E30 M52

[B C]

I made it to work! Constant stop/go traffic on the way home will be the final boss

[jc43089]

Fantastic!  Glad it's running well for you.  

Please tell me you were roll racing your wife.

[B C]

Heavy stop and go rush hour commute. Lots of time in 1st gear and lots of time stopped. It must have some air in the cooling system still. It crept up to 220 while stopped then within a few seconds of freaking out (225 is my “shut ‘er down” temperature) it dropped quickly back to 200. It stayed right at 200 for the next 10 minutes of stop and go traffic then shot up to 220 again and i pulled over to try and bleed some air out. I didnt see anything bleed out but for the last 15 minutes of stop and go it stayed at 200 and reached a max of 205

[B C]

[Jdesign]

Bleed some more or pressure bleed it next? Congrats on you successful journeys!! It feels nice just hearing of such success, it must feel even better to be driving the success!

[jc43089]

Where are you bleeding at?  The expansion tank self bleeds the system while the engine is running.  I have found it best to never open the system unless cold.  You have the sending unit in the cylinder head?

[B C]

Jdesign said:

Bleed some more or pressure bleed it next? Congrats on you successful journeys!! It feels nice just hearing of such success, it must feel even better to be driving the success!

Thanks,  im still not enjoying myself in it like I should unfortunately and im burned out on working on it.  Perhaps it wont sell before I have a renewed interest in continuing this dream

jc43089 said:

Where are you bleeding at?  The expansion tank self bleeds the system while the engine is running.  I have found it best to never open the system unless cold.  You have the sending unit in the cylinder head?

Yes,  sending unit is in the stock location. I am bleeding it at the thermostat housing (E39 housing has a bleeder) and also running it with the cap off at an elevated idle while squeezing hoses to watch for a steady coolant stream back into the reservoir.

[jc43089]

Are you seeing any bubbles when you do that?

[B C]

nope, it looks as normal as can be.

I need to run the temp gauge to a dedicated power and ground to help ensure its not voltage fluctuation related. I am currently using a common power and ground for the 3 gauges.

[jc43089]

Just giver.  I don't think you have a problem.

I had a mild panic attack last night.  I just hooked up a temp gauge in my e36 and my wife took it to go shopping and she called me on the way back and said she stopped and shut if off because the gauge said 250, the highest reading it shows, I told her just drive home thinking the gauge must be not working right.  She said it showed 250 all the way home on the highway and then dropped back to 200 right before she got home.  Weird.

[B C]

Temp gun shows high 190's at the coolant neck and 180's in the top hose. obviously emissivity and surface can change the readings but ive never had a temp gun reading over 200 on any surface

[jc43089]

Sounds perfect.  More burnouts, less worrying.

[Jdesign]

jc43089 said:

Sounds perfect.  More burnouts, less worrying.

THIS. Whats the worst that could happen? You get a bunch of friends to convince you to put another motor in it?

[B C]

The thought of replacing another head gasket makes me want to move to alaska and become another alcohol statistic

[GunMetalGrey]

Head gaskets are an easy afternoon project. 
Ask me how I know.

Also, if you keep the cooling system closed, drive around for awhile, come back, let it sit overnight, then open the cap; that is my favorite way to tell of HG issues. If you get a small hiss of air, good to go, if you get a bunch of gurgling or coolant flowing out, bad news bears. 
Is that the definitive test? Nah, but it certainly can be a quick sanity check.

[jc43089]

There is no head/head gasket problem.  You worry too much.  The obvious telltale sign is rough running or missing for a short time after a cold start.  The cooling system pressure pushes coolant back into whatever cylinder has the problem and keeps it from firing.

I have done a head gasket on a Saturday before.  The Saturday a week before I got married, I still hear about that...

[B C]

Went to go for a drive tonight and the starter motor pooped the bed.

I dont think it wants to leave the garage. Time to get my spare tested.

[B C]

And so we are here again....

Just getting a head start on the starter motor. I am picking up a new (reman) tomorrow.

I will have to get the car in the air to get access to the hardware on the trans side.

While im in there im going to shim the drivers side engine mount 1/4” to help with booster clearance, and I can make an oil dipstick tube bracket.

[GunMetalGrey]

Remember to take the towels out before putting the manifold back on. 
Not that I would have any experience with that.

[SteelBlue]

GunMetalGrey said:

Remember to take the towels out before putting the manifold back on. 
Not that I would have any experience with that.