320d E90 Water Temp help

[Cray]

Hey all!!!

Sorry for the essay!!

Yes I have googled the world on this but mostly get the same responses and all on e90 335i and 330d, which is 6 cyl and some have electric pump,ect ... but glad googled the world, cause I found you guys :coolShake:

So here is the story.

2011 320d facelift, literally last of the E90, 127000km, no more motor plan.

My v belt (runs water pump, ac, alternator,ect) broke and just made it home with it running on about half the width of the belt. Bought a new one from BMW and replaced.

(I work approx 40km from home and sit in approx 1 to 1.5 hours of traffic)

2 days later, I stopped in my driveway and while waiting for my gate to open the yellow temp light came on immediately followed by the red and then the car turned off by itself (all in the space of 3 seconds). Left it in the drive way to cool down, started it and parked in garage.

Waited a couple hours and checked the coolant/water and was perfect. Checked for signs of water leak by water pump, nothing, engine bay is spotless clean. Started the car and after 5-8min same thing, yellow - red - off in 3 seconds.

Started gooooogling. All indicators where water pump (combined with water leak) and or thermostat.

Yesterday I took out the water pump and thermostat and went to 3 spares shops. They all said the water pump still looks new, no play and no grinding or sounds/squeaks and besides they didnt have my one. Thermostat looked crap and the plastic housing was cracked, so I bought a new one.

Installed all last night. Started last night and the yellow - red and then the lights went off and that was that. Drove around my hood for 30min and no lights or heavy fan...all seemed fine.

This morning at 5:30am leaving for work, I started it and the fan came on high speed. Drove to work with no temp lights coming on at all, but fan remained at high speed. As I stopped in my parking bay, yellow - red and then the lights went off and fan slowed down...idled for 10 min, no temp lights and no high speed fan. Went done now to start while cold and yes you guessed it, high fan speed. Idled now for 15min and no temp lights.

My heater works fine, burns your hand kinda heat.

Any advise????

 

[Lizzard]

I replaced my waterpump a few months ago as I also had the high fan speed issue, although I drive the e90 330i.

Your fan cycle when your car is cold and when needed it will speed up to cool the water in the radiator. If for some reason your waterpump stops, it will trigger the fan and it will speed up and sound like you are about to take off like a F1 fighter plane. Check your waterpump wiring at the pump if you did disconnect it. But get the codes read for the car as it will show you the problem, changes are that it might be the waterpump (I paid R8K for the pump and thermostat) so get the codes read before going done the root of elimination as it can be very costly.

Google E90 waterpump problem and read the parts about the fan going into high speed and staying there.

Hope this helps

 

[Cray]

Thanks allot Lizzard.

Through all my research I was also stuck on water pump (electric). But mine doesnt have the electric water pump, apparently only the 6 cyl engines have, like your 330.

New info, I found out how to go into the hiden menu and check my water temp while driving. Mine is constantly at 79 degrees celsius. Not 80 or 78, doesnt move, even after some spirited driving. Oh and I put my heater on, temp doesnt drop or climb and heater works.

Now I read that it should be around 90.

Remember I have changed the thermostat, but I read somewhere that it could be the EGR thermostat that also needs to be replaced...but would that affect my fan.

Anyway, cant read my codes and BMW said I need to book my car in for diagnostic at R400 per 30min for them to tell me.

 

[Lizzard]

Maybe ask a fanatic to read it for you, where you based?

And what year model is your car

 

[Cray]

Hey Lizzard...

Im based in the Cape Town Area.

New report...general info.

So while dreaming about this I remembered something.

1. Before when my car's temp lights came on and I parked it, the fan didnt go made and was operating like normal. When I started it it would go on slow speed and then off (doing its normal test) and then come on again when car was hot and then temp lights came on and I switched off.

2. After I replaced my thermostat, thats when it started. Ignition on, no fan. When I start car fan full speed, till when I switch off car.

