My e30: its problems and shady past.

[coolflow]

Since I bought my car a few months ago. I have had always had an overheating problem with it. First it was the waterpump. Replaced that. Worked well for a about a month till something else fucked up. Yep another overheating issue this time it was an old and broken radiator cap. Ok cool fixed that. And now the arrow is pointing at the redZone once again and now my mechanic friend seriously considers its a blown headgasket. To top that off I need 2 new arms for the ball bolts on the tyre, to top it off my friend found out it has an e36 engine in it and probably the odomotres all fucked

If it turns out to be the gasket should I just sell it?
Because the further we look into this car the more money I throw at it.

It's becoming a massive disappointment.

[Komzorz]

What kind of e36 engine? Does it overheat standing in traffic, or does it overheat on the road? Need more information.

Also, give it a compression test to determine whether it's the headgasket.

[coolflow]

Both, stopped in traffic it's worse. It'll go down alittle whilst driving but rise up and up.
It's a 91 model e36 I think.
Yeah my friends going to come past soon and check it out.

[mrgraphics]

How is the fan clutch? Roll up a newspaper, get the car up to temperature. If you can stop the fan with it, then you need a new clutch.

Although my overheating problems were all the above: water pump, head gasket, fan clutch, radiator cap, holes in coolant lines.

[2ndName]

Yeah, unfortunately these cars will need a pretty penny to get it into tip top shape. The people that are having a blast with their E30s as of right now have gone through many dollars and are now in the downhill of just purely enjoying their cars.

I'm about $2K in and I just bought mine 3 weeks ago...

[K1CKBAC]

Yeah, unfortunately these cars will need a pretty penny to get it into tip top shape. The people that are having a blast with their E30s as of right now have gone through many dollars and are now in the downhill of just purely enjoying their cars.

I'm about $2K in and I just bought mine 3 weeks ago...

Truth

[coolflow]

ok guys an update


flame me when you hear this

so ive been using water since i got it and i drained it and put proper coolant in it

now it's fine.
thanks for replies though guys

I feel really stupid.

[jeffnhiscars]

Moral of this story is...bleed before you start replacing :-)

[BrownBeanE30]

Moral of this story is...bleed before you start replacing :-)

Lol aint that the truth

[future rs]

ok guys an update


flame me when you hear this

so ive been using water since i got it and i drained it and put proper coolant in it

now it's fine.
thanks for replies though guys

I feel really stupid.

It wasn't the water. It was probably air in the system.

Glad to hear you fixed it!

[Kershaw]

yeah, water is much better at cooling than actual coolant. it just has this nasty habit of freezing and expanding.

[dnguyen1963]

yeah, water is much better at cooling than actual coolant. it just has this nasty habit of freezing and expanding.

Water boils at 100C. It is awefully hard to keep it from blowing up in stop and go traffic. 50% Antifreeze actually raises the boiling point of the solution and has better heat transfer rate; therefore, much better coolant than water.

[dnguyen1963]

yeah, water is much better at cooling than actual coolant. it just has this nasty habit of freezing and expanding.

Oh wait, you just saw the viagra commercial where a guy poured a bottle of water into his overheated '69 Camaro radiator, didn't you?

[future rs]

Water boils at 100C. It is awefully hard to keep it from blowing up in stop and go traffic. 50% Antifreeze actually raises the boiling point of the solution and has better heat transfer rate; therefore, much better coolant than water.

Yeah 100C = about 215f With a proper cooling system I have never had a car get that high in stop and go. At the track drifting with a small radiator yes.

And actually water has better heat transfer than coolant. Glycol lowers the heat transfer properties in water. Guess what! your coolant has plenty of glycol in it. Yes it does raise the boiling point. You where right on that. But its main purpose is to protect against freezing.

And a lot of track cars are only permitted to use water. Primarily because of coolants ability to lubricate. You can imagine the dangers a coolant leak on a high speed raceway would cause. Out of all the time I have spent at the track doing road course and even drifting I have yet to have a car overheat or boil over with just water.

[dnguyen1963]

Yeah 100C = about 215f With a proper cooling system I have never had a car get that high in stop and go. At the track drifting with a small radiator yes.

And actually water has better heat transfer than coolant. Glycol lowers the heat transfer properties in water. Guess what! your coolant has plenty of glycol in it. Yes it does raise the boiling point. You where right on that. But its main purpose is to protect against freezing.

And a lot of track cars are only permitted to use water. Primarily because of coolants ability to lubricate. You can imagine the dangers a coolant leak on a high speed raceway would cause. Out of all the time I have spent at the track doing road course and even drifting I have yet to have a car overheat or boil over with just water.

You are absolutely right...water has better heat transfer rate.

http://www.electronics-cooling.com/2006/05/comparing-heat-transfer-rates-of-liquid-coolants-using-the-mouromtseff-number/