another over heating/ cooling issues.

[rafiki]

iv searched and searched, and read everything i found. and i need your help!

i just did the "mess under the intake" clean up. New thermostat, new coolant.

Now, my heat doesn't work, and the car over heats within 8 minutes of idling.

the rad hoses are stone cold even when the car is past 1/2 mark, and even creeping up on red, the hoses are still cold. so is the bottom hose going to the block.

My guess is the water pump. But It was working a couple weeks ago before i did the underside of the intake stuff, and i also replaced my valve cover gasket.

My temp gauge is pretty constant going up and down, but it does jump around a little bit... maybe a bad temp gauge sensor?

I bleed the system. when i release the valve, no air comes out, just coolant. So, i dont think i have air bubbles in the system...

help :(

[drumad]

lol

sounds like me a month ago,

I did everything, removed the mess, flushed/bled the system, and my car wouldnt put out hot air. I started to dig into my interior to check the valve/heatercore but stopped working on it due to work/other issues.

I let the car sit for a good 2 weeks without touching then came back to it to diagnose the problem. Well, I'll be damned, hot air came out. I duno? ahha.

Make sure you bleed the system very very very very very very thoroughly., etc.

check the valve/heater core as well.. hopefully its not clogged.

[rafiki]

lol. well i am leaving for a week tomorrow. so maybe ill be as lucky as you. im pissed i cant figure this out. i washed it, clay bared it, waxed it. looks so good. ready to roll. but its over heating :(

[rafiki]

Can anyone explain to me, or point me in the correct way to get any air bubbles I have out?

[drumad]

I followed this procedure.

http://zoso.no-ip.org/318i-thermostat.html

and some of this

http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27983

if you havent seen these, I hope they help

[rafiki]

thanks for the links. i followed the second procedure. and its still over heating. i think something might be clogged. i have no idea what it is

[rafiki]

how much total coolant is the car suppose to have in it? from empty to full?

[rafiki]

i still cant figure this out....

how can i tell if my head is cracked? i have no idea what is wrong with this car!! UGH!

[monty23psk]

I can help out and just coming in late to this tread. First, where you at in this issue? Second, it take 1.7 gallons for the whole unit including heater core.

[Simon S]

Got your pm.

Wish I could be of more help..
When you describe the cold upper and lower hoses - it leads me to believe that coolant isn't getting circulated at all. Hence- i'd immediately fault the thermostat and/or water pump.

Assuming thermostat was correctly replaced, I'd lean toward the water pump.

How many miles on the engine? Any history on water pump replacement? Water pumps do fall under a 'wear item' catagory.

I recall when trying to bleed my system - (with radiator cap removed) - I could look in and see a stream of coolant shoot from area of bleeder screw as I revved the motor. One test you could try would be to leave cap off and see if coolant is shooting from bleeder screw area. (rev the engine as you do this) Then you'd know if circulation was taking place - and if, indeed, the water pump failed.

I am hope, hope, hoping that you didn't run the engine too hot - or yeah - then we are talking warped head..

[619E30]

Sounds like a water pump issue to me

[rafiki]

i am going to replace the water pump with in the next few days i will order one now

[Simon S]

Sorry to hear the news man.
Sounded like you at least monitored the temp gauge well. I know what it feels like to do a boat-load of work - only to find out that a bunch of stuff needs to be un-done again. Shit like that is frustrating and drives me up the fuckin wall.

Keep us posted.

[rafiki]

^^ yes. x1000. water pump will be here tomorrow. thanks to worldpac!

[drumad]

sigh.. this all happened to my friends 318i E36.. and I swear we attempted to bleed the system for 3 hours yesterday and about 5 the day before. Car would STILL over heat. Oh yeah, did I mention the waterpipe blew the top rad hose off and destroyed the plastic nipple? Yeah that happened and getting to that pipe on an E36 is a HUGE pita versus the E30 set up.

Probably needs a water pump too. We got desperate hoping it wasnt that. Well, we probably are wrong.