Operating Temperature Variation

[SS32]

I've noticed that under regular driving, even in the heat, my car will stay just below 210. On the track, however, it was a little above 210 toward the end of each session. Has anyone noticed this when running the car hard? I assume it's normal, but just wanted to make sure.

[SS32]

No one? It happened yesterday when I was just driving hard. Air temp was ~87.

[ersin]

Yes, this will happen. As long as it doesn't go to the end of the dial you're ok. If that happens, pull over before something bends/breaks. BTW, the fact that it only went a little above mid-temp on the track speaks well of the car.

[SS32]

My E46 never moved at all, even on track.

[ersin]

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

My E46 never moved at all, even on track.

Mine would. Driving hard in the summer it would go to about where you said yours was -- just high of center, maybe a tad bit higher.

[lucid]

I see slight variations in my oil temp depending on what i'm doing the car and what it's doing to me. I'm glad they gave us a functioning gauge.

[man02195]

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

My E46 never moved at all, even on track.

yep, e46 gauge never moves, not sure it's connected to anything.

[Manny212]

I'm still in the break-in phase but my gauge always goes JUST slightly over the midpoint with my normal everyday driving

[SpacecakeM]

Mine too! Its normal.

[Lil. Lucas]

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

My E46 never moved at all, even on track.

Originally Posted by man02195

yep, e46 gauge never moves, not sure it's connected to anything.

Our E46 would move according to how the car was driven..

[ersin]

Originally Posted by man02195

yep, e46 gauge never moves, not sure it's connected to anything.

What year was your E46? Mine was 2002 and definitely moved. It started near the left end when I would start the car up after sitting a while. As the engine warmed up the temp would slowly rise until it would settle near center when it was finally up to temperature. I'd used it to tell when I could start increasing revs, basically a more conservative check on the tach yellow line.

[e46e92love]

Originally Posted by ersin

What year was your E46? Mine was 2002 and definitely moved. It started near the left end when I would start the car up after sitting a while. As the engine warmed up the temp would slowly rise until it would settle near center when it was finally up to temperature. I'd used it to tell when I could start increasing revs, basically a more conservative check on the tach yellow line.

What they mean is not that it moves from warm-up but that once the car is warmed up different operating conditions lead to slightly different temps......

[ersin]

Originally Posted by e46e92love

What they mean is not that it moves from warm-up but that once the car is warmed up different operating conditions lead to slightly different temps......

Yes, I'm just trying to clarify.

I had a '94 Miata which had a real working oil pressure gauge. But a year or two later they started putting in "dummy" gauges. When the car was started the needle would pop up to center and stay there; no movement of the needle and no real indication of oil pressure. Why they did this is beyond me.

So, I was thinking that maybe BMW might have done this on certain model years. I know it's a stretch. I'll go away now.

[SS32]

No, my E46 gauge moved, but never like the E92 does. Thank God they didn't put a dummy in because I had to have my thermostat replaced in the E46. I'm guessing the reason the M3 moves so much is because it's a lot more high strung than my 325 was and the tolerances are a lot closer so it's more vulnerable to a change in air temp.