88 735i: Temp Gauge: Car getting cooler while driving

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Chris Gloss - 01 Feb 2009 13:25 GMT

The temp gauge show car getting cooler while driving. I wait until the
car is warmed before driving, resting in the center. While driving it
starts going towards the blue.

Please let me know if it's something a mech needs to fix.

Thank you in advance for all the great solutions! I love this
community!

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Dave Plowman (News) - 01 Feb 2009 14:01 GMT

In article
<abce53d2-bc0c-481a-827e-7a90aacaabcd@f3g2000yqf.googlegroups.com>,

> The temp gauge show car getting cooler while driving. I wait until the
> car is warmed before driving, resting in the center. While driving it
> starts going towards the blue.

> Please let me know if it's something a mech needs to fix.

First step would be to replace the thermostat.

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John Burns - 02 Feb 2009 20:45 GMT

> First step would be to replace the thermostat.

Agreed. Be sure to bleed the coolant properly afterwards!

Failing that the vicous coupling may have jammed so the fan is running
all the time.

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Scott Dorsey - 01 Feb 2009 14:04 GMT

>The temp gauge show car getting cooler while driving. I wait until the
>car is warmed before driving, resting in the center. While driving it
>starts going towards the blue.

This is what cars do. When you drive, more air goes past the radiator.

>Please let me know if it's something a mech needs to fix.

If it's going too far out of range you can replace the thermostat, but
if it's just a ten degree (of angle) difference, it's normal for any car.
--scott

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Alan B. Mac Farlane - 01 Feb 2009 14:05 GMT

> The temp gauge show car getting cooler while driving. I wait until the
> car is warmed before driving, resting in the center. While driving it
> starts going towards the blue.

plan one ... temp guage is burning out from use and old age ... or your
wires are that send the messages to the read out on the dash are losing
impedence because of the heat. this suggests your engine is doing just fine
and your electrical system is failing in this part of it. likely it is an
easy fix, just swap out the temp sending unit.

plan two ... temp stuff is just fine .. and you are losing your thermostat,
radiator works just fine in Arizona with 120 heat going on ... so it can
cool things once it gets open. As it is likely open all the way all along,
heating it up on idle gets it up ...running it in the wind brings it down
... rest on the road again with idle brings it up again. easy fix is swap
out the thermostat ... can pull it and place it in a pot on the stove, heat
the water up and watch it perform per specs if it is good.

if it is bad, when you pull it cold, instead of being closed, it will be in
the open position.

sumbuddie hopes this helps

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