how long can i drive?

[Unpopularpizza]

so i have a really long drive to make, california to florida, and i was wondering how long i can drive without turning the engine off without damaging my car. a while back it overheated on a 100 mile drive, i was driving kinda fast and it was like 80 degrees, i had to take the car to a mechanic because everytime i tried to drive it it overheated in seconds after driving, took it to midas, they said it was... an "air pocket"? somewhere in the cooling system and he got it out somehow idk, he said i think to turn the engine on and heater full blast and like holding the throttle from the engine side or something. i dont really remember.

that was just a story about what happened once on a long drive. my real question is how long can i drive for before needing to pull over and let my car cool or whatever.

also, my cat was cleared out by a mechanic, because it got clogged once and i didnt want to spend 1500 on a new one for cali standards.

also, i got the car 2 years ago and never got a tune-up should i get that done before the trip?

Thanks in advance.

[greenE36]

I would do a tune up and maybe consider doing maintenance 1 and 2. If the car hasn't had a cooling system overhaul, it may be time for that as well.

The car shouldn't be over heating. I can drive my M3 for well over 300 miles and not have to worry about the temp rising.

[Adijax]

I drive every day 300 miles plus , maybe u should do a stop every 400 miles and rest for 30 min , its not cuz the car only, its good for you .

[slocar]

so i have a really long drive to make, california to florida, and i was wondering how long i can drive without turning the engine off without damaging my car. a while back it overheated on a 100 mile drive, i was driving kinda fast and it was like 80 degrees, i had to take the car to a mechanic because everytime i tried to drive it it overheated in seconds after driving, took it to midas, they said it was... an "air pocket"? somewhere in the cooling system and he got it out somehow idk, he said i think to turn the engine on and heater full blast and like holding the throttle from the engine side or something. i dont really remember.

that was just a story about what happened once on a long drive. my real question is how long can i drive for before needing to pull over and let my car cool or whatever.

also, my cat was cleared out by a mechanic, because it got clogged once and i didnt want to spend 1500 on a new one for cali standards.

also, i got the car 2 years ago and never got a tune-up should i get that done before the trip?

Thanks in advance.
Yes, you should do a tune-up.

A well maintained car should be able to run for the whole length of that trip without a hiccup.

That said, you'll be stopping every 2-3 hundred miles anyway for a rest/fuel anyway so it will get a chance to cool down for at least 30 minutes.

[joey79]

You shouldn't need to turn the car off to let the engine cool. A properly functioning cooling system does that.

Yes, you should do a tune up.

[greenE36]

Yeah.. Forgot to add that. The car should not need a break, but you will.

[Albertan]

Remember BMW's are called the "ultimate DRIVING machine" not the "ultimate cooling down because it over heats machine". ANY vehicle these days should be able to drive nonstop for as long as you want to go at normal highway speeds with no problems if it is in good shape and well maintained. Stop and go and short trips in cold weather kills an engine.

[travis325i]

I drive mine back and forth to Michigan all the time it's 600 miles one way. Cars don't need to cool down but your car should not be heating up past halfway on the guage that's for sure. Make sure your car has a proper tune up before any long drive

[strad]

I routinely do 700-mile days with my 328is, 100 degrees outside, ac on full blast, without a problem.

If your car overheats while you're trying to do a long distance, there is something wrong with the cooling system. BMW and every other car manufacturer tests their cars in Death Valley during the summer as part of the development process, specifically so that they can test the car's ability to function properly in extreme heat situations. They do that before they try and sell the cars in the showroom.

[Unpopularpizza]

wow, you guys were very helpful thanks. i dont think it makes a difference but i have a 93 325i with 180k miles

EDIT: i just realized it says that next to my name....

[Hellmet]

I drove mine about 2000 miles, 24hr solid driving, only stopping for fuel and urination breaks. My longest stop was 10 minutes. When i arrived, the car was perfect. I on the other hand, was not.

If the car is maintained well it will be fine. Oh, and that pocket of air you mentioned, im guessing it wasn't bled properly and there was still some air trapped around the heater matrix. I think that is fairly common, it happened to mine too. I noticed it overheated a tiny bit, pulled over immediatly, bled it properly at the side of the road, then carried on for a drive through europe without a problem.

