Considering a bigger better radiator.

[ProductUser]

In about a month or less, the temps in Phoenix will reach triple digits. During that time, I'll take my roadster out to record coolant temps (stock cooling system) using my Torque app (I'll enable verbose logging). I'll post my results in new thread for those interested.

[KJ79]

Fantastic ProductUser! Your input and data would be greatly appreciated and hugely valuable being in Phoenix, AZ (about as extreme of conditions as one can put a vehicle through in the U.S.) I'm trying to figure out what "normal" behavior is for a S52 stock cooling system, so the more the merrier, I am very curious to hear of your findings. Thanks again!

Cheers,
KJ

[BimmerBreaker]

In about a month or less, the temps in Phoenix will reach triple digits. During that time, I'll take my roadster out to record coolant temps (stock cooling system) using my Torque app (I'll enable verbose logging). I'll post my results in new thread for those interested.

Been 100F+ where I am in Mesa for at least two weeks now

[ProductUser]

Fantastic ProductUser! Your input and data would be greatly appreciated and hugely valuable being in Phoenix, AZ (about as extreme of conditions as one can put a vehicle through in the U.S.) I'm trying to figure out what "normal" behavior is for a S52 stock cooling system, so the more the merrier, I am very curious to hear of your findings. Thanks again!

Cheers,
KJ

No trouble at all.

Tony

[Tallyho322]

Am going to take my Z3M to work tomorrow...supposed to be 90F and I am sure the traffic tomorrow afternoon will be a lot of stop and go. Threw the mech fan in the trunk just in case I have to do something drastic.

does anyone know how hot is too hot, as measured wherever the coolant temperature sensor is? I have seen 219F on my Wi-Fi app. Somewhere around 212F my electric fan kicks on, so I am hoping that will keep thins from really frying tomorrow in the stop and go traffic.

But at what temp should I pull over and install the mech fan?

greg

[GG///M3]

Am going to take my Z3M to work tomorrow...supposed to be 90F and I am sure the traffic tomorrow afternoon will be a lot of stop and go. Threw the mech fan in the trunk just in case I have to do something drastic.

does anyone know how hot is too hot, as measured wherever the coolant temperature sensor is? I have seen 219F on my Wi-Fi app. Somewhere around 212F my electric fan kicks on, so I am hoping that will keep thins from really frying tomorrow in the stop and go traffic.

But at what temp should I pull over and install the mech fan?

greg

Why would you not just keep the mech fan, and use a lower temp fan switch?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[neopolymath]

Why would you not just keep the mech fan, and use a lower temp fan switch?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you enjoy exploding fans?

[GG///M3]

Do you enjoy exploding fans?

Buy the euro diesel fan blade.

Problem solved .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rf900rkw]

Such would be difficult since BMW now blocks Euro parts from entering the US. You would have to find someone out-of-country to play intermediary. And, one of my main reasons for fan removal, the original reason I did, is it makes the car sound like an old Datsun. The diesel fan makes it sound like a school bus.

[GG///M3]

Such would be difficult since BMW now blocks Euro parts from entering the US. You would have to find someone out-of-country to play intermediary. And, one of my main reasons for fan removal, the original reason I did, is it makes the car sound like an old Datsun. The diesel fan makes it sound like a school bus.

Incorrect Ecs tuning sells them on their website.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rf900rkw]

They still list the M3 Evo 6sp crossmember. That doesn't mean they have one to sell you.

[ProductUser]

Such would be difficult since BMW now blocks Euro parts from entering the US. You would have to find someone out-of-country to play intermediary. And, one of my main reasons for fan removal, the original reason I did, is it makes the car sound like an old Datsun. The diesel fan makes it sound like a school bus.

That comment always reminds me of my Datsun B110 from way back in the day

[GG///M3]

They still list the M3 Evo 6sp crossmember. That doesn't mean they have one to sell you.

You can always call before ordering . I have one sitting here that will go in once I’m ready to have the s52 swapped in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BimmerBreaker]

Buy the euro diesel fan blade.

Problem solved .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those dont flow as much air as stock, may as well do a fan delete vs installing that fan. My friend went to one of those fans, said it wasnt doing a lot - he was battling heat with F/I and wanted the euro fan since he read its more reliable. But it didnt flow nearly as much. Went to a stock fan and its been fine ever since. Euro fan has less blades at a lower pitch, simple physics dictates that it flows a loooot less air than the stock fan.

If you want a fan, should really run the OE one.

[GG///M3]

Those dont flow as much air as stock, may as well do a fan delete vs installing that fan. My friend went to one of those fans, said it wasnt doing a lot - he was battling heat with F/I and wanted the euro fan since he read its more reliable. But it didnt flow nearly as much. Went to a stock fan and its been fine ever since. Euro fan has less blades at a lower pitch, simple physics dictates that it flows a loooot less air than the stock fan.

If you want a fan, should really run the OE one.

Odd a friend of mine with boost swore by the euro fan. I’ll be running a lower temp aux fan switch as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tallyho322]

My update from today....
drove 57 miles in about 90F ambient temps. Some stop and go traffic, other times moving 30-70 mph.

Using my Wi-Fi adaptor and phone app, monitored temps from 212 to a high of 230 (briefly). Did not have the air on, but know the electric fan kicks in around 212F. Played the heater a few times to see if turning it on made much difference in lowering temp.

As long as I was moving, temps were below 220F. Immediately after hitting some stopped traffic, temps would rise. But would actually go down even while stopped in traffic. I am assuming that a combination of reduced engine heat ( not running the engine as hard) and the electric fan kicking in reduced the coolant temp.

When the temp reached 230F, the analogue dash gauge did move to 3/4.

Oil temps were about straight up on the gauge. Maybe 230F.

