Landing gear inspector
So I swapped out the SI board (which got rid of my lights-staying-on problem), thermostat, and a temp sensor, but the gauge still warms up to just over blue and stays there. It will hit 1/4 if I drive it hard, park it in the heat, and come back 10-15 minutes later, but once I drive it, drops back down to just over blue. Is this the real temperature, or is my gauge messed up?? Anything else I'm missing?
On a related note, my coolant resevoir is OVERFILLED and the goddamn check engine light won't go off... Is that the sensor in the tank, or is it elsewhere? Also, any particular trick to bleeding these engines, besides heating em up, parking uphill, heater on, and open the bleed screw?
Thanks!
-Tim
Originally Posted by dallasfan824
Skittles Owns j00!
I basically have the same problem too, when I start up my car and drive it around my temp gauge seems to bounce around...Anyone know whats going on? Ive heard that my SI board battery is leaking acid, which is cause the temp gauge to fluxuate.Originally posted by TC535i
So I swapped out the SI board (which got rid of my lights-staying-on problem), thermostat, and a temp sensor, but the gauge still warms up to just over blue and stays there. It will hit 1/4 if I drive it hard, park it in the heat, and come back 10-15 minutes later, but once I drive it, drops back down to just over blue. Is this the real temperature, or is my gauge messed up?? Anything else I'm missing?
On a related note, my coolant resevoir is OVERFILLED and the goddamn check engine light won't go off... Is that the sensor in the tank, or is it elsewhere? Also, any particular trick to bleeding these engines, besides heating em up, parking uphill, heater on, and open the bleed screw?
Thanks!
-Tim
-Saul
Landing gear inspector
Sounds like a totally different problem... mine doesn't bounce around at all, just doesn't get "warm". Otherwise, warm up and cool down are normal, just to a very supressed degree.
Bouncing gauge means time for a new board or batteries...
Member
Check the ground on the gauge. Both of you.
ON the coolant level, it's the sensor in the tank.
Landing gear inspector
Holy crap, Powell lives!Originally posted by jsp98m3
Check the ground on the gauge. Both of you.
ON the coolant level, it's the sensor in the tank.
When you say check the ground, you mean right there inside the cluster, check the harness plugging in, a common ground for all gauge "-" wires, or what? Is there a common problem with these I should be looking for specifically?
Member
Check the tightness of the brass nuts on the back of the gauge.
Mr. Anderson
Pull the gauge out, and clean the contacts really well. Make sure you clean the ones on the gauge as well as the cluster itself. I had this problem with the fuel gauge on my E30, and it cleared it right up. I don't know if your cluster (E34) has the same little ground nuts on the board, but if it does, make sure they are all tightened down good and making contact. If none of this helps, I would advise replacing the gauge.
Landing gear inspector
Sounds like a plan, I'll pull it out (again, 7th time, don't ask) tomorrow and let you know what happens!
-Tim
Landing gear inspector
Guess I didn't look enough...
http://member.rivernet.com.au/btaylo...pGaugeE30.html
Landing gear inspector
Okay, brass nut didn't do the trick. Guess I'll be swapping the gauge out... is there any way to test the gauge without buying a new one and swapping it?
Member
Probably not the gauge. Go look on my webpage about repairing hairline cracks in the circuit board. Even remade ones are usually not good 50% of the time.
Landing gear inspector
Jim, it was doing this with my old SI board and with the new one (Programma rebuild). I highly doubt they both just happen to have the same production damage? It has to be something else...Originally posted by jsp98m3
Probably not the gauge. Go look on my webpage about repairing hairline cracks in the circuit board. Even remade ones are usually not good 50% of the time.
Member
Why?
The gauge is just about bullet proof unless you pry the needle off wrong at some point and break or crimp the spring. Or push the needle on crooked and jamb it.
WANTED: faster race car
What I've heard is, if a bad SI board sits in there long enough, the underpowering of the gauge can damage something inside (similar to a electrical "brown-out" situation).Originally posted by jsp98m3
Why?
The gauge is just about bullet proof unless you pry the needle off wrong at some point and break or crimp the spring. Or push the needle on crooked and jamb it.
If the gauge really is bullet-proof, maybe I'm looking at something in the wiring? I wonder if there's any way to "test" the gauge?
'94 325is #94 IP/GTS3 Mauritius Blue Metallic
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License Revoked
Its not your gauge. Its your thermostat. If your gauge is steady but the car only heats up to 1/4 then its the stat. Mine did this when I bought the car, new stat and it sits at 1/2 now.
Bouncy or intermittent gauges are caused by the grounding problem.
Landing gear inspector
Just bought a new t-stat 2-weeks ago.Originally posted by Ryan Stewart
Its not your gauge. Its your thermostat. If your gauge is steady but the car only heats up to 1/4 then its the stat. Mine did this when I bought the car, new stat and it sits at 1/2 now.
Bouncy or intermittent gauges are caused by the grounding problem.
4 banger's RULE!!!
BMW CCA Member
Well, at the very least, this thread has convinced me to (eventually) pull my cluster and clean MY temp gauge. Mine is bouncing around like Saul's, and it sounds like it's the grounding issue.
Tim, not sure what you want to do about yours. I'm leaning towards what Ryan is saying, it's t-stat related. But since you DID just replace it, I'm puzzled. Maybe it's too LOW of one? Maybe....
BTW Eurospeed88, the car in question is Tim's newly aquired 325es, thus posting in the e30 forum. HERE'S the thread where he's talking about joining us, as well as still being a part of the e34 commune. e30's sure do make great daily cars, especially if you already have another BMW and can't bring yourself to drive a Honda.
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Landing gear inspector
Checked today, looks like I installed a 71 degree thermostat. Bought an 80 degree today, I'll let you guys know how that goes!Originally posted by uberpanzer
Well, at the very least, this thread has convinced me to (eventually) pull my cluster and clean MY temp gauge. Mine is bouncing around like Saul's, and it sounds like it's the grounding issue.
Tim, not sure what you want to do about yours. I'm leaning towards what Ryan is saying, it's t-stat related. But since you DID just replace it, I'm puzzled. Maybe it's too LOW of one? Maybe....
BTW Eurospeed88, the car in question is Tim's newly aquired 325es, thus posting in the e30 forum. HERE'S the thread where he's talking about joining us, as well as still being a part of the e34 commune. e30's sure do make great daily cars, especially if you already have another BMW and can't bring yourself to drive a Honda.
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