[skierman64]

Do you really understand that little about your car? Perhaps you should learn a little about your own car and how it works.

[dcskate102]

Do you really understand that little about your car? Perhaps you should learn a little about your own car and how it works.
Perhaps you should stop being a douchebag. Its a good question to ask for a 17 year old car.

[gravles]

Did 1700KM (1050Miles) Ottawa to St. Louis only stopping for gas in the middle of summer, no problems with overheating...

Could it be a problem with your waterpump not circulating coolant properly? Do you know if it has been upgraded from plastic impeller to a metal impeller?

[328icod]

Perhaps this thread will be locked if we can't play nice.

Op, cooling system refresh on these cars is a must.

[E36 For Life]

Their all correct, get the tune-up and cooling system working correctly. I drove from Fl. to Ca. and back in August through Death Valley (I think the OBC topped out at 124 F) and never over heated once. I drove 1200-1400 miles a day only stopping for fuel, food and restroom breaks.

[PHARMDVIPER]

this past weeked I drove 220 miles at 4k rpm (3.91) to georgia...drove the shit out of it for 2 days at road atlanta then immediately drove back.....car never skipped a beat


I think you will be ok

[328icod]

Do you really understand that little about your car? Perhaps you should learn a little about your own car and how it works.


this past weeked I drove 220 miles at 4k rpm (3.91) to georgia...drove the shit out of it for 2 days at road atlanta then immediately drove back.....car never skipped a beat


I think you will be ok


Your car is obviously maintained well. He will not have the same outcome without refreshing his cooling system.

:shifty

[westfield]

it sounds as if you are not certain about how well your car has been maintained. Before going off on that long a trip you need to have the entire car checked by a BMW independent mechanic. That means tires, brakes, entire engine and drive train. And never attempt a long trip like that without stopping to rest.

[CrazyCoder]

Yeah before you do that trip get the cooling system overhauled. It would suck to have that water pump impeller failure that was common to the older pumps in Death Valley, or really anywhere on the highway. Because if it's going to do it, it will do it at night in the middle of nowhere where you have no cell phone reception.

That said, I drove my 323 from FL to MI straight through, stopping for gas and food only. I then turned around and drove it -back- straight through. Never had a lick of trouble with it, but I did a tuneup before I went.

[328icod]

I would do a tune up and maybe consider doing maintenance 1 and 2. If the car hasn't had a cooling system overhaul, it may be time for that as well.

The car shouldn't be over heating. I can drive my M3 for well over 300 miles and not have to worry about the temp rising.


Yes, you should do a tune-up.

A well maintained car should be able to run for the whole length of that trip without a hiccup.

That said, you'll be stopping every 2-3 hundred miles anyway for a rest/fuel anyway so it will get a chance to cool down for at least 30 minutes.


You shouldn't need to turn the car off to let the engine cool. A properly functioning cooling system does that.

Yes, you should do a tune up.


Remember BMW's are called the "ultimate DRIVING machine" not the "ultimate cooling down because it over heats machine". ANY vehicle these days should be able to drive nonstop for as long as you want to go at normal highway speeds with no problems if it is in good shape and well maintained. Stop and go and short trips in cold weather kills an engine.


I drive mine back and forth to Michigan all the time it's 600 miles one way. Cars don't need to cool down but your car should not be heating up past halfway on the guage that's for sure. Make sure your car has a proper tune up before any long drive


I routinely do 700-mile days with my 328is, 100 degrees outside, ac on full blast, without a problem.

If your car overheats while you're trying to do a long distance, there is something wrong with the cooling system. BMW and every other car manufacturer tests their cars in Death Valley during the summer as part of the development process, specifically so that they can test the car's ability to function properly in extreme heat situations. They do that before they try and sell the cars in the showroom.


I drove mine about 2000 miles, 24hr solid driving, only stopping for fuel and urination breaks. My longest stop was 10 minutes. When i arrived, the car was perfect. I on the other hand, was not.

