the needle would drop right back to the half mark.

[structured]

it's pwnd by the way...

You win, I should read closer. But if I had read and did see that you didn't have a fan clutch, I would have said that your electric fan wasn't working hard enough. So I'll bet you a headgasket that your electric fan sucks.

Come on, double or nothing.

[E30SPDFRK]

pwnt

[Jean]

Read again, not running a mechanical fan. Electrical fan has been working just fine for over a year, same config, no changes made.

I'll take that head gasket, thanks!

[structured]

I'd bet you a new headgasket that your problem will be fixed when you replace your fan clutch. Try sticking your hand (or a rolled up newspaper) into the fan when it is spinning. If it stops easily, your clutch is toast.

[Jean]

Hoses are all less than 2 years old, same with t-stat and water pump. Radiator replaced last year (put in a new one with hoses/belts/water pump/tstat 2 years ago but the top part of it blew after a year and a half). Not using a fan clutch, electrical fan on at all times. It's never gotten this hot and nothing changed, so I am thinking it's the head/gasket....it would always stay in 1/2 zone and would it would take 20+ minutes before for it to get to 3/4 , but now it takes a few minutes. Once I start moving and turn the heater fan on, it quickly goes back to 1/2.