Hell-O! 1st time ownER with LOTS of issues! Help!

[Cherie jolly]

Hi! I am a first time owner of the 325i and I LOVE it! The only problem is that I don't think it likes me. :'( Since my purchase of this beautiful car back in August I've replaced the radiator, pullys, belt, fan clutch, expansion tank and thermostat and now...it's OVERHEATING!!! Good grief! I seriously love this car but it's been one thing after ANOTHER! My friends all reminded me of what BMW really stands for and I'm starting to believe them! B-roke M-y W-allet
Ha. It's not very funny though, really. Would a kind person please help me with ideas or suggestions of what the problem may be? PLEASE?

[DEATH2000]

When you replaced the radiator did they put in an aluminum one or a stock plastic one? The E36 and E46 had plastic radiators which were prone to failure. Their are aftermarket ones made out of aluminum that are much better. What temperature rating is the thermostat? I'm sure you have checked the coolant level? The level being low is usually the most common overheating problem. Air in the coolant system is the second most common. Double the check the level and bleed the system just to be sure.

Now is te car itself overheating or is te temp gauge shooting up? A way to find out is to turn the ignition on, but not the engine. If the temp gauge shoots up then the temp sensor is bad. Otherwise it may be your thermostat. Also check all your hoses for cracks, rips, tears to make sure their not leaking. Their is a lot of hoses that make up the cooling system of the vehicle, not just the upper and lower rad hoses.

[Cherie jolly]

So far we have replaced the following:

Radiator
Expansion tank with thermostat
Upper radiator hose
All pullys
All the other hoses appear to be in good condition.
The car is actually getting red hot. Is the water pump prone to failure along the same time as everything else?

[Cherie jolly]

We replaced the radiator with a OEM radiator also.

[DEATH2000]

The water pump on the early E36's prior to 1997 were made with a plastic impeller which was prone to failure. In the 1998 and later models it was replaced with a metal impeller. I believe I have had to replace mine though. A while back my car overheated and the upper hose came off spilling coolant everywhere. After attaching the hose and adding coolant I had to re bleed the system to get the air out. I ended up replacing the water pump, thermostat and fan clutch.

You already replaced your thermostat so the other possibilities may be your water pump or fan clutch. The fan should spin freely when the engine is cold and off, and difficult to spin when the engine is hot and off. If it is hard to spin when cold and easy to stop when running then you need a new fan clutch.

Whenever you have work done on the cooling system such as replacing a hose, always , always re bleed the cooling system. Air in the system is the number one cause of overheating.

[Cherie jolly]

We replaced the fan clutch and the water pump and it's running like a dream again! I think it loves me again! I'm not really sure which was the culprit but I'm guessing it was probably the water pump. Either way it's finally a happy car and I'm a happy 1st time owner once again! Thank you so much for your help with my issues!

[DEATH2000]

Your welcome. I'm glad I could help. I do wish you would have been able to have resolved the issue without having to replace as much as you did, however it does mean you have new components that you know will last for a while!