Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Please Help!!! Mystery Coolant Leak!!!

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

    Please Help!!! Mystery Coolant Leak!!!

    Hey everyone, thought I would get your feedback on this issue I am having. Keep in mind I am probably a 8 out of 10 in mechanic knowledge... so no "check your hoses" type replies!

    This is on my wife's 96 328iC. She was complaining that the heater was blowing cooler air when she stopped at a light. I checked the coolant level, and it was down about 3 cups... problem fixed. a week later the same thing happened, so I added another 3 cups and tried to see a leak. About a week after that, massive coolant all over the driveway... ALOT. Pulled it in the garage suspicious of the good ol' water pump, and sure enough, the fan blade had about 1/2 in of play- shot bearings. Took it all down, new belts, hoses, metal impeller water pump (from bavauto), thermostat. Drove great halfway to the gas station, started to overheat . Got to the gas station to check it out, and steam is POURING out when I open the hood. (Don't you love when you pull in a public area in a nice BMW pouring steam, and all the hillbillys are snickering at you as they pull away in their 76 chevy pickup ). Anyways, let it cool down, got home and steam is SHOOTING out right above the thermostat housing. No, its not cracked. Please don't tell me its head gasket or cracked head.
    This was last night, so I am going to do more work on it tonight. Any help would be VERY APPRECIATED!!!

    1988 325iC Project - FINISHED!
    Build Thread: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...ht=325iC+paint

    #2
    Is the tstat housing plastic or aluminum? It could be warped.

    I don't think your car would run well with a steam shooting HG leak.
    "We praise or find fault, depending on which of the two provides more opportunity for our powers of judgement to shine."

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by psloan View Post
      Is the tstat housing plastic or aluminum? It could be warped.
      Aluminum.

      FYI- my guy at Bavauto said I may not have bled the system entirely of air...

      1988 325iC Project - FINISHED!
      Build Thread: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...ht=325iC+paint

      Comment


        #4
        How would not bleeding it cause steam? Yes - you should bleed it properly - but my bet is that your tstat housing is warped.
        "We praise or find fault, depending on which of the two provides more opportunity for our powers of judgement to shine."

        Comment


          #5
          If the cooling system isnt bled properly, you can get air pockets that dont move, and from that you get localized hot spots. The steam is just the overheating pocket. If so, then that gasket (is there on on e36s?) might have failed now.

          Try bleeding the cooling system fully and see if it still overheats. Are you setting the heater to full hot when bleeding the system?

          Comment


            #6
            Problem Solved

            Problem solved. Sure enough, did not get all the air out, there was pocket of air that built up pressure and blew the tstat housing seal. My mistake... I admit it.

            This is a good note that you HAVE to spend the time to bleed the system correctly and entirely!

            Thanks for your help.
            B

            1988 325iC Project - FINISHED!
            Build Thread: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...ht=325iC+paint

            Comment


              #7
              Ya e36s are touchy. The correct way is open the bleeder fully, and fill the system until coolant comes out of the bleeder. I've always done it that way, and never had a problem.
              But I am too late..

              Comment

              Working...
              X