E36 318is not blowing hot?

So I appear to have fallen victim to another "normal" E36 issue just in time for the cold weather! :surprised:

I get plenty of air through the vents sadly this is cold. I get the odd small bit of luke warm air when the car is not under a heavy load but other than that it's cold and in the mornings it's a real bitch!

It's non digital aircon, so I have put the temp up and down, rotated the air flow dial and can hear the flap moving so it's not that and also as I have air the motor/fan is working. She is also up to the level with water/coolant. Thermostat is fine and on the level.

So my options are the resistor, HCV or bleed it?

Just wondering if any of ye fine people have had a similar issue so I could save some time and also avoid frostbite!

Thanks :cool:

Dave

Have you enough coolant?
Happened to me and coolant levels were okay but their was also air in the system.

No harm to drain it and put in some fresh anti-freeze and bleed the system properly then.

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Originally Posted by BMW

Have you enough coolant?
Happened to me and coolant levels were okay but their was also air in the system.

No harm to drain it and put in some fresh anti-freeze and bleed the system properly then.

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Yeah she's grand for the levels. Which is why my assumption is it is something else. I intend to bleed her tomorrow if I get the chance.

Other than that? Anyone here cleaned the HCV before and if so what did you use?

Excuse my ignorance lads, but how does a lack of coolant make the fan blow cold air??

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Originally Posted by E36

Excuse my ignorance lads, but how does a lack of coolant make the fan blow cold air??

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Basically coolant/antifreeze provides a higher boiling point and lower freezing point than just water. So in effect allows the engine to heat (but not overheat) as a result then heats the air.

Not well explained and open to correction.

ps excellent question!:cool:

Thermostat?


Sent forward in time from my Nokia 3210

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Originally Posted by Lucifer

Thermostat?


Sent forward in time from my Nokia 3210

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Could be if the dial is lying to me but she seems to be okay on the dial. I'd like to avoid pulling that and the HCV if possible. She heats up and sticks to the middle of the dial as always?

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Originally Posted by E36

Excuse my ignorance lads, but how does a lack of coolant make the fan blow cold air??

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It doesn't.


You need to bleed the system, could be some air remaining after the last time it was bled becoming more evident in the current temps.

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Originally Posted by FunkySeeFunkyDoo

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Originally Posted by E36

Excuse my ignorance lads, but how does a lack of coolant make the fan blow cold air??

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It doesn't.


You need to bleed the system, could be some air remaining after the last time it was bled becoming more evident in the current temps.

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I just noticed I misread his question :sad::hehe!:

Bled this and while there is now heat the car seems to lose it when accelerating but then it returns and will stay when car is at a constant speed.

Car is m42 with a viscous fan and this is also working as it should.


There are no leaks, thermostat is fine afaik, pipes going through firewall from HCV have a good temp,water flowing into the expansion tank etc

I'm at a bit of a loss on this? :confused:

Waterpump? Warped head?

Anyone?

Is the thermostat opening and closing. Sounds like its stuck open and the engine isn't getting up to full temp when moving.


E21

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Originally Posted by ducky1

Is the thermostat opening and closing. Sounds like its stuck open and the engine isn't getting up to full temp when moving.


E21

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Yeah seems grand. Have not had it out to test but starts cold and rises and stays dead center of the gauge as it should?

Take it out when cold and see if its open. Had the same prob in a cosworth before and the stat was open all the time. It can't be much else. Did you jack the front up when bleeding it helps a lot in the 6 pots not sure about yours though. Gets all the traped air pockets out. The gauge will prob read ok they wount be the most accurate things in the world.


E21

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Originally Posted by ducky1

Take it out when cold and see if its open. Had the same prob in a cosworth before and the stat was open all the time. It can't be much else. Did you jack the front up when bleeding it helps a lot in the 6 pots not sure about yours though. Gets all the traped air pockets out. The gauge will prob read ok they wount be the most accurate things in the world.


E21

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Didn't jack it no but had on a steep incline I though it would be the same effect.

Should be the same thing and did you get any air out second time out. If so i would do it a few times over just to be sure.


E21

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Originally Posted by ducky1

Should be the same thing and did you get any air out second time out. If so i would do it a few times over just to be sure.


E21

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Yeah got a very small bit out. I'd no long pipe to put over the rad cap to use an extra bit of water pressure to force anything else out if you get me. Tis a small problem but annoying me!

Just try it again with jacks this time and if that fails pull the stat. Can't see it been a pump it would be showing hot all the time on dial it would be well up. If bleeding it again and no air pull the stat when cold and see if its open. Best of luck with it. Hope the weather don't turn to cold on ya


E21

Maybe it sounds a bit strange but everytime i do bleed the system I do small drive over two speed ramps i have on my street :)
two times after that hot air starts to come out of the vents :)

it was in 323i and this 318is, never had problems with overheating or lack of heating after that.

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Originally Posted by Ghostek

Maybe it sounds a bit strange but everytime i do bleed the system I do small drive over two speed ramps i have on my street :)
two times after that hot air starts to come out of the vents :)

it was in 323i and this 318is, never had problems with overheating or lack of heating after that.

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Replied to you on driver :tounge:

Hope the problem is sorted!

Had the same problem with my E46. Could be the following, Water pump, thermostat, coolant level or an air lock in the system.

My thermostat was perfect but had it replaced anyway and it sorted the problem right out!

Had the same problem ... Cold weather comes in and heating stops ... pain in the a*s! :)

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Originally Posted by Jimmy325ci

Hope the problem is sorted!

Had the same problem with my E46. Could be the following, Water pump, thermostat, coolant level or an air lock in the system.

My thermostat was perfect but had it replaced anyway and it sorted the problem right out!

Had the same problem ... Cold weather comes in and heating stops ... pain in the a*s! :)

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rain is hampering progress with this. Bled it again with a pipe the other day and no air escaping. Have a bit of time off work this week so intend to replace the stat as i have heat but as i was saying when drivin on it blows cold so most likely stuck open.

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Originally Posted by Venom

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy325ci

Hope the problem is sorted!

Had the same problem with my E46. Could be the following, Water pump, thermostat, coolant level or an air lock in the system.

My thermostat was perfect but had it replaced anyway and it sorted the problem right out!

Had the same problem ... Cold weather comes in and heating stops ... pain in the a*s! :)

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rain is hampering progress with this. Bled it again with a pipe the other day and no air escaping. Have a bit of time off work this week so intend to replace the stat as i have heat but as i was saying when drivin on it blows cold so most likely stuck open.

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Hope ya get it sorted! If all else fails think of Jeremy Clarkson ... HAMMER! :)

Happy to report I have heat for the last while now. Got a new stat but didn't put it in. Happy days :happy:

What was the fix?

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Originally Posted by Peter-E36

What was the fix?

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I'd be lying if I said I knew! Bled it using a big pipe, didn't seem to release any air or make any odds but it must have :hehe!: