Simon's take on: 'Mess Under the Intake'

[Nick_S]

Nice write up. I'm thankful the PO took care of the mess on my car before I got it.

[mooseheadm5]

Your heater core is leaking. Replace it.

how could coolant be leaking out the tranny output seal?

im referring to this plug here

[trigtm]

I completed this mod last week. I removed the entire loop from the tb cooling plates and connected the port from the crackpipe (closest to the front of the motor) to the port on the head, about 6" away. Bled the coolant and works fine now. Car will be garaged so I am not worried about the TB freezing at all.

Really simple but I recomend getting a few feet of 5/8", 1/2", and 3/4" hose and several hose size converters to save yourself the agrivation.

One of the cooling plates was completly clogged and I could not clear it so I figured 'why the hell not'. Definitely easier to maintain than the original and I had to replace the crackpipe anyway sicne the top port had sheared off, causing the problem in the first place (leaking coolant, air into the motor, running hot).

[Simon S]

The relief valve isn't something I would delete. The problem is that by the time you realize there's a failure in the system in the cabin, hot coolant is shooting out near your legs. The relief valve provides... well a "relief" for the pressurized coolant that's in the engine bay and not the driver's side footwell. I can't, in good conscious, recommend that it be deleted.

For sake of discussion, how does the relief valve function in the middle of an “H” configuration?

Like if a heater core burst (worst-case scenario) – what does that valve actually do in reaction to that? What can it do?

In normal operation – there is high pressure throughout the coolant system – then [let’s say] the core pops and spews coolant in the interior. Does the valve react to that by cutting pressure to the interior feed/return lines? How can it do that in the middle of an “H” configuration?


Or am I thinking about it wrong? Does it proactively/continuously reduce pressure to the interior lines? If that’s the case – I can understand how reducing pressure levels in the interior/core would be [somewhat] preventative in nature to an interior leak failure – but I’m assuming the core would fail per deterioration of use over time regardless.

A big reason I deleted it was because I don’t understand how it serves function. The TB heater plate seemed like a half-ass engineering fix to me – and so did the pressure relief valve..



Edit/correction (11/24/11):

After reviewing my photos - I now clearly see how the valve is not - in fact - in the middle of an "H" configuration.

I can see how it is fully incorporated directly in what I presume to be the feed line to the core.

This means that - theroretically - it could fully/partially? interrupt flow to the core.

But still - how does it function? Does it shut/bypass upon a sudden drop in pressure? Is it constantly in effect - reducing pressure to core portion of the cooling system?

[Simon S]

@Ryann – thanks for contributing. Yep – that’s another way to do it fer sure. Good job on the posted picture.

@randy – shit. Don’t know what to say about that plug – other than to think logically.. and logically – the leak is coming from somewhere above that plug.

What is coolant-related and above that plug?
Heater core/valve/plumbing.. and per age that these cars are getting – the heater core/valve/plumbing are known leak/failure points.
i.e. your heater core/valve/plumbing may very well be due for replacement – which is a topic for a different thread.. all I can tell you is that the heater core and valve are painfully expensive – albeit much easier to replace on our late model e30s..

[lookitsranday]

how could coolant be leaking out the tranny output seal?

im referring to this plug here

[KenC]

Looks like the tranny output seal is leaking and flinging fluid around.

[lookitsranday]

thanks simon i got it. i've finished the mess already. however this may be off topic but i saw a leak above the flex disk. right above the driveshaft theres this little plug? or something and coolant is leaking. do u know what the part is or what could be wrong?


[/HTML]

[Ryann]

Nice write up Simon. As you said everyone has there own take on 'the mess', and I decided to keep everything stock except deleting the TB heater/plumbing as shown below.

The green stuff is gone and the blue hose is the one I trimmed to make the red connection.

[shEck3lls0]

Thanks for the info. Tackling this this weekend along with some other stuff before I start turbo build. :D

[Simon S]

dude - I read and re-read your question several times..

I can't answer your question because I would first need to smoke some of the shit you must be on.


Edit: Hey sorry there – that was a harsh answer. But seriously – there’s a vacuum hose from intake plenum to ICV. The ICV is held in place by a rubber strap. The lower vacuum hose from ICV eventually connects to the rubber intake runner. I think what got me about your question is that you should have noted this upon dissassembly(?) When you say “another part to stick the vacuum hose into” – I don’t know what you mean.



The only other thing that connects to the ICV is the electric plug.

[lookitsranday]

simon under the icv, theres another part to stick the vacuum hose into, where does it go?

[Gerta]

Fabulous.

[lookitsranday]

as always, you are awesome for doing this.

+1

Randy, No - you are getting rid of that.

gerta you and simon has been great help.

[Simon S]

may i suggest that for the block pipe you purchase BMW OEM only.

Agreed. This particular part is quality-sensitive indeed.

* Another reason to deal with Blunt Tech - you get hooked up with the good shit *

.. thing hanging under the throttle body. is that for keeps? and the nipple on that, where does the hose go to?

As mentioned – that hardware gets deleted. I edited initial post to include a photo of the heater plate hardware.

And thanks again – your pm and questions like yours finally prompted me to compose/maintain a thread like this one.. glad to be of help!

as always, you are awesome for doing this.

aww.. * blush *

and Ken – thanks again for chiming in here. Your knowledge base and contributions are always appreciated.