Variable Engine Temperature

PeteV · 06-20-2018, 10:14 AM

My 2009 E92 has quite varied engine temperature, usually when moving, it runs just below the 210 mark, probably 205. When I get in traffic, it shoots up to probably around 220. Is this normal? It worries me, but maybe I'm worrying for nothing?

///M Power-Belgium · 06-20-2018, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteV

My 2009 E92 has quite varied engine temperature, usually when moving, it runs just below the 210 mark, probably 205. When I get in traffic, it shoots up to probably around 220. Is this normal? It worries me, but maybe I'm worrying for nothing?

Normal

dparm · 06-20-2018, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteV

My 2009 E92 has quite varied engine temperature, usually when moving, it runs just below the 210 mark, probably 205. When I get in traffic, it shoots up to probably around 220. Is this normal? It worries me, but maybe I'm worrying for nothing?

To be clear, the gauge on the cluster is for oil temperature, not coolant temperature. The needle will move a bit under normal conditions, yes. You should not see wild swings as that indicates a broken thermostat.

nrubenstein · 06-21-2018, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dparm

To be clear, the gauge on the cluster is for temperature, not coolant temperature. The needle will move a bit under normal conditions, yes. You should not see wild swings as that indicates a broken thermostat.

*oil temperature.

And it's not a heavily buffered gauge, so it's normal to move around. (BMW has typically set the coolant gauges so that they show a huge range as straight up so that there aren't any questions.)

GotV8? · 06-21-2018, 04:59 PM

I would be more worried if the fuel gauge moved from Full to Empty in less than an hour of driving Full Throttle....jkjk ...and to your question...I get same reading on Temp. Normal.

radiognome · 06-21-2018, 09:17 PM

It depends on multiple factors, like where you live, what kind of oil you are using, how much oil is left, when was the last time you changed oil, how jammed traffic is, etc. In general, yes you should see temp going up when you get to a traffic jam, and going down again when it clears up just because you get different amount of air getting through radiator to cool down the coolant. 220F is not bad at all in slow traffic. I would be concerned if it gets close to 255F or above.

DSilk · 06-22-2018, 07:51 AM

220 degrees is hot. The only time my car has ever gotten that warm has been idling at a stop after an extended high speed flog in hot weather, and even then it didn't take long for the temp to drop back to 210 or below.

New2Roundel · 06-22-2018, 10:56 AM

As others have said, the oil reading will swing a little to the left or right of the 210F mark depending on how the car is driven. I have noticed that my car runs a little more hot with the BMW Twinpower oil I recently put into the car. It's not dramatically different, but the needle spends more time to the right of the 210F mark than it did when I was using the Castrol oil.

neilum · 06-22-2018, 07:42 PM

Normal, go take it to the track and see what hot really is

E90 doesn't do a great job of cooling, could be better.

06-20-2018, 10:14 AM	#1
PeteV Enlisted Member 11 Rep 39 Posts Drives: 2009 M3 DCT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	Variable Engine Temperature My 2009 E92 has quite varied engine temperature, usually when moving, it runs just below the 210 mark, probably 205. When I get in traffic, it shoots up to probably around 220. Is this normal? It worries me, but maybe I'm worrying for nothing?
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06-21-2018, 04:59 PM	#5
GotV8? Captain 1051 Rep 836 Posts Drives: Jerez E92 M3 ZCP "12" Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: OHIO iTrader: (0) Garage List 1996 Honda Prelude ... [0.00] 2018 BMW F85 X5M [0.00] 2012 E92 M3 ZCP [0.00]	I would be more worried if the fuel gauge moved from Full to Empty in less than an hour of driving Full Throttle....jkjk ...and to your question...I get same reading on Temp. Normal.
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06-21-2018, 09:17 PM	#6
radiognome Private First Class 38 Rep 184 Posts Drives: E93 M3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Northern Virginia iTrader: (1)	It depends on multiple factors, like where you live, what kind of oil you are using, how much oil is left, when was the last time you changed oil, how jammed traffic is, etc. In general, yes you should see temp going up when you get to a traffic jam, and going down again when it clears up just because you get different amount of air getting through radiator to cool down the coolant. 220F is not bad at all in slow traffic. I would be concerned if it gets close to 255F or above.
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06-22-2018, 07:51 AM	#7
DSilk Major 550 Rep 1,148 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW M3 Coupe Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South Florida iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 Jaguar XJ [0.00] 2015 Jaguar XF [0.00] 2014 VW GTI [0.00] 2008 BMW M3 Coupe [0.00] 2007 VW Passat 2.0T [0.00]	220 degrees is hot. The only time my car has ever gotten that warm has been idling at a stop after an extended high speed flog in hot weather, and even then it didn't take long for the temp to drop back to 210 or below.
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06-22-2018, 10:56 AM	#8
New2Roundel Captain 467 Rep 804 Posts Drives: Some fun stuff Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Philly, PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 Jeep GC SRT [0.00] 1994 VW Corrado SLC [0.00] 2011 BMW M3 [0.00]	As others have said, the oil reading will swing a little to the left or right of the 210F mark depending on how the car is driven. I have noticed that my car runs a little more hot with the BMW Twinpower oil I recently put into the car. It's not dramatically different, but the needle spends more time to the right of the 210F mark than it did when I was using the Castrol oil.
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06-22-2018, 07:42 PM	#9
neilum Captain 897 Rep 753 Posts Drives: 718 GT4 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Bergen County NJ iTrader: (2)	Normal, go take it to the track and see what hot really is E90 doesn't do a great job of cooling, could be better.
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