Max safe engine (coolant) temperature

[creedR56]

Hi,

I noticed from using the MINI Driving Excitement app for iPhone that my engine coolant temperature sits around 105-107*C. Coolant level seems to be between max-min. The loud engine fan comes on very loud once the car is switched off for up to 3 minutes after leaving the car.

Is this normal? And without the Driving Excitement app is there any way to monitor engine temperature in MCS 2011?

Thanks,

C

[cjm]

CreedR56.

I'm now around 104-105C and no engine fan activity after a new thermostat in my '12 MCS (N18). No fan activity after switching off now, either!

Before the new 'stat it used to stay on 107-108C with the fan switching on as soon as the car warmed up (as well as ~1min after switch-off). It was a 'feature of the car' or 'they all run hot' according to the techs...(I didn't accept that and took it back to the dealer, four times.)

I've been using an ELM 327 derived OBDII scanner (Ebay) connected to a laptop running Easy OBDII software to monitor the engine temp.

NAM people are experiencing some engine fan 'running-on' activity after a spirited drive in hot weather (but I wasn't happy when mine did this in our present UK climate and featured as soon as the car warmed up). They seem to think 103-107C is a 'normal' temp range (217-225degF) for the R56 MCS.

I only noticed the 'running-on' at first; the radio masked the other fan activity.

Hope this helps.

[creedR56]

but by changing the sensor ur temperature only dropped by 3*C right? I can see how a dealer might not see that as an issue. Do you think perhaps ur new sensor is faulty as the engine fan does not come on when you reach this temperature?

[cjm]

I have an idea that the fan was coming on because the thermostat was faulty and not controlling the water flow around the engine to reduce temps.

I (and I suspect the tech) was using the OBD port to measure overall system temp which could be the 'final temp' after the fan was cutting in as shown by the computer but only partially controlled by the computer. So that could be why it was on the high side of 'normal'. But you know how loud the fan is; surely that points to something being amiss if it's going continually? Perhaps fan noise not listed in their manual of instructions...

My personal feeling is that the coolant temp set by the faulty 'stat was higher, causing the fan to run continuously in an attempt to avoid the engine overheating and, thankfully, keeping it from further damage. The effect may have been made worse by an air-lock; who knows? The techs don't divulge their fixes to us 'mortals' do they?

Even in this state my fan wasn't coming on for more than 1min after shut-down. Your 3min would seem a long time to me...