Temp Gauge Straight Up?

[Boone.Msi]

temps are over 100F here also, never went over half. Ive currently switched to a lower tstat(85 degree) and did away with my clutch fan. Temp sits at 11:00 and never goes past 12:00 in heavy traffic and high heat.

Something is abnormal if your experiencing a slight overheat in 85 degree weather. I would check your aux fan and or switch to a lower tstat.

[LunatiC]

Mine is always ever-so-slightly-left-by-a-bee's-dick from dead on 12'oclock. Depends on which angle you look at it.

I know my tstat isn't broken because I have cracked a water pump and let me assure you the car was running VERY hot.

[rob101]

Mine is always ever-so-slightly-left-by-a-bee's-dick from dead on 12'oclock. Depends on which angle you look at it.

I know my tstat isn't broken because I have cracked a water pump and let me assure you the car was running VERY hot.

mine was a little left of centre when the thermostat was screwed. when I replaced it, it was right of the centre, i think the brand and type (ie 85 or 90 deg type) of thermostat effects it.

[attack eagle]

mine also stays straight up, and my gauge works properly

I live in the desert.

[ApproachingZero]

It is probably your radiator. Either it is cloged inside or out. My corrado did the same. Normally everything was fine until it was very warm, and i was sitting. One day i removed the grill and powerwashed the damn thing. Tons of crud fell off.

Shortly after that, i took it for a spin and it drove 10 degrees cooler. I turned the AC on full and let it sit on a 95 degree day, everything was good.

I think the radiator just can't hold on to the normal temp.... might be in need of a new one

[Ross]

A fully functioning cooling system will keep the gauge nearly dead nuts center unless really extreme ambient temps. All of the BMs I've owned have been this way. A rising gauge is an indication of a marginal cooling system.

[bmwrp8]

Have read on the forum many times that the temperature gauge indictor should be straight up in the 12 o'clock position. Anything other than that is abnormal. This can't be true in all circumstances though, during hot summer days, for example. Right?
At some point (<180 degrees?) the thermostat will be wide open with the fan running at full speed. At this point the only variable in the cooling system is the temperature and rate of flow of the cooling medium, i.e. the air passing through the radiator.
Yesterday the local temperature was 85+ degrees. My temperature gauge was at times hovering near the next gauge mark (the mark halfway between normal and the beginning of the "red" zone) depending on the engine load and the car speed. The higher temps were occurring in stop and go traffic but once I got going again the temp returned to "normal". Later in the day as things cooled off the temperature gauge had the reassuring straight up appearance.

Do others have a similar experience or is this something I should be concerned about?

TIA

Jim

yesturday here in philippines it was around 115"F but still my temp is a little bit higher in the 12 oclock pos. traffic.check your e.fan and try to bleed your system

[Fred/Houston]

temps are over 100F here also, never went over half. Ive currently switched to a lower tstat(85 degree) and did away with my clutch fan. Temp sits at 11:00 and never goes past 12:00 in heavy traffic and high heat.

Something is abnormal if your experiencing a slight overheat in 85 degree weather. I would check your aux fan and or switch to a lower tstat.

Mine is always at 12:00 and it's HOT in Texas!
Boone, how did you do away with your fan clutch?
Thanks
Fred/Houston

[paul p (chi-town)]

Boone, how did you do away with your fan clutch?

Probably like this -> http://www.understeer.com/fanclutchmod.shtml

”Hang up & Drive!”
94 BMW 530iT&A 135K, ‘Helga’ ( for sale.....WHOOPS, haulin again *confused* )
92 BMW 325i 135K, ‘Rolf’ ( he’s baaaaack *woohoo* )
91 Volvo 740 Turbonium Vagon 195K ‘Thor’ ( where’s my check! *mad* )
93 Datsun NX2000 175K ‘Carla’ ( JWT clutch *smile* )
85 Toyo MR2 125K ‘Jerry’ ( dare i drive it *duh* )
“Do you want the signature on or off...............too bad." -- Captain Murphy

[JMI]

The status of the cooling system is as follows:

Coolant level is normal
System is bled of air
I replaced the thermostat about 2 months ago (engine was running cold on highway)
Main fan/clutch works
Auxiliary fan works (it runs with AC on - not certain if it runs at high water temp)
According to the previous owner's service records a new water pump was installed 46k miles ago and 31k miles ago a new radiator, upper radiator hose and coolant sensor were installed.
Radiator looks clean on the outside

The water pump is "relatively" new but from the horror stories posted on the board it may be worthwhile to change it out. Will order it soon. Any suggestions on a brand? Are plastic impeller failures still an issue?

TIA

Jim