1991 525i overheating issues.

We drove our 1991 from San Mateo to Palm springs without incident, drove
like a dream. Today we went out shopping and after about 7 miiles the
coolant temp warning came on, and the temp needle was at the verge of
entering the red zone. We pulled over and let it cool down to half way (the
coolant bottle was full). We drove home with the heater in the cab full
blast and that got us just about home before the coolant temp warning came
back on. I held onto the radiator fan when it was hot, and had someone
start the car and there was no real pressure in the fan wanting to spin,. I
mean if I let go of it, it would spin but I could stop it with my bare hands
and hold it in place with one finger. Does that sound like our fan clutch
is shot and needs to be replaced or is that normal for a car that is hot?

Thanks,

> We drove our 1991 from San Mateo to Palm springs without incident, drove
> like a dream. Today we went out shopping and after about 7 miiles the
> coolant temp warning came on, and the temp needle was at the verge of
> entering the red zone. We pulled over and let it cool down to half way (the
> coolant bottle was full). We drove home with the heater in the cab full
> blast and that got us just about home before the coolant temp warning came
> back on. I held onto the radiator fan when it was hot, and had someone
> start the car and there was no real pressure in the fan wanting to spin,. I
> mean if I let go of it, it would spin but I could stop it with my bare hands
> and hold it in place with one finger. Does that sound like our fan clutch
> is shot and needs to be replaced or is that normal for a car that is hot?

A bad fan clutch is only a problem at town driving speeds. If it
overheats above 30-40mph you have a dead water pump, there's a design
fault in M50 water pumps.

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
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are the water pumps on these vehicles like some others in that when they go
bad they leak out of a weep hole? Because there is no leak on this one.



"John Burns" > wrote in message
...
>> We drove our 1991 from San Mateo to Palm springs without incident, drove
>> like a dream. Today we went out shopping and after about 7 miiles the
>> coolant temp warning came on, and the temp needle was at the verge of
>> entering the red zone. We pulled over and let it cool down to half way
>> (the
>> coolant bottle was full). We drove home with the heater in the cab full
>> blast and that got us just about home before the coolant temp warning
>> came
>> back on. I held onto the radiator fan when it was hot, and had someone
>> start the car and there was no real pressure in the fan wanting to spin,.
>> I
>> mean if I let go of it, it would spin but I could stop it with my bare
>> hands
>> and hold it in place with one finger. Does that sound like our fan
>> clutch
>> is shot and needs to be replaced or is that normal for a car that is hot?
>
> A bad fan clutch is only a problem at town driving speeds. If it
> overheats above 30-40mph you have a dead water pump, there's a design
> fault in M50 water pumps.
>
> --
> Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
> Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
> Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
> Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html

> are the water pumps on these vehicles like some others in that when they go
> bad they leak out of a weep hole? Because there is no leak on this one.

It has a plastic impeller on a metal shaft, they part company
eventually.

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html

Okay, turned out to the the thermostat, it was basically in two pieces, the
shop replaced it and the fan clutch (because it was weak) and now the car
doesnt overheat anymore.


"John Burns" > wrote in message
...
>> are the water pumps on these vehicles like some others in that when they
>> go
>> bad they leak out of a weep hole? Because there is no leak on this one.
>
> It has a plastic impeller on a metal shaft, they part company
> eventually.
>
> --
> Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
> Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
> Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
> Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html

i would still get a new water pump as theses cars are prown to over heating
if your going to do the water pump get a stat and housing aswell, you will
also need to bleed the coolent system a few times whern you fill the rad
back up with coolent, they have a tendescy to air lock when you do a water
pump

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