Water Temp on the high side, Ideas?
 

Starting to notice that the water temp is starting to run a little on the high side 90c - 95c seen 100c on a hard pull. This is higher than where it has been usually 80c - 85c. Pulling the Tstat for replacement first then on to the next idea%/.

Problem is that with the higher temps the carb is starting to perk and floods when shut down, hard to start black smoke.

Coolant level is the same, fan running ok, no noise from the Wpump, no overflow from the Ptank, nothing from the pipes.

Has anyone bumped into this?

Thanks
Rich

Working through the issue right now as a matter of fact ;). Although I have a "hot" FE versus your 351. I have swapped out the radiator and fan for the larger core and higher CFM as part 1. That got me down from the 100-110C range to 90-95C...which is ok.

Part 2 entails replacing my 180F tstat with a 160F tstat as well as replacing the fan switch with a lower set point (77-82 deg C) so we catch the heat rise sooner. I would try my "part 2" first. .. Changing out the tstat should do the trick.

The engine heat soak was also causing vapor locking and hard starting.

Where is the timing set?

Isn't the weather starting to get kind of hot there in Henderson? You are in the Nevada Desert.

If so, I wouldn't worry about those water temps. As long as your fan comes on and keeps the temps stationary at or below 95, you're fine. They should drop about ten to fifteen degrees on a prolonged freeway drive as well.

Here at the coast, with a 180 degree thermostat, my water temps run 90-95 degrees in slow, stop and go traffic when the weather is 75 degrees. The automatic fan continually recycles to keep the temps in that range. As soon as I hit a straightaway with no traffic, the temps back down to about 80.

I wouldn't change a thing on your car. Puting in a 160 degree thermostat won't keep the temps from climbing in desert heat. It will only open earlier than your engine wants it to so that in the winter, you might never be able to reach proper operating temps.

If your thermostat was bad (closed) your fan would never come on, as there would be no hot water in the radiator to cool, yet your engine temp would climb till it boiled over.

I wouldn't change a thing just yet.

To help the percolation problem, buy a phenolic spacer (the biggest you can fit under your hood) and insert it under the carb. Also, open the hood when you stop if possible to let some of the heat out. Even puting a roled up towel under the edge of the hood to hold it open a few inches has been known to help. Some even leave it there while they drive during the hottest days.

A bigger capacity radiator worked for my issue, remeber these stock radiators were designed for a BMW not v8.

Most efficient temp for combustion is 212F / 100C, you are fine. Check your float levels.

I agree, your not overheating, its june, the car runs ok? enjoy it and dont be like me and invent problems that are not there:)

That's not bad at all. I don't know how long you have had your car, but expect variation as the outside temperature changes.

JHV48, yes your correct it's been 107-109 during the day and expect outside temps to reach 112-115 by July, seen 123 in august.

Haven't had the car thru the summer so the guy's might be correct in their statements of not to worry but I think I'll still swap out the stat and recheck the temp with a drop in.

Timing is good JBCOBRA this SM runs like a clock with instant responce can light them up 295/50/15 in 1-3rd.

Thank to all and drive safe
Rich

Don't replace the thermostat. It won't make any difference.

Thermostat change won't do any good. It only sets the minimum temp you will run at when warmed up.

If a Radiator is properly sized for temperature it is exposed to you will maintaine the apropriate temperature via the thermostat opening and closing.

If you are running hot on the higher outside ambient but not during the lower your radiator is running at or beyond it's parameters.

My issue would be once the radiator was heat soaked it would exacperate the issue.

Good luck which ever avenue you decide to take.

I had the same problem on Saturday. 103 degrees out. Driving home in some traffic. Stop and go driving. Temp went up to 112 on the guage which equals approx 225 degrees per my conversion chart. Timing set at 35 degrees total advance. Running a Ford Racing Boss 302 engine. It looked like the temp was rising very slowly but still rising. I expect the guage would have hit the 120 mark if I drove another 3 miles or so. Any suggestions? Love to hear from Jay at Prestige Motors as well if possible.

This might be an option>>>> http://racewayparts.com/bmwracingrad...AD-E36-92.aspx

I upgraded my fan to the Lincoln 2 speed fan and shroud using a custom harness from The Holister Road company. Ran my coupe in Phoenix last summer when it was 114 degrees out with the A/C running and never got above 205 even in traffic.

If it's only hot in traffic you need better fan/shroud setup to improve airflow through the radiator. If it's hot all the time you need a better radiator or there's another issue causing the problem.

I just had a thought.

Is your radiator completely shrouded?

And, do you have pusher or puller fans?

A fully shrouded radiator and puller fans are the best options if you want to keep relatively cool where you live in the summer months.

Not to worry. As much as I have had some issues with my B/D, the BMW rad and fan set up seems to work fine. I have an alledged 385 HP and in 95+ deg my temps run at 100c, which is an acceptable temp. Don't worry about changing much. The fan may run all of the time as it would in a regular car, but on these things, the yellow light can maybe be un-nerving at times.

If you start running 230f, then you may have an issue.

An additive that works wonders is "RedLine Water Wetter". I don't know what is in there but it works great.

Can you confirm you are getting good flow thru the Wpump? I had a loose impeller and it was very difficult to diaganose.

Running single puller fan with shroud with fan coming on at 80c that light is a bother. From what cbreez is saying should be ok up to 100c.

Thanks All
Rich

Today I decided to see just how much fluid the stock BMW radiator from BDR holds, so just an fyi the radiator by itself holds exactly 1 fluid gallon of water.