I had the mech fan in the trunk, but did not that things were out of control. Turning the heat on did seem to help bleed off some of the temp, but even after I turned it off, temps continued to drop (even if sitting in traffic).

I guess no one knows how hot is too hot ( from my prior post)?

I am guessing 230-240F is starting to get close.

Greg

[rf900rkw]

While BMW allows for 105 (220ish) as the upper point of "normal", that is too hot all the way around for me. 90C cruising is what I would want to see, and staying under 100C under duress. Also, the fan is not controlled by engine temp. Trying to equate it's operation to the engine, as common as it is in this forum, is fallacy and will get you into trouble eventually.

[Mr Bingley]

When the temp reached 230F, the analogue dash gauge did move to 3/4.

That's too hot--the analogue dash gauge shouldn't move off center.

[KJ79]

While BMW allows for 105 (220ish) as the upper point of "normal", that is too hot all the way around for me. 90C cruising is what I would want to see, and staying under 100C under duress. Also, the fan is not controlled by engine temp.

Correct, the fan is not controlled by the engine temp but by the coolant temp (at the end of the radiator). And, I try to live my little S52 life to these exact same coolant temperature numbers: 90C cruise-100C under extreme load.

That's too hot--the analogue dash gauge shouldn't move off center.

Yes, it should never move or something is wrong. Coolant temperature gauges can be of the utmost importance to a driver and alert one of an issue, either hot or cold, just as you experienced. And, despite erroneous belief, serious trouble (and costs) arises if you don’t pay attention to the coolant temp gauge.

If coolant temp gauge is reading too hot and your electric fan is not on, there is a problem somewhere. Same is true is temp gauge is reading too hot and electric fan is running on high and coolant temperatures continues to rise, another problem in the system persists that you would never know of without that engine coolant temp info as the baseline reading (otherwise you are flying literally blind....oh engine coolant temp must be fine, the radiator fan is not on, or, we must be good, radiator fan is on, temps are being attended to.....not always true and sound logic is it?).

The coolant temp gauge lets you know if overall in general if everything is working and engine is operating within spec as it should be. So paying attention to too high of an engine temps (fans working or not) is not fallacy and is actually how the system is designed for the driver to first be aware of a problem. There is a point where that fan should be on, fact, and bringing temps back down keeping everything in check. And how do you know if something is wrong? Engine coolant temps continue to rise uncontrollably. And paying attention to the gauge that every single auto manufactures puts right in the center of the dash, 1 of 4 gauges smack dab in front of the driver in our cars , will never get you into trouble despite popular belief on this forum. That is important information to not melt your engine block, please use it, you came very very close and is exactly why I have said maybe the fan delete isn't always the best idea for everyone, despite all the cool sheep doing it.

[TheDrip]

The hate for the temp gauge is not that you shouldn't pay attention to it, it's the functionality. The gauge works no better than a warning light. Most seem to feel that if you're going to have a gauge, have it display more than cold/good/too hot.

The gauge in my car car sits dead center from 70F to 97F (has never been hotter that I know of), I would much rather see where in that range it is. if the car usually runs mid 80s but is low 90s and rising, that could tell me a problem is happening before damage is done. With the current setup, I won't know anything was amiss until the car was already well over normal temperature.

[KJ79]

The hate for the temp gauge is not that you shouldn't pay attention to it, it's the functionality. The gauge works no better than a warning light. Most seem to feel that if you're going to have a gauge, have it display more than cold/good/too hot.

I totally agree. This is why I tend to plug in to the OBD2 to get a precise reading on where my coolant temp is at in the warmer summer months. I too would like to know of a potential problem before it arises as you mentioned, and, one can start to gain a sense of normal engine function.

But, the dummy gauge will tell you when things are starting to get too hot by BMW standards, when it moves, and if fans are or are not on, either way take warning, something isn't functioning properly, pull over. This engine coolant temp gauge does have some merit, despite its obvious limitations, and the engine coolant temperature can tell you the overall health and functionality of the entire cooling system.

[Tallyho322]

Mech fan went back in today. Will buy new blades to try and prevent a catastrophic failure.

Drip... how can your temp only run 70-97F? That just doesn’t sound possible.

Greg

[KJ79]

Mech fan went back in today. Will buy new blades to try and prevent a catastrophic failure.

Drip... how can your temp only run 70-97F? That just doesn’t sound possible.

Greg

Make sure the viscous clutch locks and unlocks with the heat cycles as well. I hope this gets your engine coolant temps back under control.

Drip has a different engine, M54 I believe, and a different engine coolant temperature sensor location, which always adds confusion into this discussion/mix on what normal behavior is. (I think he also may have meant Celsius.)

Our engine coolant temperature on the S52 is read after a trip through the head, upon the exit before entering the radiator.

Drips temperature reading might be right before it enters the engine head. Not exactly sure, someone else can chime in, but different location and thus different readings.

Cheers,
KJ

[TheDrip]

My point was not about the temp different cars run at, just that the temp gauge is very much binary. You're overheating or your not, not much else the glean from that gauge, no warning signs.

[BimmerBreaker]

You can do a cluster test option to read out coolant temps in real time

Some cars you can also debuffer the coolant gauge as well. I dont recommend it for most though - truthfully the gauge is buffered for a reason. TDC represents the entire normal operating range of the engine. Between TDC and the red on the coolant gauge represents a dangerous temp, but not necessarily catastrophic until it hits the red. In extreme situations my buffered car will occasionally go up to just below 3/4 but always goes back down. We have 120F heat here and no humidity in the air which is really tough on cooling systems. Long highway drives then immediately sitting at a red light tends to be the worst.

My S54 has a debuffered coolant gauge and its kind of scary having 3/4 on the gauge be normal operating range. I dont recommend debuffering the gauge tbh.