I have a slight problem still with my car running hot. It goes up to the 3/4 mark and stays there. When I drive, it is back to normal. But when I go up a hill, it creeps up.
When I am idle, it is normal. After a long drive or so, it would stay somewhere between the 1/2 and 3/4 mark.
My aux fan turns on once in a blue moon but it does turn on.
When I turn the car on, I can stop the fan clutch with my hand, is this suppose to be normal?
Car has just under 50k miles 98 M Roadster.
Car was CPO'd @ 42k miles over 2 years ago. CPO warranty has expired.
Parts that have been replaced just recently less than 300 miles ago to try to cure the problems are
Thermostat
Thermostat Housing
Fan Clutch
Fan temp switch
Dealers changed the fan clutch. I had two independant mechanics look at the problem and they had no idea either. One said although the fan clutch looks new, it may be the problem.
I flushed the coolant, bled it to death.
There were a few times that after I drove the car, I would open the reservoir cap and suddenly all the fluid pours out and times when I open the bleed screw and tons of fluid came bubbling out. Now when I open it, the fluid is fine, no bubbles from the bleed screw either.
Here are a few questions I have
Could my radiator be screwed? If so what should I look for and what are the symptons?
Could my hoses be clogged? If so where and what should I try to look for?
Could my water pump be going out? The dealers said the water pump checked out fine.
The thermostat is opening and closing properly.
Also usually how long does it take for the aux fan to start turning on?
I tested the aux fan switch and it blew on high and low so it seems to be functioning.
Is it normal for the M Roadster temp to fluctuate all the time?
I know there was a recall for the intrument reading high but the car should have had it fixed when they did the CPO crap right? Also my car idles and etc in the middle so I don't think this is the problem.
Would running the fan delete kit with the fan be any helpful in my situation? ie using the lower temp thermostat and fan switch and the water wetter?
check water pump impeller, if plastic, change to metal one
The 98 M roadster is suppose to have a metal one.
Also I checked with Crevier BMW and the waterpump they have listed is plastic. this is what they had for my car
11-51-7-527-799 WATERPUMP(Plastic only)1 $64.60
?
I checked understeer and they have a different pn
11 51 7 503 884
Which one am I suppose to use?
use only with metal impeller
re-bleed. if that doesn't work, check the temp guage itself. throwing parts costs money
I'm willing to bet it's the fan clutch. I too, bought a new one and it came out to be defective. When it's hot, accel at the throttle body and you should feel the fan pull alot of air. A way to test the fan clutch is to wait until the car is running hot, then grab something like a rubber hose and slowly bring it close to the fan to try and stop it. If you succeed in stopping it fairly easy, then it's defective. Just be careful trying this method and don't apply too much pressure. If it's defective you should be able to stop it fairly easy.
yeah I can stop the fan clutch easily. I can stop it with my fingers. I will try replacing it tomorrow.
Thanks
DC
Yeah, I also use my hand but I didn't want you to use your hands if you've never done it before. I'm sure there are alot of e36 drivers out there that have a bad fan clutch but don't know since they're not in hot climates.
Once you have a good fan clutch you'll notice the added noise of rushing air when taking off from a traffic light after sitting at idle for a while.
527 799 is the correct no from the dealer and it should be composite, not plastic.
AFAIK BMW doesn't sell the plastic impeller type anymore bc of all the failures.
I think they started selling the new version a little over a year ago.
Bimmerparts sells the 503 884 w/ metal impeller as do other aftermarket vendors.
Geba and Graf.
Well just got a new fan clutch and reservoir cap and the problem is still there.
Aside from the fan clutch, reservoir cap, bleed screw, thermostat, thermostat housing, and fan temp switch... what else is involved in the cooling system?
I think I am going to go with the aluminum thermostat housing, lower fan temp switch and lower thermostat and waterpump from the dealer to see how it goes from there.
If that fails, the radiator, upper and lower hoses as well as reservoir to radiator hose is next to be changed.
