Drifiting... and car temp

[SA E30]

Thanks a load man... it's much appreciated :)

[nando]

it's actually 71c, but in any case the part # is 11531466174

[SA E30]

70deg... is there a BMW part no. for one ? Cause I've never seen one here in SA.

[nando]

Ok, so I had the car in a few pieces, cause my alternator belt stripped off, and took my power steering with it.

I also drained the coolant, and checked the thermostat... low and behold it's a BMW 80deg one... so I'm rather confused now.

change it for a 70 degree one, in combination with the E36 M42 aux fan switch (part # 61 31 8 361 787 ), and your cooling probelms should go away.

[SA E30]

Ok, so I had the car in a few pieces, cause my alternator belt stripped off, and took my power steering with it.

I also drained the coolant, and checked the thermostat... low and behold it's a BMW 80deg one... so I'm rather confused now.

[SA E30]

So nando u say I can use a thermostat out a M42 ? I think I'll pick one up, and the car is at the mech 2 day, as it developed a bad oil leak after trackin it yesterday... so thats gone to get sorted, and I'm going to get himn to install a switch so that I can turn the fans on full speed, when I want, but when it's off they will work like normal.

Hopefully this will help.

[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.

[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 ?

[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.

[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..

[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]

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

[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.

[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 :) .

[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.