Temp question

[Adijax]

I just wanna ask is it OK that the temp needle stays a bit over the middle on a 328? It goes down a bit and go up a bit all the time. Is it OK ,is it a buffer that the bmw have ? I need the info ASAP

Thanks

[Evil Spoonman]

I just wanna ask is it OK that the temp needle stays a bit over the middle on a 328? It goes down a bit and go up a bit all the time. Is it OK ,is it a buffer that the bmw have ? I need the info ASAP

Thanks

It depends. Look at it dead-on (you'll have to move your head a bit towards the center of the car). Is it top dead center when you're looking at it straight? It can appear slightly over the line when you look from the usual driving position but it shouldn't be.

BMW's US temp gauge is highly buffered. 140ish F it reads center all the way up to 230ish F (at least). If it begins to make ANY significant progress towards the red I would turn the car off immediately.

I am not certain of these points, although I have read them multiple times before: The Euro spec cluster temp gauge is slightly less buffered, but still is. The sender is a full range, the buffering takes place in the cluster.

The temp gauge should not move at all during normal operation, it sits in the center. A little bit of movement could be indicative of a sketchy gauge, a bad sender, or a thermostat that's getting stuck. It could also point to an engine condition. I would hook up an accurate full range sender/gauge temporarily and monitor your coolant temps more closely. If everything checks out fine, ignore it.

[Meatball546]

Yeah. When I look at my gauge from the middle of the driver's seat, it does kinda appear slightly to the warm side, but if I look at it dead on, it'll appear in the middle. What kind of driving are you doing when you notice the fluctuations? Highway or city? hot or cold?

[Adijax]

It jumps a around like a bit above it and comes back , but i draw it full and it stays like on the center and after i stop the car it comes back to a bit above.maybe you r right regarding the looking position duno have to check again. I'm about to buy the car but i wasn't sure regard the temp gauge. I took a look on the coolant and did not smell like oil and has not oil inside and in the engine is nothing(i took a look in the oil filler and it looks clean and oily). The gauge has not the middle center line like my 318i. Maybe its in my head or I'm getting blind lol.

Yeah. When I look at my gauge from the middle of the driver's seat, it does kinda appear slightly to the warm side, but if I look at it dead on, it'll appear in the middle. What kind of driving are you doing when you notice the fluctuations? Highway or city? hot or cold?

I'm about to buy a 328ic . I noticed like the car was in one spot not moving and i saw its on the middle ,start to drive it's like a bit (it's not even 1/16" above the middle). It was hot outside like 83F

[Meatball546]

I don't think it's anything to worry about. Make sure you have an updated water pump with a metal impeller, and if you don't, put one in immediately. Check the operation of the electric fan and the engine-driven fan clutch. As long as you meticulously keep up with cooling system maintenance, you'll be fine.

[Bimmersoul]

Mine was ALWAYS at 12 O'clock mark. During very hot weather (105°+) the needle will move a tad bit to the right until the aux fan kicks in and comeback to the 12 mark.

After I installed a EURO fan (more blades and an the fins are all connected at the outer end) it rarely moved from the 12 mark

[Adijax]

I saw the car has still the plastic thermostat housing not the aluminum what i have on my 318i. I asked hi about the plastic impeller water pump and he don't know anything about it. He has the car about 1 year. The cooling system looks like new like the hoses,electric fan kicks,i turned on the A/C and it works too, the fan and clutch looks good. I drive my 318i and never had the expiration with the needle staying a bit above the middle .