Am I missing anything else in the cooling system? I freaking hate my car. I'm about ready to trade it in for a Lexus. PLEASE HELP!
When you bled system did you turn heater on high?
Crucial to get air out of heater hoses and core.
I wouldn't bank on that guage having been replaced under CPO.
I used to trust BMW tech service, not anymore.
Yeah I bled the system with the heater on high. I also went through about 2 gallons of coolant in the bleeding process.
Take it into your stealer, and get the car evaluated. You've already spent money on some parts and it hasnt fixed the problem. Go get the car looked at by a Professional and really knows the ins and outs about this car. Im not questioning/in doubt of your mechanical knowledge but still. It looks like youve already put quite a bit of time into fixing it, and as mentioned above replaced a few parts. Go ahead, take it in.
Do it.. cmon,
Andrew :cool:
Take it into your stealer, and get the car evaluated. You've already spent money on some parts and it hasnt fixed the problem. Go get the car looked at by a Professional and really knows the ins and outs about this car. Im not questioning/in doubt of your mechanical knowledge but still. It looks like youve already put quite a bit of time into fixing it, and as mentioned above replaced a few parts. Go ahead, take it in.
Do it.. cmon,
Andrew :cool:
no, no--- he's come this far. Now he must stay the course. must buy more parts and replace things. :devillook
G:
since you are not able to diagnose what is happening, take it to the dealer and have them look at it. the dealer in MA is nice enough to do this for free when i ask politely--- then i buy the parts and do the work myself. i want you to let the dealer handle the work here, though. let's be done with this and stop buying radiators and hoses....quit guessing
I've taken my car to the dealers at least 5 times. Everytime they said it was something else. I complained the last time I went because I kept having to pay for diag. fees everytime. They raped me over $800 just in diag fees. When I go back and complain, they said that it was something else now and would need a new diagnosis and etc... I hate the dealer. I'd rather trade the car in than to go back to those a**@^Y*s! I contacted BMWNA as well through the owners circle about my problem and they did not want to help me out.
:(
So is this new fan clutch engaging? If is not engaging, it's one of two things: the radiator is not get hot enough, or the new fan clutch is bad. A fan clutch is suppose to be store vertical. It will go bad if left flat. I know it's frustrating but if you're able to stop it (with your hands) replace it with another one.
Also what i have noticed, I bleed the system until I see the aux fan kick in. To me that is a sign that you pretty much got all the air out.
yeah the new fan clutch seems to be engaging. With the new one, I tried to stop it with my fingers again like my previous one. I could not stop it, which should be a good thing.
How exactly did you bleed the system? I've been driving around until the car is at normal operating temp. Then I unscrew the bleed screw and let air out little by little. Now all I am getting is fuzzy bubbles and a constant stream after.
I tried with the reservoir tank off as well. With it off, the bleed screw has a constant stream and leaks out with some of the coolant coming back into the reservoir through the small little hole on top.
I've been driving around until the car is at normal operating temp. Then I unscrew the bleed screw and let air out little by little. Now all I am getting is fuzzy bubbles and a constant stream after.
Noooooo! Read my instructions at www.understeer.com/faq.shtml Do NOT drive the car at all until fully bleeding the cooling system, bleed it COLD.
Bimmerparts sells the 503 884
Actually that part number doesn't mean much, it just supercedes to the 799 number at the dealer. Those Graf/Geba pumps are crap, they are not the same quality as the older BMW welded metal impeller pumps.
[QUOTE=GriMpY]yeah the new fan clutch seems to be engaging. With the new one, I tried to stop it with my fingers again like my previous one. I could not stop it, which should be a good thing.
How exactly did you bleed the system? I've been driving around until the car is at normal operating temp. Then I unscrew the bleed screw and let air out little by little. Now all I am getting is fuzzy bubbles and a constant stream after.
