M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Engine + Driveline => Topic started by: demon510 on February 10, 2008, 05:52:50 PM

Title: Almost overheating
Post by: demon510 on February 10, 2008, 05:52:50 PM

I have a wierd one, I couldnt get my e36 to start so I had it towed to the dealership and they got it going.  The service manager said that the car was overheating and then they gave me an estimate on the cost to fix it.  I at first thought that since I changed the starter out prior to taking it to the dealership that it just needed to be bleed.  I bleed it and still the same problem.  Next I replace the thermostat and bleed and still same problem.  I then replaced the waterpump and still same problem.  

Their is no smoke coming from the exhaust, I am also not getting any water deposits on the plugs and the oil still looks good.  I am not seeing any coolant leaks.  Not sure what would get it in its current condition from changing out the starter and bringing it to the dealership.  Oh and the dealership said the compression was good as well as the headgasket.

Title: Almost overheating
Post by: nicknikolovski on February 11, 2008, 01:47:45 AM

Have you tried engine coolant temp sensor - the engine won't start most the time if this is faulty. You can get the car going but it will just stall most the time. The ecu thinks the car is overheating because of the bad numbers being through at it. Does the gauge point to hot straight away? It is overheating gradually, then it will be something else.

Title: Almost overheating
Post by: demon510 on February 11, 2008, 09:08:26 AM

It is overheating gradually.  

We will see possibly today, I know a guy that is friends with a BMW shop and I am getting it taken a look at this afternoon.

Title: Almost overheating
Post by: nicknikolovski on February 12, 2008, 04:45:15 AM

Could be a number of things but I think maybe the viscous fan clutch could be going bad. Good luck and keep us posted.

Title: Almost overheating
Post by: demon510 on February 12, 2008, 07:12:22 AM

Clutch fan is almost new, and shows signs it is working accordingly with it being restricted when warm.  I hope it is something simple and not the headgasket or a cracked head.

Title: Almost overheating
Post by: Vladi on February 12, 2008, 03:34:40 PM

If it would be a headgasket or cracked head then you would be noticing loss of coolant in the exapansion tank

Title: Almost overheating
Post by: demon510 on February 21, 2008, 11:11:15 AM

I found the problem, it was a bad wire on the coolant temperature sensor plug, I must have damaged it when I replaced my starter.