Tough sh.t - you didn't have to read it!

Intelligence is knowing when to quit - so why don't you?

 I was just wondering how much longer I was going to have to wait for
more of your superior wit. Too bad you actually quoted 70 lines of
text to add this to...

A new car would be cheaper than this!

<Joe Pesci>
Okay, okay, okay, I think I got it!
</Joe Pesci>

I did replace several things...all of which needed a good replacing.

At first, on the advice of a mechanic I replaced the air flow meter.
Nothing

Coolant temp sensor: needed it!!!! Old one disintegrated.
Nothing

Thermostat, original!!!! Needed it!
Nothing

While I was there, several vacuum lines, one of which went to the fuel
pressure regulator...'cos it was all crumbly. I was thinking...low
fuel pressure?

I had already recently replaced fuel filter and plugs.

Cap and rotor...might have been original :-< pins nearly cut in half!
Pitted, horrible
Nothing

Rearranged various relays (fuel pump relay) if appropriate.
Nothing

It was still overheating from time to time... which corresponded to
its poor behavior.

At first glance it looked like the fan clutch was ok. But one time, I
looked at it, it didn't seem quite right. So in one of my southern
"Hey yall! Watch this!" moments, yet without any "y'all "to watch it
or apply a tourniquet if I was wrong...I stopped the fan blade with my
bare hand while it was overheating. Excellent, said I!. Well, only
after noting what a dumb a.s thing that just was. I put a new clutch
on it.

The temp needle is absolutely rock steady. It never goes above medium.
and it runs great! Better than before. I zipped around the
neighborhood, frightened the children, scared the pets, stunned the
farm animals. It wouldn't act up. I almost wouldn't have believed it.
I'm not disappointed. Everything I put on, it needed. Even the
previous air flow meter was the wrong part number. At least now it was
one from the same model!

Thanks to Bill for your input. I'll let you know if it continues to be
a lady or a b***h! LOL

(posted and emailed)

mike
a new regular?!
88 528e

Alright all ye who are strong in BMW-fu

98.4 percent of the time this car runs absolutely fantastic. The other
times it acts as though it is overheating then stumbles and runs quite
poorly. The temp needle climbs, it stumbles, won't accelerate, then a
few minutes later it clears up and again...runs great. I have replaced
the thermostat. I have, but have not yet replaced, the coolant temp
sensor. I have replaced the airflow meter, on the advice of a
mechanic. Fortunately, it was cheap...(EBAY) but it made no
difference. I love the car...It's in great shape...but HELP!