E30 cooling system question...

No. Actually, it might be improved.

Are all of the fan blades intact? The blades on my E30 started falling off, and one actual broke the top hose connection on the radiator on it's way out!

I've always found my E30 320i to be a bit marginal on cooling. If I'm stuck in traffic I find that running the engine at 2300rpm really cools the engine down. This is because the viscous clutch drops the fan at about

Having said that, my 320i has never actually boiled over after 8 years of daily use in all weathers!

No. Your problem lies elsewhere. Is you water pump shifting a sufficient volume? Is your rad blocked with bugs?

Al.

The thermostat is not only there to control the temperature but to also restrict the flow of the coolant. Why? Well if the coolant does not stay in contact with the cavities in the cylinder head around the valve seats, stems, combustion chambers etc. then these could overheat or be over cooled - both are very detrimental to the safe running of the engine. Years ago when Mini Coopers were being races it was necessary to fit restriction plates if the thermostat was removed as the valves would seize and the heads crack around no 2 cyl (Cooper S had an extra head bolt in this area).

The thermostat has NOTHING to do with the cooling or heat radiation of the Radiator only the coolant temperature circulating (or not).

It you must have a cooler engine then fit a cooler thermostat or get a larger radiator if the one you have isn't keeping it at the correct temperature. Remember the radiator/thermostat is there to get the engine to the correct operating temperature and keep it there not to cool it down.

If you ever lose coolant I'd suspect the head gasket.

Doesn't the US model (I'm guessing you have aircon) have a two speed electric fan? I'd check it's working OK.

This is what I thought but...

Actually, I was having multiple problems with the mechanical fan so I fitted and electrical fan to the radiator itself. This is a 325i but it should make no difference as compared to your 320.

Someone had suggested that the thermostat opening actually restricted another passage in the thermostat housing and that caused the water flow to pass more through the radiator. I know it's a weird ass housing and I haven't looked to see if this could possibly be the case (my son is driving mine while his in at the body shop).

Not to the best of my knowledge. I cleaned it out a few months ago and it hasn't been bug season yet. The water pump is new, the old one was questionable and seeing as they aren't expensive I replaced it. When the car is moving, it cools just fine although I have noticed that extended high speed driving tends to run it warmer than normal when it didn't use to.

There's got to be an easy explanation for this and I'd really like to find it. Watching the temp guage is getting old...

Hahah. Good one. Do you actually know anything about this?

Those over cooled valve seats are a bitch.

Oh DIY - use porridge to seal any rad leaks and drive it to the wrecking yard.

I assume you really do have coolant (anti-freeze) in it, not just water.

If I were going to send it to the wrecking yard, I wouldn't be trying to fix it asshole. Thank you for your completely idiotic input. It's too bad that the internet has no pre-use qualifications as your input would most likely not be here if it did.

Yes, it has a mixture (although right now I can't say it's 50/50). Will be correcting the mixture as soon as I can track this down and fix.

I had the exact problem as you do few weeks ago with my E30/325i. The Issus was one of the stud was broken in Valve Cover. I have the Valve Cover Gasket replaced, the temperature problem solved.

However, I am suffering a new problem now, well, this is different story.

"Psycho" ¼¶¼g©ó¶l¥ó·s»D: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...