I tried with the reservoir tank off as well. With it off, the bleed screw has a constant stream and leaks out with some of the coolant coming back into the reservoir through the small little hole on top.[/QUOTE
Great, you're almost there. Now all you need to do is bleed the system. Understeer has a great write up on this. You have to be patient when doing it. I've taken up to a couple of hours going back and forth from loosening the bleed screw to tighten it. Then I will take it for a test drive around the block and not venture too from home.
Then come home loosen that bleed screw again. A lot of steam will come out, sometimes lasting about 10 minutes. Once the steam stops, open the cap add more coolant. Drive again until it gets to operating temperature then park it, do not open the cap and leave it over night. The next day when you remove the cap you'll notice that it will be low on coolant, fill it to the mark. Take it for a test drive staying close to your home.
Drive for a while provided it's not overheating. Park and while the car is on, check to see if your aux fan kicks in low speed (the A/C will have to be off for this test). If it turns on and after a while it shuts off, then you're good to go. For the next two days, check your coolant in the morning and add if needed.
BTW make sure the heater core valve is open when bleeding and adding coolant
Noooooo! Read my instructions at www.understeer.com/faq.shtml Do NOT drive the car at all until fully bleeding the cooling system, bleed it COLD.
It really helps to have a friend lend a hand by sitting in the car revving the motor and keeping an eye on the temp gauge. Start off by removing the coolant reservoir cap and the plastic bleeder screw right next to it. Fill the coolant reservoir with a 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water. Have your friend start the car, turn on the heater to full hot on the vent position and rev the motor to about 2500 RPM, if the temp gauge goes past the 12 o'clock position, shut the motor off, let it cool down and start over again. Watch the coolant reservoir, as the engine warms up the coolant level should drop, refill as the coolant is sucked out of the reservoir. Watch the bleeder screw hole also, when coolant with no air bubbles begins to overflow then you're almost done. It's a good idea to have some paper towels handy to mop up any overflow. Screw the bleeder screw back in (be careful to not break the plastic screw) and continue to rev the motor, you should see a continuous stream of coolant spraying in to the reservoir from the small hole at the top. Continue letting that spray in to the reservoir while your friend revs the motor for a couple of minutes to ensure any remaining air is gone. If the heater is blowing hot air when you're revving the motor AND when the engine is at idle then your cooling system is properly bled. If your vents are blowing cool air at idle then you still have air in the system, try revving the motor more and/or squeeze the radiator hoses to help dislodge any trapped air. Once your system is fully bled, top off the reservoir and replace the cap. Check the coolant level in a day or two and top off as needed.
This is what I used when I bled my system. There is no more air bubbles coming from my bleed screw. I then close the bleed screw and there is a stream of coolant coming from the little hole. The heater blows hot air when idle. :(
Have you tried waterwetter? Have you had the system pressure tested? Have you tried running with less coolant & more water? (better cooling in summer, but less antifreeze protection in winter). Just some ideas...
First off, I would like to thank everybody that helped me with the problem. I really appreciate all the feedback.
This is how the problem was solved.
I got a new radiator, new water pump (composite prop.), lower temp fan switch, lower temp thermostat, and the new fan clutch I picked up a few days before.
The water pump was the metal impeller one and looked like it was working. I am suspecting the radiator was the culprit since I already changed the thermostat, fan switch, and fan clutch and the problem was still there.
Now the car stays right in the middle even through traffic.
Again I would like to thank everyone!
bmw engineers should have put a rad. cap directly on radiator.
theirs is a crap*y setup which is not user friendly.
sounds like your dealer is inept. please change dealer service if you can.
send complaint to bmw or better business bureau for a partial refund of your extra parts.
these bit*ch*s are a great ride but are quirkey.
after my 1st experience bleeding this rediculous system i have since learned this to "greatly speed" eliminating the massive airpocket in the radiator and consequently the bleeding.
-PRIME to spill point with coolant the radiator and upper rad. hose prior to connection.-
then, do the other steps for DIY filling/bleeding found on web searches.
