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Thread: Overheating!

  1. #1

    Default Overheating!

    This has been a nightmare for me. During the summer my 91 535i used to overheat even when idling and soon, sure enough the headgasket was blown. So i changed the headgasket, the radiator (the neck connecting to the hose was broken), the waterpump (leaking coolant), thermostat, fan clutch...I also had a mechanic check the tube that runs along the left side of the panel, from the coolant tank to the radiator, he said it was fine. Now it doesn't overheat while idling but the indicator goes over the halfway mark while driving.

    Does anyone know what the problem might be? Also, an easy way to check it (no money to take it to the mechanic at the moment).

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    Gateshead,UK
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    926

    Default

    Has the cooling system been bled properly? - these cars can be a nightmare to bleed, and it's easy to leave a pocket of air in the heater matrix & pipes to it. Do your heaters work OK?

    Cheers,

    Shaun

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Long Beach, CA
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    2,563

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by leetsauce4000
    This has been a nightmare for me. During the summer my 91 535i used to overheat even when idling and soon, sure enough the headgasket was blown. So i changed the headgasket, the radiator (the neck connecting to the hose was broken), the waterpump (leaking coolant), thermostat, fan clutch...I also had a mechanic check the tube that runs along the left side of the panel, from the coolant tank to the radiator, he said it was fine. Now it doesn't overheat while idling but the indicator goes over the halfway mark while driving.

    Does anyone know what the problem might be? Also, an easy way to check it (no money to take it to the mechanic at the moment).
    Mine sits a needle to the right of the halfway mark. Is that what you're talking about? How far past does your's go?

    Ralph Mendoza Jr. - Long Beach, CA

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
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    3,395

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    I'm assuming that you did the head gasket work yourself. Were the head and block checked for warping and cracks? Were the bolt holes cleaned out prior to reinstalling the head?

    best, whit

  5. #5

    Default

    No I didn't do the headgasket myself. I took it to a mechanic and he sent it to a machine shop and they said the cylinder head was fine. My heater works fine, I think, you can't really feel it until you turn the knob up to 3 or 4.

    My needle went past 3/4 (almost to the red) last time it overheated ( didn't turn on heater to test the new fan clutch).
    How do you bleed the system?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
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    3,395

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    When the car is filled with coolant, the heat should be turned on "full" to activate the auxiliary water pump, which will move coolant through the heater core and help remove air.

    I mean, unless the water pump/tstat/radiator are defective, and the pisser line is working correctly, I wouldn't be surprised to find that the shop that did the work didn't correctly reinstall the head. It's relatively common for a shop to not clean out the bolt holes, or incorrectly torque the head bolts. It usually results in something cracking. Check the coolant for signs of oil globs, and the oil for signs of coolant. Or, have a compression test done (still might not show a fine crack that only starts doing its thing on a warm engine).

    But check the pisser, first. Do a search on it -- we all talk about it a lot

    best, whit

  7. #7

    Default

    they compression tested it

  8. #8

    Default

    My brother also installed a performance chip a year or so ago (dunno what kind), could that have anything to do with the overheating?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
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    Eastern Tennessee USi
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    14,843

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    D I D Y O U B L E E D I T?

    sounds like your whole nightmare issue has transpired due to lack of maintenance. Hoses, belts, waterpumps, thermostats are COMMON maintenence items not something that needs attending to when it goes bad.

    Not to get on you but for you to look through your system and try to see what the problems are...IE: you replaced the head and its still over heating....HELLO? somethings still wrong and maybe it wasnt the head at all (well probably after an over heat procudure).
    95 E34 530I V2.37
    ===========
    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by leetsauce4000
    My brother also installed a performance chip a year or so ago (dunno what kind), could that have anything to do with the overheating?
    It's not the chip (I very much doubt it anyway). You do know how to bleed the cooling system don't you?

    Ralph Mendoza Jr. - Long Beach, CA

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