This question is in reference to my earlier one where I'm noticing my engine is not warming up as it normally should. It is very cold where I live (-10C).
The recommendations I got was to:
1. top of the coolant of the radiator with 50/50 premix
2. check into the thermostat (remove and see if it works)
I don't know where to find the thermostat or how to take it out for testing. Can somebody tell me?
After topping up the coolant, the gauge still sits at 1/4 of the way and the engine still doesn't warm up, even after 10 min of driving. Interestingly, the gauge shot from 1/4 of the way up to 100% hot for a brief moment and I had only been driving for 3 minutes (this is all after I had just added coolant). And the check engine light is showing, although the car drives normally.
Is this simply an issue of the thermostat malfunctioning or am I facing issues with the engine/cooling system?
2007-11-23 15:57:36 · 5 answers · asked by Brian 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ BMW
The usual symptoms of thermostat failure is:
Car fails to reach operating temperature when running on highway and only seems to reach operating temperature when sitting still - but reverts to the initial condition on another highway run.
Your car seems to be having somewhat different symptoms.
My recommendation is to bleed your cooling system (there's a plastic bleed screw next to the filler cap). With the engine COLD, start the engine, open the radiator cap, look inside, notice there's a small stream of coolant flowing down from the side? Loosen the bleed screw until coolant starts coming out of it, then retighten (don't over-tighten or it will break). Top up coolant if necessary, close cap. Wait for car to warm up and observe the gauge.
With the car standing still, you should see the gauge going up to the middle, take it out for a drive. If you see it dropping, then you have a bad thermostat. If it doesn't drop, you're good to go, it was only an air trap.
If you see a different symptom, you have something else going on, maybe your water pump.
A new thermostat (for the X5 3.0) costs about $70 from Bavarian Autosport.
2007-11-23 18:24:30 · answer #1 · answered by Snowie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am 99% sure that your thermostat is stuck in open position. That is why it never reach the proper operating temperature. You also may have bubble in the system and need to bleed the cooling system.
A messy job. Most X5s I worked on had thermostat built into the thermostat housing. So you have to replace the thermostat housing (that has thermostat in it)
The car may have 3.0 L engine, which is based in BMW M52 engine. Or 4.4L which is based in BMW M60 V8 engine. The replace procedure is different for two.
General procedure is to put a large pan under the radiator and drain. Lower left side of radiator, you will find a large plastic blue color screw. Open it up and coolant will pour out. Then remove everything up out of the way (usually the fan clutch, fan cover, belt, and few belt pulleys, and the radiator). Then take out the thermostat housing and install a new one. Fan clutch is reverse threaded and is 32mm. Go to bike shop and pick up $15 32mm think wrench. Reverse threaded means you will have to turn it clock wise direction to unscrew the fan clutch bolt (which require you to hold the fan clutch pulley with 10mm wrench and slide that 32mm thin wrench in fan clutch screw. because two tools are used, you won't have enough space for standard 32mm wrench) Removing the fan clutch is the most difficult job of all. If you can manage that, the rest is just dealing with spilling coolant all over the floor while taking things out.
You can locate the thermostat housing by following upper right (mechanics direction, direction when you are sitting on driver seat) rubber coolant line. if you follow the coolant hose, it will leads you right into the thermostat housing. (usually black in color, and shaped wide V upside down) For M52 engine, it should be above the water pump. For M60 engine, it should be part of the water pump.
After the procedure, you will need to bleed the cooling system. Next to the coolant reservoir, you will find a small black plastic screw. Run the engine to the operating temperature (with garage door open or you will kill your self) and open this plastic screw slowly until coolant start to pour out. When you see bubble free stream of coolant coming out, close the screw.
You can reuse the coolant if it is clean and less than 2 years old. If not, always use BMW coolant mixed 50/50 with distilled water.
2007-11-23 18:10:26 · answer #2 · answered by Sang K 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Okay, if you don`t know where the t-stat is at, then you probably should not try to take it out. Even if you have it you will need to boiled it until it reach what ever operating temp for your car is support to be, most of the time is about 160 to180 degree. Also, was your coolant level extremely low when you top it off? Was the problem always been having the gauge at a 1/4 before this? Reason I ask is because you may have left a air pocket in the cooling system when you were topping it off, but if your temp gauge always stays at a 1/4 only, then it tells me your t-stat is probably stuck open and the coolant cannot reach normal temp. hope this helps
2007-11-23 16:50:40 · answer #3 · answered by Steve x18c 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bmw X5 Problems
2016-10-06 02:58:55 · answer #4 · answered by delevik 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bmw Thermostat
2016-12-16 12:21:27 · answer #5 · answered by meske 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