Defroster fogs up windows.

[Sean]

Ok, just wanted to get a second opinion on this.

I'm currently using ym dad's 1990 535i. When the car sits after being driven, sometimes the driver's side of the lower portion of the windsheild is fogged up. Then when you try to use the defroster, the windows just fog up. Starts with the front driver's side of the windsheild and moves on back the drivers side windows and eventually the rear window starts to fog up.

bad heater core?

[Court M3]

sounds like it. Blower motor runs right? Mine does the same, but blower does not run at all.

[m.olennick]

Do you get heat out of the vents at all?

[Sean]

I get heat - essentially, it seems like it works great - but it fogs up the windows!

Blower motor definitely doesn't blow REAL hard - my dad and I think there's a microfilter in there that's disgusting - but it's definitely blowing enough air to defrost windows...hell - even if the windows start out clear and day, they fog up by the time I pull in the driveway 10 mins later.

It's aggrevating as hell! LOL

[bimmer8604]

I get heat - essentially, it seems like it works great - but it fogs up the windows!

Blower motor definitely doesn't blow REAL hard - my dad and I think there's a microfilter in there that's disgusting - but it's definitely blowing enough air to defrost windows...hell - even if the windows start out clear and day, they fog up by the time I pull in the driveway 10 mins later.

It's aggrevating as hell! LOL

leaking heater core. if you dont want to fix it, turn your A/C on. it may help a bit.

It doesn't take much in the way of coolant to start messin things up.

Kyle

[Sean]

Yea, it's bad.

It's really really screwed!

Damn car.

This shit looks like a bitch to do too!

it's definitely coolant...took a nice whiff tonight, smelled nice and sweet - and the windows are all slimy.

It's so frustrating...ugh.

[AlarmedBread]

Time for a turbo swap it looks like. ;)

[smonkbmw]

gotta be careful and get this done soon. i drove a e32 for a year or so with a leaky heater core (didnt know it at the time). after awhile the coolant blowing into the cabin put a nice film over my eyeballs. made everything blurry at a distance. got rid of the car and it went away after a couple weeks, now my semi does the same thing.....damn it!

[Sean]

Yikes.

Anyone know any coolant stop leak that won't screw up the entire coolant system??? lol

[AndrewBird]

You try some from a local auto parts store, but IMO, putting anything that block holes into your cooling system is a bad idea. What keeps it from block holes you don't want it to?

[Jparkr]

chances are stop leak will not help in this case. Just because its probably an O-ring between two heater core pipes. I'm not sure about E34's but I would be surprised if you had to pull the dash.
Do you know anyone with an E34 Bentleys? It would let you know if you can tackle it in a few hours, or have a shop do it.

[Sean]

I have the e34 Bentley - and the picture they show of the heater core shows no dashboard - and it looks like the only way to reach the pipes that must be disconnected.

Parkr, you're probably right about the o-ring, but I got nothin to loose, so I'm gonna give some stop leak a shot. What's the best safest stuff out there?

[StereoInstaller1]

Best "Stop Leak" crap is from a GM dealer, called "Block Sealant" and is recommended for new motors...but works like a charm.

[bimmer8604]

i wouldn't use any sort of stop leak. its just going to create problems down the line.

Chances are you can pull the center console and reach the heater core from there. get yourself a pair of those plastic clamps or even just some needle nose vise grips and clamp the two heater lines up in the engine bay. You probably have either a leaking o-ring where the pipes connect to the heater core, or a leaky core. the chances of a leaking water valve dripping coolant all the way into the heater box is slim to none but pull that center console out and take a look. Just an FYI: Do this when the car is cold, and make sure you have LOTS of towels on hand. the last thing you want is coolant soaking into your carpet and everything else.

Kyle

[DaveSmed]

Best "Stop Leak" crap is from a GM dealer, called "Block Sealant" and is recommended for new motors...but works like a charm.

That is good stuff. They put it in at the factory in a lot of Cadillac engines in case any porousity issues arise with a casting. The stuff you get from the GM dealer is round tablets that you break up and put into the cooling system. Bar's Leaks stuff in the brown tube (the dry powder stuff) is the exact same stuff but already ground up and it's at any autoparts store instead of at a GM dealer.

Note: It doesn't really like being added to surge tanks as there's not enough flow to get it in circulation. It just kinda sits in there.