Conclusion...When I replaced my thermostat, my ratchet slipped and I gashed my forearm open on the fan housing (could've messed with the wire or whatever) or while putting all back together I didnt put all tight properly, wires, ect or my temp sensor?

Drive into work this morning no temp lights, no yellow or red, so thats good news. No water leaks for 3 days now and coolant level exactly perfect like it was. When I cold started with hidden menu temp display, it jumped to 79 degrees from cold start and stayed there...cant be right, so maybe sensor? After doing 280km over the last 2 days, my fuel consumption is normal at 5.7 L/100, no power loss and engine sounds sweet.

I know its all hypothetical and would most probably get my codes read to know for sure.

I will keep this updated until the problem is sorted out for future reference

 

[Cray]

Ok so checking some vids regarding checking the temp, I see that even without starting the car it should show your current engine temp, then as soon as you start it will fluctuate to its operating temp like below vid.

But mine shows -10 degrees and as soon as I start it, it shows 79 degrees and when I switch of back to -10 degrees.

So must be a fault with .... :smashScreen:

 

[Cray]

Ok so just adding info...

I unplugged my coolant temp sensor in the engine...(there isnt one on the hose) its part 7 on the pic, Temperature Sensor, Coolant

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=PP11-EUR---E90N-BMW-320d&diagId=11_4565

Accessed my hidden menu and checked coolant temp and it was -10 and after I start 79 degrees.

So no difference with it plugged in or not, so surely it must be the coolant sensor, as that supplies the readings in OBC hidden menu and for now stuck on default or something ....

Cheap and easy enough to replace, so will do that and see.

 

[Cray]

Ok SOLVED!

I fitted the new Coolant Temp Sensor yesterday and boom, all fine! Temp in hidden menu works and my car stays between 90 and 93 degrees all the time now. My fan doesnt blow like a hurricane anymore.

So in total, I replaced the thermostat and temp sensor.

 

[sash]

awesome troubleshooting and thanks for informing the rest for the forum. I didnt see this post till today though...

 

[Charlie Brown]

Nicely done, good write up !

 

[Cray]

Thanks guys!

Admin, can you please change the subject heading with a (SOLVED) at the end. So that future members can spot it quicker and know that this was solved. Wont let me edit due to a 1440 minute rule, since yesterday :smashScreen:

 

[leighlupton]

Great write up and you saved me a trip to the mechanic haha.

Thanks a milraise:

 

[LYFGP]

Beeeg bump hehehe

I’ve got the same issue on my e90 (320d) although when I go into the hidden menu, the temp starts climbing slowly to around 110 and the fan goes on.

 

[Rudester]

Ok so checking some vids regarding checking the temp, I see that even without starting the car it should show your current engine temp, then as soon as you start it will fluctuate to its operating temp like below vid.

But mine shows -10 degrees and as soon as I start it, it shows 79 degrees and when I switch of back to -10 degrees.

So must be a fault with .... :smashScreen:

Good morning, first post here, I have the same issue, also 2011 320d, bought a sensor from Goldwagen and still exactly the same. It started with the yellow warning, temp stuck on 79 degrees, changed the temp sensor, now fan full blast and temp sitting 120+, this is on start up. Im thinking that the new sensor is also bust. Will try a new one and see. Anyone had the same issue after changing the sensor?

I did scan the car and that showed me the temp sensor, after replacement, it does not pick up the sensor but the warning is the same.

 

[Rudester]

Good morning, first post here, I have the same issue, also 2011 320d, bought a sensor from Goldwagen and still exactly the same. It started with the yellow warning, temp stuck on 79 degrees, changed the temp sensor, now fan full blast and temp sitting 120+, this is on start up. Im thinking that the new sensor is also bust. Will try a new one and see. Anyone had the same issue after changing the sensor?

I did scan the car and that showed me the temp sensor, after replacement, it does not pick up the sensor but the warning is the same.