325i 1990 died after pumping up the heat

[korort]

Hi! So the past few days before it died I noticed that the car was running a bit hotter than usual. Never overheating but just between the halfway more and the 3/4 Mark. So while I was driving I noticed that it was hitting the 3/4 Mark and decided to crank up the heat (was told that could cool down the car). I did that and noticed that the thermostat was dropping but then suddenly the car just died on me. And it wouldn't start. There seem to be power as the hazard light works but I just can't get it to start.

Thank you for all the help in advance

[Mani59]

I have moved this to the Classic BMW forum for you.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by korort

Hi! So the past few days before it died I noticed that the car was running a bit hotter than usual. Never overheating but just between the halfway more and the 3/4 Mark. So while I was driving I noticed that it was hitting the 3/4 Mark and decided to crank up the heat (was told that could cool down the car). I did that and noticed that the thermostat was dropping but then suddenly the car just died on me. And it wouldn't start. There seem to be power as the hazard light works but I just can't get it to start.

Thank you for all the help in advance

That the flashers work is not necessarily sufficient evidence that the 12V power is good.

What are the no start symptoms? No crank? Crank but no start? Start then stall?

There can be a number of causes.

Crank but no start or start then stall behavior... Does the car have a working/reliable fuel gauge? Don't want to dig too deep if there is a chance the car just ran out of fuel.

The running a bit hotter behavior could be due to failing alternator which as the car's electrical system gets insufficient electrical power could result in the radiator coolant fan -- assuming it is electrically powered -- spins slower.

The engine could have shut off due to a fuel pump quitting or even just insufficient power to generate spark.

But still you must ensure the cooling system is in somewhat reasonable health. Start by confirming the coolant level is good. Don't over fill the system but fuller is better than not. (You can use distilled water to top up the coolant level.) If the level is low, and really low, this hints at a leak. But unless as you add distilled water coolant pours out onto the ground from some leak that's a subject for another thread.

If there is a dipstick check the oil level too. If low top up with the proper oil. Don't overfill.

As for the no start not much you can do on your driveway. Check the battery power. A low battery suggests a weak/failing alternator. At the same time check all the battery/electrical connections. The cabling/wiring that resides down low can/will suffer from exposure.

If the battery is low you can charge up the battery and then see if the engine starts. If it does well there you go. But you still need to be on high alert for signs the alternator is not working right. (The alternator can start from a cold start working right but after some minutes of engine operation its output can start to fall off. I've experienced this once with a car (not a BMW) on a lift at a dealer. Tech demo'd the behavior to me. Then some time later with my own car (again not a BMW). Was clued in as I happened to notice the battery voltage gauge on the dash was reading down at 12V rather than the nearly 14V it usually read.)

'course, it is up to you how much you want/can do. Could be coincidence but the fuel pump could have quit. A tech would disconnect the fuel pump from the car's electrical system and supply 12V shop power to the fuel pump to test it. If it runs then he'd check fuse(s), relay(s). Every tech worth his salt has a test relay for testing the fuel pump relay.

But unless you are good at DIY auto diagnostics/repair getting the car to a qualified shop is probably in the cards.