97 528i Runs hot then cool

I have replaced thermostat. then 500 mi later its doing the same thing. it
overheated and blew the rad cap off.
I rcently replaced all shivs on front of motor(the bearings rattled). I
flushed system and now this! where do I go from hear? My heater now blows
cold from the top and heat at the feet, that never was before. Is this
strange or does my mechanic need to go back to school, because I want to
blame someone.

On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 14:25:38 -0500, WHWHITE wrote:

> I have replaced thermostat. then 500 mi later its doing the same thing. it
> overheated and blew the rad cap off. I rcently replaced all shivs on
> front of motor(the bearings rattled). I flushed system and now this! where
> do I go from hear? My heater now blows cold from the top and heat at the
> feet, that never was before. Is this strange or does my mechanic need to
> go back to school, because I want to blame someone.

Was the reason for the thermostat replacement an overheating issue? Was
the old thermostat tested to see at what temperature it opened? That's
always a good idea since there are other possible causes of overheating
that can be mis-diagnosed as a bad stat.

The most common causes of overheating a

1) Low coolant or improperly bled system
2) Bad thermostat
3) Water pump plastic impeller failure (only some models)
3) Bad cooling fan
4) Head gasket leak
5) Partially plugged radiator (hot weather only)

Given that it's been 500 miles since the thermostat replacement, I'd
suspect (4) since a competent mechanic would have done (1) properly and
checked for (3) when the stat was replaced and had the original problem
been the pump the replacment of the stat would not have helped.

--
The instructions said to use Windows 98 or better, so I installed RedHat.

Do you by any chance have the option called LWS (Latente Warme Speicher). I
don't know the english term for this option (something like Latency Hot
Fluid Storage) and I don't if it is sold outside europe. If you do have you
can recognize it by the fact that your passenger side has less feetroom
(about 10cm)

My 96 528 was also overheating but then only when it was below 2000 rpm.

My local garage could not fix this, but the BMW dealer could (700 euro's
later due to a broken LWS pump). A BMW fitted with this system can only be
fixed by a dealer (with DIS) because the car has to be connected with DIS to
get the air out of its cooling system.

Good Luck,

Jeroen

"Jim Levie" > wrote in message
news
> On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 14:25:38 -0500, WHWHITE wrote:
>
> > I have replaced thermostat. then 500 mi later its doing the same thing.
it
> > overheated and blew the rad cap off. I rcently replaced all shivs on
> > front of motor(the bearings rattled). I flushed system and now this!
where
> > do I go from hear? My heater now blows cold from the top and heat at the
> > feet, that never was before. Is this strange or does my mechanic need to
> > go back to school, because I want to blame someone.
>
> Was the reason for the thermostat replacement an overheating issue? Was
> the old thermostat tested to see at what temperature it opened? That's
> always a good idea since there are other possible causes of overheating
> that can be mis-diagnosed as a bad stat.
>
> The most common causes of overheating a
>
> 1) Low coolant or improperly bled system
> 2) Bad thermostat
> 3) Water pump plastic impeller failure (only some models)
> 3) Bad cooling fan
> 4) Head gasket leak
> 5) Partially plugged radiator (hot weather only)
>
> Given that it's been 500 miles since the thermostat replacement, I'd
> suspect (4) since a competent mechanic would have done (1) properly and
> checked for (3) when the stat was replaced and had the original problem
> been the pump the replacment of the stat would not have helped.
>
> --
> The instructions said to use Windows 98 or better, so I installed RedHat.
>

Anyone have any experience rewiring the E39 temperature gauge so it
actually indicates the coolant temperature? I've been told that in stock
form it is basically an analog "idiot light". I believe this because
while driving it never budges from the center position. It sure would be
nice to know when an overheat condition is developing before it is a crisis.

WHWHITE wrote:

> I have replaced thermostat. then 500 mi later its doing the same thing. it
> overheated and blew the rad cap off.
> I rcently replaced all shivs on front of motor(the bearings rattled). I
> flushed system and now this! where do I go from hear? My heater now blows
> cold from the top and heat at the feet, that never was before. Is this
> strange or does my mechanic need to go back to school, because I want to
> blame someone.
>