Overheating Problem. Please Help!!!!!

[Privateye]

I have a 1987 E30 318i and it is having an overheating problem. When i drive the car the temp is fine but when i am stationary the temp starts to rise slowly. Recently the temp has risen to near "RED" level and this has worried me. I thought i had an air lock in my engine so i bleeded the water and started from scratch. The heaters work fine and blow both hot and cold air. Its only when i am stationary that i experience this problem. Any ideas of what this could be?

Thanks in Advance

[Bear]

Sounds to me like your viscous fan clutch (that device on the front of your fan on the engine) has failed. You have two fans, a viscous on the engine and an electric in front of the radiator. If you are overheating in traffic or in slow driving, but OK at speed I wopuld change the fan clutch. This is not a expenive item and you can do it yourself.

[Privateye]

Ok thanks. Where is the Viscous fan clutch located?

[TUDM]

The fan clutch is attached to the mechanical fan.

[Bear]

Remove your fan that is attached to water pump pulley and that finned aluminum piece that is screwed on to the fan is the clutch. On my E32 it was held on by four allen head screws, I removed screws, clutch fell away, put new clutch in place, screwed her down, replaced fan, and no more overheating.

[crazy91318]

I would also check the thermostate when they go bad they stick open and the coolant doesn't have a chance to cool down

[nukeduster]

Originally posted by crazy91318@Jun 20 2005, 03:48 PM
I would also check the thermostate when they go bad they stick open and the coolant doesn't have a chance to cool down

[snapback]355316[/snapback]

its been my experience that its the opposite.. they stick closed and coolant never reaches the radiator. if it sticks open then the car cools down TOO much at highway speeds and shouldnt generally overheat at any speed.

ive run cars with no thermostat before and never had a single one overheat, they just over-cool at speed.