Heat

sapper1592 · Post by **sapper1592** » Tue 13 Dec, 2011 14:18

My z gets up to temperature when I am driving slowly or idling but when doing normal driving the temperature guage falls to just below the mark to the left of the 12 oclock position. It also takes a long time to get up to the 12 position . I drive 12 miles to work and it gets nowhere near the optimum temperature . Is my thermostat on its way out or could there be somthin else

Brian H · Post by **Brian H** » Tue 13 Dec, 2011 20:26

sapper1592 wrote:My z gets up to temperature when I am driving slowly or idling but when doing normal driving the temperature guage falls to just below the mark to the left of the 12 oclock position. It also takes a long time to get up to the 12 position . I drive 12 miles to work and it gets nowhere near the optimum temperature . Is my thermostat on its way out or could there be somthin else

Sounds as though your thermostat has gone, the temp gauge is a buffed gauge (36 degree range IIRC) so the needle should sit in the middle when up to temp.

HTH

PCSAM · Post by **PCSAM** » Tue 13 Dec, 2011 20:48

im suffering from this also . im no good at doing the job myself

I wonder what the labour time in doing a thermostat change is

swamper · Post by **swamper** » Tue 13 Dec, 2011 21:18

PCSAM wrote:im suffering from this also . im no good at doing the job myself I wonder what the labour time in doing a thermostat change is

its 3 bolts off 3 bolts on....you can do it

sapper1592 · Post by **sapper1592** » Thu 15 Dec, 2011 17:58

thanks it looks as though Iwill be changing my thermostat, is it a good idea to do the water pump at the same time. as far as I am aware its never been done and z is just coming up to 70000. thanks

swamper · Post by **swamper** » Thu 15 Dec, 2011 18:17

i would....but getting the thing off is a different matter..some people dead easy............others are APITA...if you can do it without much trouble do it...

read from the bottom up..
http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techart ... r-pump.htm

Wolverine_1999 · Post by **Wolverine_1999** » Fri 16 Dec, 2011 10:53

Mine also stays at the 1st "notch" under normal driving (not sitting in traffic), but the same happens in my 318ci.

The only thing I've noticed is that everyone who mentions this problem seems to have A/C, whereby I don't have it in neither. A friend with A/C in his 318ci gets the needle in the centre.

If you are blowing full heat all the time, won't the engine cool down anyway?

aceman · Post by **aceman** » Fri 16 Dec, 2011 12:54

The electronic thermostat on the Z3 usually fails open meaning it allows coolent to circulate through the radiator permanantly resulting in a lower engine temperature when you are moving but you will see the guage rise when you are stood in traffic because no air is flowing through the radiator. The A/C should have no bearing on this action other thank if you are replacing the water pump the replacement belts which you might as well do at the same time are different due to them not having to drive the A/C compressor.

I would do the the water pump as a precaution but just be prepared for it to be a pig to extract as some have found, when I did mine it came out dead easy it was the fan removal I struggled with as I didn't have the correct tool at the time and ended up manufacturing my own out fo some steel plate.

Wolverine_1999 · Post by **Wolverine_1999** » Fri 16 Dec, 2011 13:26

Hmm interesting. Sounds like both might be faulty so

It is a major issue however? (other than fuel usage)

aceman · Post by **aceman** » Fri 16 Dec, 2011 13:42

That's the other thing when you get it sorted you will notice your mpg better by at least 2-3mpg which is a plus.