Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Just bought 1987 325is... coolant explosion, now won't start

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Just bought 1987 325is... coolant explosion, now won't start

    Okay so I was looking forward to posting about this 325is that I just bought, but now it looks like I will be doing so under frustrating circumstances.

    I got the car at a local auction, where impounded cars are sold when the owners don't pay their bill. To give you an idea, this car had a full set of golf clubs and a bunch of personal stuff in it still. So *usually* these are not abandoned cars.

    That said, I had to jump the battery because the car had been at a tow lot for 6 weeks. It had no fuel in it, so it took some effort to get it started. We jumped it with cables and I drove it back to where i work (i did this on my lunch break). Car has some bearing and brake issues, along with a check engine light. The after work, the battery still wasn't charged up, so we had to jump it again. Started right up, no problem.

    When we get it home, my buddy takes it for a spin around the block. He does a burnout at the stop sign and then the car stalls almost immediately. He parks it and gets out and there is a big stream of coolant behind the car.

    So I know it doesn't have any coolant in it, but it's literally only one block from my house, so we try to jump start it. Now the engine will only turn 1/2 to 1 revolution, and then it stops. Either the battery is not taking charge (all of a sudden), or there is something not right inside the engine.

    We looked under the engine and we can see the general area in the front passenger side where the coolant is it, so i am hoping it is just the radiator or the lower radiator hose.

    Any suggestions on how the sudden coolant leak and failure to start may be related?
    ~ Squirrel

    1988 325is
    1989 325i 5-speed, w/ LSD (sold)
    1989 Acura Legend Coupe 5-speed
    1990 Honda VTR250
    1985 Honda Nighthawk 700S

    #2
    On an IS shouldn't the coolant reservoir be on the driver's side? The tank on the passenger side is the windshield washer fluid tank. Correct me if I'm wrong.

    Anyway, to your problem: I think a headgasket may have taken a dump. That or your engine blew/snapped a rocker arm/valve is busted/timing belt snapped. A snapped timing belt or a headgasket will not let your car r3v. At all.

    A radiator hose will not warrant your car not cranking. A dead battery will. Make sure everything is tight hose-wise and then go from there. If with a full battery your car still will not crank, you may have a larger issue on hand.
    Me: "I can't wait to redline my car!"
    Mark: "Didn't you just break a rocker arm?"
    Me: "Yeah, I don't think I've learned my lesson."
    Mark: "You never will."

    Comment


      #3
      When I said there is coolant on the lower passenger side, I mean that's where the spray is coming from. I realize the reservoir is on the other side. But the fact that the coolant wetness seems to be located at the bottom passenger side of the radiator leads me to believe that it may not be a major mechanical failure.

      I should add that my friend said he didn't hear any mechanical noise when it stalled, and he was moving along about 15-20 mph when "it happened." With an interference engine, I would expect that if it was the timing belt snapping, you would hear something valvetrain related as the pistons and valves are gnashing against each other.

      I hope to get a good battery soon, or else charge/test the one in the car. It seems ominous that both the cranking issue and coolant loss occurred simultaneously.

      I am thinking that maybe the car would not hold charge for a reason, and this is why it was parked in the first place. Maybe an alternator or voltage regulator.... but then why would it allow me to drove home 15 miles from work? Anyways, it's all speculation for now.
      ~ Squirrel

      1988 325is
      1989 325i 5-speed, w/ LSD (sold)
      1989 Acura Legend Coupe 5-speed
      1990 Honda VTR250
      1985 Honda Nighthawk 700S

      Comment


        #4
        I heard from a friend that the radiator endtanks often fail on the E30... any truth in that? This would be consistent with my coolant leakage.
        ~ Squirrel

        1988 325is
        1989 325i 5-speed, w/ LSD (sold)
        1989 Acura Legend Coupe 5-speed
        1990 Honda VTR250
        1985 Honda Nighthawk 700S

        Comment


          #5
          I would check on your water pump...these are known to fail if not replaced every 50,000 miles or so. It's also extremely close to your timing belt, so check that too.
          1987 BMW 325i (daily) (LS1/T56 swap complete!)

          Comment


            #6
            [quote=llll1l1ll;1539408]On an IS shouldn't the coolant reservoir be on the driver's side? The tank on the passenger side is the windshield washer fluid tank. Correct me if I'm wrong.[quote]

            Not an 87 it byt the passenger side strut unless its was changed to the 88+ style cooling system.

            Op Pull some pugs to see if you blew a headgasket. and you could try to turn it bye hand to see what happens.
            84 318I Delphin RIP
            87 325IS delphin 24v Sold
            89 325 Alpineweiss

            Comment


              #7
              Found the problem, coolant leak in the lower center of the radiator. Seems an odd place to get a leak.

              I think the starting issue may have had something to do with coolant on an electrical connection, who knows.

              Found a radiator for $152, hopefully I will get that installed sometime next week.
              ~ Squirrel

              1988 325is
              1989 325i 5-speed, w/ LSD (sold)
              1989 Acura Legend Coupe 5-speed
              1990 Honda VTR250
              1985 Honda Nighthawk 700S

              Comment

              Working...
              X