what temp do you run at?

[Adam C.]

just seeing if my car is running hot or not.   my temp. needle sits alittle to the right of 12o'clock, normal?   also,  i was thinking of ditching the mechanical fan and getting an electric one.  are the fans on these as bad as the ones on the e36?  should i get a pushing or pulling fan?  also how to hook it up?

thanks,
Adam

[strad]

I have an 88 C thermostat and I nearly always run a needle's width to the left of center, whether it's 60 F or 110 F (although I hear the fan clutch engage the fan at the latter temps).  I have not heard of exploding fans on these, so I'm sticking with a factory setup.

[kowalski]

i have to work really hard to get it to go to half way... and i don't have a clutch fan, i have an electric fan which stays off almost all of the time.

[RED IS 91]

just seeing if my car is running hot or not.   my temp. needle sits alittle to the right of 12o'clock, normal?   also,  i was thinking of ditching the mechanical fan and getting an electric one.  are the fans on these as bad as the ones on the e36?  should i get a pushing or pulling fan?  also how to hook it up?

thanks,
Adam

Mine is the same ,just a whisker right of straight up.

[gearheadE30]

In normal driving, mine is generally just a little left of center

[D. Clay]

The best way is to put a surface pyrometer on the thermostat housing. Gauges can very from car to car while reading the same temperature. Min e read under half way a little until I replaced the SI board batteries and now it reads straight up.

[mikesjo]

Is it bad if my needle reads a lil past the 1/4 mark most of the time? When I get into heavy traffic it usually hits the middle.

[kramerica5000]

Your thermostat is probably stuck open. Mine did this too when I first got it until I replaced the thermostat.

It's probably a good idea to replace yours as well, otherwise your engine isn't running at the temperature it was designed for. This can result in anything from not getting warm air from your heater to inefficient burning of the fuel mixture (and carbon deposits in your engine).

Is it bad if my needle reads a lil past the 1/4 mark most of the time? When I get into heavy traffic it usually hits the middle.

[Adam C.]

mine reads alittle past the middle and i dont even get warm air!  lol

[kowalski]

Your thermostat is probably stuck open. Mine did this too when I first got it until I replaced the thermostat.

It's probably a good idea to replace yours as well, otherwise your engine isn't running at the temperature it was designed for. This can result in anything from not getting warm air from your heater to inefficient burning of the fuel mixture (and carbon deposits in your engine).

I've put a new thermostat and water pump in, i've got new SI batteries as well, i think i might need a new temp sensor?

[kowalski]

mine reads alittle past the middle and i dont even get warm air!  lol

sounds like you've got a clog somewhere...

[Adam C.]

how to i get rid of the clog?  the heat works sometimes but usually not.

[gearheadE30]

Thats the place to start them. Underneath the lower intake there is a black plastic pipe that comes out of the front driver's side of the block. It sends coolant all over the place, including the heater core. Take off the intakes and you can see up under the cowling, and there might be something that is obviously wrong.

[Choking Hazard]

Just finished 565 mi trip- stayed one needle width below 12:00 the entire time...

[kowalski]

i've pulled all of my cooling system apart. i think its the sensor... i have a spare... its real cold outside...