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Car Forum / BMW Cars / October 2007328i Temperature Gauge Shows Hot Fast
I have a '97 328i with 116,000 miles. A few times the past month, the temperature gauge has quickly climbed from the normal dead-center position into the red when at idle. Either revving the engine or getting the car moving would cause the needle to drop fast back to normal. This morning the gauge went into the red at 40 mph and then quickly dropped back down, so whatever the problem is, it's getting worse. I do not see any leaks or low coolant in the reservoir or radiator. Thanks for any help. >I have a '97 328i with 116,000 miles. A few times the past month, the > temperature gauge has quickly climbed from the normal dead-center [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > worse. I do not see any leaks or low coolant in the reservoir or > radiator. Thanks for any help. Change the thermostat. > >I have a '97 328i with 116,000 miles. A few times the past month, the > > temperature gauge has quickly climbed from the normal dead-center [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Change the thermostat. Thanks for the answer. I should know this, but is that a fairly easy job? Can I get a new thermostat from the local parts store or is it better to get one from the dealer? > Thanks for the answer. I should know this, but is that a fairly easy > job? Can I get a new thermostat from the local parts store or is it > better to get one from the dealer? It is an 88 degree C thermostat, so you may not find it at your local part store. Try there first though. >> >I have a '97 328i with 116,000 miles. A few times the past month, the >> > temperature gauge has quickly climbed from the normal dead-center [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >job? Can I get a new thermostat from the local parts store or is it >better to get one from the dealer? If you can get the Wahler OEM branded one from a local store, do it, otherwise get it from a dealer or one of the mail order parts places. You should be able to do the whole job in ten minutes flat, including bleeding the air out of the system. Also, check the fan clutch. If the fan spins freely to the touch with the engine cold, the fluid clutch is probably no longer a fluid clutch any more. It should feel pretty stiff. --scott  Signature"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." > Also, check the fan clutch. If the fan spins freely to the touch with > the engine cold, the fluid clutch is probably no longer a fluid clutch > any more. It should feel pretty stiff. Isn't this the wrong way round? The viscous coupling on these fans is designed to slip with the engine cold and then gradually increase the drive to the fan as the engine gets hot. With the engine very hot - AC in use on a hot day in a traffic jam , it should near lock up and easily checked by the very noticeable increase in fan noise when the engine is revved. So with the engine stationary and cold you can turn the fan easily by hand. That's assuming the 328 has the same arrangement as my 528. Earlier viscous drives transmitted a fixed ratio to the fan but then simply limited the maximum speed of it. So that will drag with the engine stopped. The easy identification is in the fixing. The later type has a left hand thread cap nut which fits on the end of the waterpump spindle. The earlier type fits over the spindle and is secured by a normal thread nut. The thermostatically controlled later type also has a clock spring on the front - which usually can't be seen until it or the rad is removed. Hope this generalization applies to all US spec models. ;-) Signature*If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting? Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. >> Also, check the fan clutch. If the fan spins freely to the touch with >> the engine cold, the fluid clutch is probably no longer a fluid clutch [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >revved. So with the engine stationary and cold you can turn the fan easily >by hand. You can turn it, but you can't spin it around. And yes, it gets much, much stiffer when the engine is hot, but even when it's cold there's a substantial difference between a good and a bad clutch. >That's assuming the 328 has the same arrangement as my 528. Earlier >viscous drives transmitted a fixed ratio to the fan but then simply >limited the maximum speed of it. So that will drag with the engine >stopped. Yes, it should be the later type. --scott Signature"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." Check the contacts on the back of the temp gauge they can go poor.Just clean and tighten them.This cured my same problem. Mark >I have a '97 328i with 116,000 miles. A few times the past month, the > temperature gauge has quickly climbed from the normal dead-center [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > worse. I do not see any leaks or low coolant in the reservoir or > radiator. Thanks for any help. > I have a '97 328i with 116,000 miles. A few times the past month, the > temperature gauge has quickly climbed from the normal dead-center [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > worse. I do not see any leaks or low coolant in the reservoir or > radiator. Thanks for any help. usually when the temp gage moves erratically and quickly the problem is not engine temp related, but electrical in nature. check the connections on the back of the cluster. If no problem is found there then I would check the temp sensor. the temp sensor should not be too expensive if you dont find any connection problems. if that does not help then you may be looking at a problem with the cluster internally, of course if the engine is not really overheating. Good luck. >> I have a '97 328i with 116,000 miles. A few times the past month, the >> temperature gauge has quickly climbed from the normal dead-center [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > internally, of course if the engine is not really overheating. Good > luck. Actually - NOT TRUE with modern BMW temp gauges. They are basically idiot lights done as a gauge. They indicate OK over a wide range of temps, and only go to the RED when something exceeds the temp.. but when they do - they go IMMEDIATELY into the red. It sounds as if the OP has an airflow problem.. I'd suggest he check if his auxiliary fan (in front of the radiator) is coming on when the AC is turned on. If not - the fan is kaput (dead, nailed to the perch..) Not an uncommon failure actually. IF that isn't the case - he also might want to check/replace his water pump.. the '97 date is right around when BMW phased them out due to failures.. and one that is starting to go can cause these symptoms as the impeller freewheels on the water pump drive shaft. In this case - if the system is open, I'd also do the thermostat. |
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