348 running much hotter than it used to....

thanks Nick, John, and Ernie (always to the rescue!)

will get to it....get the thermostat out and have a look at it.....hoping this resolves it.......

 

ok guys I finally got my new t-stat from superformance ....it's a german made one by a company called Wahler.....rated at 82 degs Celsius just like the one i removed....as you can see the old one was broken and the only opening was from the broken tip at the top.......

so got it installed just now and the temp is rock solid....stays super steady at speed or stationary at 195 degs F......

HOWEVER, when i opened the bleed nipples....no water hardly comes out...it drips at times....(more drips in the lower nipple than the top which is dry!)

i don't know how the nipples behaved pre the right fan and the t-stat going bad...never touched them then...

the only time i saw water gushing through the nipples was if you have read my previous posts on this thread, (was when the t-stat was then bad,) and the cap was fastened....

so what could be the reason there isn't water coming out through the nipples? (remember guys the temp is rock solid)
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The holes in the nipple could be clogged. Old coolant or corrosion can do it. Try cleaning out the holes in the nipple with a piece of wire, or something that can fit in the holes to clear out any blockage.

And by the looks of your old thermostat you aren't running any coolant in your system. I know where you live it does get down to freezing, but you still want a little bit of coolant to act as a lubricant and corrosion inhibitor. You could run 75% distilled water, and 25% BMW coolant (it's specially formulated for aluminum engines).

 

the nipples are very clean....in fact i tried earlier, leaving the nipples open upon starting the car (which was already at optimum temp) and water gushed out of both nipples for a bout a couple of seconds and then it stopped..... (i must also add that my heaters have been bypassed by the previous owner as we don't need them here.....but i don't it's related is it?)

when i completely unscrew the nipples, i can see through the opening that there is water in the pipe (and the pipes do get pretty hot)..so there is water flow....it somehow seems that it isn't pressurised enough or something....

earlier when the tstat was bad and when the cap was on, the water was under very high pressure/expanded (hence water was even coming out at the joints) so that could be the reason there was water out through the nipples then....anyway that still does not explain why i'm not getting water out now though under normal conditions when everything is working.....


ernie, on the second point you made, i am not so sure if this is true....guys please advise....

- i was advised by the F-car techs here and also my local mechanic that since my piping has been already having rust for a while, (i got the car two years back with no coolant either)...... adding coolant might remove some of the rusts which might have already sealed any leaks or cracks and therefore:

-adding the coolant could cause leaks which were not there before this as this "sealant rusts" will be dislodged and removed......how true is this...myth or reality?!

 

Would you rather have to replace some rusted piping, or an entire engine block????

Add some coolant to it. BMW blue coolant.