If the car is maintained well it will be fine. Oh, and that pocket of air you mentioned, im guessing it wasn't bled properly and there was still some air trapped around the heater matrix. I think that is fairly common, it happened to mine too. I noticed it overheated a tiny bit, pulled over immediatly, bled it properly at the side of the road, then carried on for a drive through europe without a problem.


Did 1700KM (1050Miles) Ottawa to St. Louis only stopping for gas in the middle of summer, no problems with overheating...

Could it be a problem with your waterpump not circulating coolant properly? Do you know if it has been upgraded from plastic impeller to a metal impeller?


Their all correct, get the tune-up and cooling system working correctly. I drove from Fl. to Ca. and back in August through Death Valley (I think the OBC topped out at 124 F) and never over heated once. I drove 1200-1400 miles a day only stopping for fuel, food and restroom breaks.


Yeah before you do that trip get the cooling system overhauled. It would suck to have that water pump impeller failure that was common to the older pumps in Death Valley, or really anywhere on the highway. Because if it's going to do it, it will do it at night in the middle of nowhere where you have no cell phone reception.

That said, I drove my 323 from FL to MI straight through, stopping for gas and food only. I then turned around and drove it -back- straight through. Never had a lick of trouble with it, but I did a tuneup before I went.



I said it simplest :weedsmili

[CrazyCoder]

I said it simplest :weedsmili

And you have a nice blue car. :confused

I hate you. I'm serious. Hate you. :D

[328icod]

And you have a nice blue car. :confused

I hate you. I'm serious. Hate you. :D


lmao, and for 9.5k, you can have a nice blue car.

(15k in maintenance records ;))

[Dantesboyz]

wow, i really wanted to harass someone over the internet because of a bad day at work, but i think these guys have already done enough.
get a tune up, but more importantly search these forums for all the cooling problems people have experienced if they didn't service their vehicle properly. then focus on your water pump and thermostat housing. by the time your done searching you'll know what to get. while your at it it's a perfect time to do the FDM.
one of the first projects i did on mine was aluminum radiator, aluminum tstat housing, FDM & metal impeller WP.
remember, the less time all of us bimmer drivers spend on the side of the road, the more it makes all others jealous

[bigMphan]

That blue car is *damn* nice

[328icod]

That blue car is *damn* nice


thank you

[Unpopularpizza]

i have another question that i want to hear from a bmw fanatic instead of my friends or parents, for the coolant tank, next to the radiater, do i mix water in it with anti-freeze or just anti-freeze?

[greenE36]

i have another question that i want to hear from a bmw fanatic instead of my friends or parents, for the coolant tank, next to the radiater, do i mix water in it with anti-freeze or just anti-freeze?
BMW anti-freeze and distilled water... 50/50 mix.

[Tontizzle]

Do you really understand that little about your car? Perhaps you should learn a little about your own car and how it works.

bit harsh..... ya cant blame a man for tryin to learn

[Fx323i]

When the car is well maintained and in a perfect condition, there is no problem in the driving time. My last longer trip was from Prague to Hamburg and back using the longer way, about 2400 kms together. I stopped just for getting fuel and had a 2 hours break in Hamburg, otherwise I made no stops.

[ChuckDizzle]

how long you can drive and enjoy the car is relative to how well you maintain it. Definitely do a cooling system refresh. There's a special in the vendors section for a full e36 cooling system for about $250.00 shipped. That and about 4 hours of your time should do it.

for the road trip make sure to bring at least an extra quart of oil and a bottle of 50/50 mix coolant and distilled water for top-offs. That's the minimum, I usually bring an extra drive belt and small toolkit.

[RsKeyz]

bit harsh..... ya cant blame a man for tryin to learn
^^ Exactly

Do you really understand that little about your car? Perhaps you should learn a little about your own car and how it works.
^^ :nono And how do we learn? Maybe by asking questions?? I think that's part of the idea of a forum such as this one. :alright

[spacecase]

I liked the owners manual on my old e30. They had a section that told you to stop and take a break every so often. The funny thing was they even illustrated stretches you should do. I think some one else said it but I wouldn't worry about the car its the driver.
I think my record (isn't anything big I know) was 2,000 miles non stop, well expect for gas in my little 325. Those were the good days, gas was 1 buck a gallon.