Drifiting... and car temp

[SA E30]

I hope this is the right section.

Anyways, I had my 1st session of drifting since I built the 2.9lt motor... and I found that the car gets really hot very quickly.

Now, I dont have the viscous fan, but 2 12" electric fans, and the airconditioner fan... The fans only switch on when the car gets to 90deg celcius.

Does anyone else have this problem when throwing the car about? and more importantly does anyone have a solution ?

[jlevie]

How hot does it get? And whats the CFM rating for each of the 12" fans?

You may just need a lower temp thermo switch. BavAuto has an 82C thermoswitch and there's probably other sources. A quick test to see if it is the thermoswitch would be to jumper the fans on and subject the car to similar conditions. If it still runs hot either your fans don't move enough air or you have another problem (bad thermostat, air in the cooling system).

[gstuning]

You should have the fans on all the time while your drifting,
all it does is help out,.

You should also get a viscous fan clutch , I don´t see a reason why not.

[e30 gangsta]

I got a 71 degree thermo it helps alot i never see past 1/2 hot. Also 2 bottles of water wetter.

[asubimmer]

do you have a lower temp tstat yet?

[nando]

I hope this is the right section.

Anyways, I had my 1st session of drifting since I built the 2.9lt motor... and I found that the car gets really hot very quickly.

Now, I dont have the viscous fan, but 2 12" electric fans, and the airconditioner fan... The fans only switch on when the car gets to 90deg celcius.

Does anyone else have this problem when throwing the car about? and more importantly does anyone have a solution ?

change your temp switch out for one from an E36 M42, it will turn on sooner (80 degrees instead of 90). also, what thermostat are you using?

[ptownTSI]

i would definitely get the M42 switch fap99 had it for cheap. i have one still sitting in a box, i'm waiting to see how my E30 takes the summer heat before I put it on. so far with the brand new clutch for the fan, a new thermostat (stock temp) and all new coolant that car doesnt get much hotter than 1/2.

[SA E30]

Hey guys thanks for the help... when I say hot, it get's almost up to the red... and then I stop, pop the hood and just drive it for a little bit, and it comes back down to half way.

Funnily enough, when I drive the car it takes for ever to get to halfway on the temp gauge... but it does go past 1/2way but not by much, and then it goes a bit down to just before halfway, but mostly stays at half way.

I'm not sure what Thermo switch I have in the car, as I didn't fit the fans, my mech did... I assume it's the standard switch, and also I've just got a std e30 325i Thrmostat.

I'm pretty sure there is no air in the cooling system, as I've bled it a couple of times, and had my mech check it out... I also asked him to look into the over heating, but he couldnt get it 2 over heat, by idling... which it doesn't do, it's only when I drive it really hard... on the track it's ok, doesn't get too hot, only when I'm drifiting it...

I would like to get it sorted before next week, as a mate (s50B30euro powered e30) and I have a photoshoot on the track for our website :) .

[jlevie]

I also asked him to look into the over heating, but he couldnt get it 2 over heat, by idling... which it doesn't do, it's only when I drive it really hard... on the track it's ok, doesn't get too hot, only when I'm drifiting it...

That could be the result of too high a temp thermoswitch or too little fan capacity. At speed the fans do pretty much nothing because there's plenty of air flow and at idle there's little for the fans to do because the engine isn't producing much heat. When drifting you are asking a lot of the engine and the speed is low, which means the fans need to come on earlier and have plenty of capacity. By jumpering the fans on you can tell if you have a capacity problem. If it doesn't run hot then in a drift session you have enough cooling and a lower temp thermoswitch should eliminate the overheats.

[nando]

if they come on at 90c then you definitely have the stock thermo switch.

[AdironRider]

I can rag on my car all day, even in the summer heat, and not see my temp guage go above 1/2. Time for an overhaul if you ask me (coolant flush, new term, etc) , and look into getting a lower degree therm for sure.

[nando]

I can rag on my car all day, even in the summer heat, and not see my temp guage go above 1/2. Time for an overhaul if you ask me (coolant flush, new term, etc) , and look into getting a lower degree therm for sure.

he's got a built 2.9l M20. I don't think an overhaul is the solution here..

[blueapplesoda]

i just turbo'd my car and am using a 71 deg thermostat....i found my old one was in 3 or 4 peices, which explains the overheating. Now i run aroun 1/4-1/2 mark...1/2 being it hot outside and idling for more than 15 minutes or with the a/c on. Now to wait till summer and see what happens.

[SA E30]

Ok, the cooling system isn't a problem... I thought it could have been so I tried to bleed it, but nothing.

When u guys say 71deg Thermostat, is that the thermostat or the temp switch on the radiator ?

[Jean]

Ok, the cooling system isn't a problem... I thought it could have been so I tried to bleed it, but nothing.

When u guys say 71deg Thermostat, is that the thermostat or the temp switch on the radiator ?

Two different items. Jumper (or swap one that turns the fan on at a lower temp) the radiator coolant temp switch first and see how it runs then as it's easier and cheaper than swapping a thermostat.

You can also just run a switch to turn the electrical fans on full speed when you need to.