Cool car? - BMW Forum

528iTdude · 02-10-2007, 01:16 PM

B) I own a 528iT wagon. Great car! Love it. Recently, within the last week, I noticed that my car's heat gage is slowly going down. It usually operates 1/2 gage when driving after 10 minutes or so, and stays there under normal driving conditions for any length of time. Anyway, the engine seems to be slowly cooling down? Now, when I drive the car for a 1/2 hour or more, the temp is between the blue field and the 1/4 mark. Average temp outdoors here lately has been in the 10 -> 20 F. range. There has been a few 30 F. days, but the temp does seem to want to go up. I checked the coolant, which was OK. Any ideas? Let me know. Thanks! JM>[/FONT]

MEDSTUDENT87 · 02-10-2007, 05:03 PM

I don't know too much but are your getting heat in your car to get warm? If not it probably is a stuck thermostat.

528iTdude · 02-10-2007, 05:24 PM

A fellow car mechanic mentioned to me that there is a transmission sensor that will limit the heat range of the engine as to not burn out the engine. I would guess that if the car is driven hard, or a long uphill climb, this will keep the engine cooler than normal. Can't prove him wrong so far! Any ideas?

da_bull · 02-10-2007, 07:27 PM

If you just let it sit in the driveway at an idle will it stay at the center mark on the gauge? Drive it around normally and when the temp starts falling, pull over and just let it sit in park at an idle for a few minutes or so. If it climbs back up, I would lean towards an open thermostat too. If its extremely cold where you are, and you had an open thermostat, heat would never build up because its constantly circulating through the radiator. Hope that helps...

528iTdude · 02-10-2007, 09:34 PM

The temp. never has a chance to get to the normal level (1/2 gage). Pretty much goes up only to above the point where the heater kicks on, but only slightly above that point, and before the 1/4 gage mark.

528iTdude · 02-22-2007, 04:25 PM

Turned out to be just a bad thermostat No biggy!!!!

da_bull · 02-22-2007, 06:33 PM

kewl...

cervan · 02-28-2007, 03:16 AM

an engine at non operating temps also get increased wear.

PhatCat · 02-28-2007, 11:13 AM

Speaking of temperatures. Not to hijack or anything, but my temperature gage bounces wildly sometimes from just beyond the blue 'cold' section, to just over the half way mark. When I say bounces wildly, i mean it...the thing looks like it's trying to avoid rocks on the road or something.

528iTdude · 03-03-2007, 10:39 PM

Electrical problem? Sounds like electrical spikes. Basically, a temp gage is very similar to a OHM meter. Solved yet?