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Odd E34 540i smoking thing...

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    Odd E34 540i smoking thing...

    So, be aware. This is not my car that I am posting about. It's one that my girlfriend has... With that being said. The car is a 1994 (I think) 540i with a automatic trans in it.. 188k miles and service records back to the original owner. There is one thing that worries me with it. It uses coolant, and a lot of it. I filled it yesterday with a milk carton full of water and that was only three days of driving. Now, here is where it gets really weird. It doesn't have coolant in the oil, it doesn't burn coolant, and it doesn't leak coolant... The heater blows good and hot and there's no water in the interior from what I can see. So, if it was a leak there would be a puddle with how much it is loosing. If there was a leak into the motor the oil would be creamy and white which it's perfectly fine. If it was burning it IE a head gasket that would be really obvious with the loss rate. Any ideas? I can't find shit...

    Oh, and occasionally it smokes randomly from the front end. Right behind the motor. Smells like coolant... At first I thought it was brakes because I went out hooning with her and a buddy in his eta coupe. Smoking after we stopped so I thought, hell it's a big car and the brakes are probably a tad bit toasty. But then it happened going up a mountain. No brakes were used at all. My best guess is that it is leaking somewhere onto the exhaust manifold as it is running because there is enough pressure in the system to push the fluid out of the system somewhere... Anyways. Has anyone else experienced this?

    -Nesset
    -1976 2002 daily (Sold)
    -1986 528e 5 speed daily


    #2
    Sounds like an external leak that's evaporating before it can hit the ground. I know valley pan gaskets are always leaky on these motors, maybe start there?

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      #3
      Originally posted by CorvallisBMW View Post
      Sounds like an external leak that's evaporating before it can hit the ground. I know valley pan gaskets are always leaky on these motors, maybe start there?
      That's what I am thinking. Going to take a good look at it after school.
      -1976 2002 daily (Sold)
      -1986 528e 5 speed daily

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        #4
        After plenty of procrastination I finally got around to checking it out a few days ago. Looks like it was the Aux' waterpump. The fitting (plastic... cheap BMW bad!) broke off and was leaking coolant all over the drivers side manifold and down pipe... Derrr time for a new pump!
        -1976 2002 daily (Sold)
        -1986 528e 5 speed daily

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