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Thread: 318ti w/ M52B28 swap, Engine cooling system not working.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    32
    My Cars
    95 M3, 95 Ti M52, 330ci

    318ti w/ M52B28 swap, Engine cooling system not working.

    Hello all,

    Having an overheating issue currently with my 318ti M52. Hoping you guys can help.

    What I know:
    1. Car ran at autocross event last week no problem until I started to drive home. It got to 230 F (Pulled from odbII bluetooth phone app) on the highway and I pulled over and had car towed. Next day started it back up and head was getting warmer, coolant hoses and radiator were not (My electric fan runs all the time). Got it to 210 degrees on 2 different tests before I cut engine. Coolant and oil are not milky, no smoke from exhaust so I think my head is ok still.

    Current setup:

    Primary electric fan (running all the time), aluminum radiator, racing thermostat (68 degrees), all mishimoto). 2nd air fan currently not working. All new hoses, all new coolant.

    Long story short, what is wrong with my cooling system? I'm fairly mechanical and should be able to replace parts myself.

    Additional Questions:

    1. There are 2 "temperature" sensors under the hood (1 attached to the head, 1 attached to the radiator which doubles as a switch).What is my phone app reading from? Is it possible the sensors are not reading accurately from my phone app?

    2. What is the instrument cluster in the car reading? Water Temp? Oil Temp? head sensor or radiator sensor?

    3. For autox/racing events what kind of temps (water) are you guys seeing? Im in TX currently, weather is 70-80F.

    Thank you community for all the great advice and posts before me!
    Last edited by st4t1c; 02-14-2019 at 03:16 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    21
    My Cars
    F80 M3, E36 M3 Coupe
    I’m assuming you replaced your water pump with the other components? Metal or plastic impeller?

    Certain areas not getting hot while your head does makes me think you aren’t circulating fluid.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    32
    My Cars
    95 M3, 95 Ti M52, 330ci
    Yes, water pump was replaced with new stewart. I agree with the circulation idea, just don't know why that is happening.

    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
    Last edited by st4t1c; 02-14-2019 at 03:32 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Detroit, MI
    Posts
    1,977
    My Cars
    E36, E70, i3
    It's the engine temp sensor that is feeding both the OBDII reading (from DME) and instrument cluster. The "sensor" in the rad is actually a switch to turn on the aux fan (and I think the electric fan in a 318).

    Sounds to me either t-stat isn't opening and/or WP isn't working.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    32
    My Cars
    95 M3, 95 Ti M52, 330ci
    Ok so if it's a bad thermostat I should be able to feel water flow through the coolant hoses still, correct?

    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Charlotte NC
    Posts
    754
    My Cars
    11 128i
    68deg thermostat seems way too low, usually people run 80 or 88 degree. With one that low you should have full coolant flow through the radiator basically all the time.

    What expansion tank do you have? Radiator mounted tank? Is the system properly bled? Are you losing coolant at all?
    11 128i Space Gray slicktop
    13 WK2 Deep Cherry

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Detroit, MI
    Posts
    1,977
    My Cars
    E36, E70, i3
    Quote Originally Posted by st4t1c View Post
    Ok so if it's a bad thermostat I should be able to feel water flow through the coolant hoses still, correct?

    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
    There might be some that slips through the t-stat but not much. Stuck t-stat will keep the coolant in the engine without allowing any cool coolant into the engine from the rad. So basically the hot coolant keeps recirculating and getting hotter and hotter.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Owings, Md
    Posts
    1,105
    My Cars
    1998 328i
    Did you block off and of the coolant lines at the head? I ask because it is a recent swap and you maybe you changed the plumbing which could be creating pocket of trapped air.

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