New Member, Just picked up an '87 325is

[KHTRNAK]

Help?

[tytypetersen]

Water pump or thermostat possibly

[DER E30]

Did the switch actually turn on a fan? If so, why did you remove it? I wonder where the real wires used to go, like when the factory built it?

It seems weird to me that the car would overheat at speed on the highway on a cold-ish day... I'm no expert on e30 cooling systems though...

Edit: Does anybody know if the thermostat is easy to pull like on a small block chev?
You could pull the thermostat and put it in a pan with water on the stove and boil the water to see it open.

[quikveedb2]

Edit: Does anybody know if the thermostat is easy to pull like on a small block chev?
You could pull the thermostat and put it in a pan with water on the stove and boil the water to see it open.

3 bolts, right on the top, front, center of the motor. Just replace it.

[KHTRNAK]

The switch didn't seem to do anything when I flipped the button a few times with the hood up. I tried to mess with it and plug it back in, no dice. I only removed it as part of my odometer cluster removal, it was installed on the lower garnish. I never put it back on because the cluster isn't working 100% (no tach) and therefore is sitting in place but not completely installed if that makes sense. The switch is back in now, but again it doesn't do anything.

I'm pretty sure the water pump and tb were changed together pretty recently, maybe a couple years ago but definitely less than a 10k miles or so...not by me but by the previous owner.

i guess first stab at it will be the thermostat. Recommended brands? Also I might as well flush the coolant, what brand is recommended for that? I'm looking at a Wahler one for about 36$.

[Wild Ride]

Fix your fan so it runs correctly on a temperature operated automatic switch like OEM. Maybe you have a blown head gasket? That can cause overheating.

[KHTRNAK]

Hey guys. Here is a little update.

Recently I started the car again after about a month of it sitting. The weather has gotten a lot cooler and I was wondering if maybe it was just too hot that night and it overheated.

I took it for a spin in 50 degree weather and it overheated within less than 10 minutes. I am not sure how or why.

I had to pull over twice to get it home (only a distance of about 2-3 miles in my neighborhood, not fast city or highway driving).

After it had cooled a little once, I opened the cap on the coolant and it was about half full but not boiling or pouring out as you would expect, no?

Another thing; most recently (before it started overheating) I replaced the coolant temp. sensor with a bosch one purchased from a vendor here on the forum. Could that have started my issues? I hadn't really driven it too much after the replacement; this is a weekend car and I have antique tags on it so it doesn't get driven daily...Although if it were more reliable I'd like to drive it more.

I really hope it is a sticky thermostat or something along those lines....