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    #1

    Possibly overheated- what to do?

    Hi everyone, I'm a new guy (long time reader) here and I have a bit of a problem. So today I went to install an AC belt that had recently snapped. I went for a test drive and saw that the AC was working again but then right before I got home the car started throwing white smoke from the engine(a lot, more like an explosion). So I pulled over immediately and then popped the hood to to find coolant all over the engine bay. It seemed that all the hoses were fine and I didn't see anything out of place. So then I thought blew a head gasket? I checked the oil and it seemed fine (no milkshake). I got it towed back to my house and it seems to start up again fine and no leaks that I can tell. I also opened the rad cap and ran the car to see if any bubbles started and I could not see any.

    So my question is what should I look for/test out? Could I still have a blown head gasket? Maybe water pump failure? I should mention that my temp gauge isn't working (actually it moves around but ironically when this happened I noticed it in dead center). Any help would be great, thanks. (Oh and SI board will be fixed first so I can see the engine temp)
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    #2
    Was the coolant low? Are you sure it was coolant? Is your A/C still working? My thinking is if the coolant isn't low, that you just blew one of your A/C lines and you just lost your refrigerant all over the place.

    Other than that, look for the tell-tale white residue of dried coolant around your engine and the lines. Keep checking the oil for a while. Your temp gauge probably works, but your thermostat may be stuck open or set at too low of a temp so the gauge never registers. Mine only goes up to about 1/4. I suspect it is because it has the wrong thermostat.

    Oh, and welcome to the boards. Stay out of the "Off Topic" area until after the elections. :D
    1987 E30 325is
    1999 E46 323i
    RIP 1994 E32 740iL
    oo=[][]=oo

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      #3
      Originally posted by Hallen View Post
      Was the coolant low? Are you sure it was coolant? Is your A/C still working? My thinking is if the coolant isn't low, that you just blew one of your A/C lines and you just lost your refrigerant all over the place.
      Yes, AC works and yes it was coolant. After observing the engine more it seems that the coolant must have came from somewhere on the passenger side since most of that side still has some green coolant settled in some parts.

      Still not sure what happened. The exhaust blows no smoke but I do smell a tiny hint of "sweet"ness. Anythings else I can test?

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        #4
        Check the lines that go to and from the heater core at the firewall. One of those may have blown.
        1987 E30 325is
        1999 E46 323i
        RIP 1994 E32 740iL
        oo=[][]=oo

        Comment

          #5
          Originally posted by Hallen View Post
          Check the lines that go to and from the heater core at the firewall. One of those may have blown.
          Hallen, thanks for your help. It seems that the liquid was in fact refrigerant. One of the AC hoses (compressor to condenser?) showed a fairly noticeable rip. It makes sense too, since most of the liquid was on the passenger side only.

          So I didn't blow a head gasket... phew!:-D Now I will just have to suck it up with no AC for a while, only used it on really hot days anyway.

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