<E36> M3 Heat coming from under steering column or dashboard

[Ivan Chou <ichou@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all,

I'm the new owner of a 1995 M3, 107k miles.  In regular driving, I've been
receiving an excessive amount of heat emanating from somewhere beneath the
steering column;  the passenger side receives it as well.  This happens
when all HVAC controls are off, so nothing is blowing in.  The temp gauge
reads right around halfway, and the water pump/t-stat were replaced by the
previous owner in the past 6 months.  Outside temps are around 60-70 and
this still happens.  I have also had the interior blower on, with recirc
on, and still feel the heat.  Looking under the hood, the exhaust
manifolds don't have any heat shields, but I am not E36-savvy enough to
know if there ought to be some.

I also had a DME code 1221 a few weeks ago.  I reset it by disconnecting
the battery overnight, and it hasn't come back since.  I'm open to the
possibility that the catalytic converter has gone bad and is giving off
excess heat.  After spirited acceleration I do get a sulfurish smell - not
quite rotten eggs.  Gas mileage is good, about 24 mpg on mixed
suburban/highway.

I've Google site-searched everywhere I can think of and I haven't been
able to find a solution to this.

Thanks,
Ivan - hot feet in Virginia
'93 SE-R 110k miles, '95 M3 107k miles

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