mal6 0 Report post Posted February 18, 2016 can run it up to operatiing temp in the garage for about 15 minutes but soon as go for a drive after 10 km it seems fine then just shoots into the ted . ive replaced thermostat & housing & new radiator had water pump out & it looks & feels fine . I bled air out , compression test Ok no water in oil n or oil in water , no white smoke & engine runs fine . & aux fan only comes on breifly ,rad doesnt seem that hot & when i stop & open bleeder only get steam cant get water . this is wierd What next . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aja540i 1906 Report post Posted February 18, 2016 New temp sender? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KwS 2425 Report post Posted February 18, 2016 go for a drive with scanner attached and see if it actually is overheating or if its the gauge sender? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*Glenn* 854 Report post Posted February 18, 2016 I would say it's not bled properly and you've got an air lock 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BM WORLD 1283 Report post Posted February 18, 2016 (edited) what glenn said sounds about right Edited February 18, 2016 by BM WORLD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mal6 0 Report post Posted February 18, 2016 Ive bled it till the cows come home both cold & hot definatly circulation problem ran it last night without thermostat still did it . . . It isnt gradual it sits on midrange for most time then just goes up to red & its definatly very hot not circulating open bleeder & no water only steam & header tank only warm . guess next is new pump looks ok but ? The first time it happened I was driving & done 40k before it started Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2132 Report post Posted February 18, 2016 is your cabin heater on 32 degrees? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*Glenn* 854 Report post Posted February 18, 2016 (edited) You cannot leave a thermostat out of a BMW...it is bi functional and controls flow direction differently when hot & cold. You also leave it running while you bleed it to release air from the system. A faulty / blocked heater tap can also prevent the bleeding process as Andy has indicated. You must have temp settings at maximum range especially on duo systems without the heater fan running. Edited February 19, 2016 by *Glenn* 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BM WORLD 1283 Report post Posted February 19, 2016 force water into rad cap with breather screw undone until water comes out the bleeder hole also squeeze hoses to pump water around etc . do it when its cold Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mal6 0 Report post Posted February 24, 2016 Done all above put stat back in new pump had heater going on full found its boiling the water until little left to circulate , cap releasing the steam pressure . Off to a garage tomorrow its got me beat Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Docile 64 Report post Posted February 24, 2016 defective radiator cap? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted February 24, 2016 Leaking head gasket between compression & cooling possibly? Leak down test to confirm. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mal6 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2016 Well its got mech scrating his head too done Tk test & comp test ok ,problem is , just wont pump any water hot or cold out heater hose inlet or out of top rad hose with t stat in or out . he back flushed system from heater & block ok , brand new metal impeller pump , This is weird guess next step is to take head off yet motor runs fine .. no smoke or vapour . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zero 1162 Report post Posted February 25, 2016 Sounds like a blockage? Has a previous owner used a stop leak product on it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*Glenn* 854 Report post Posted February 25, 2016 (edited) I got caught like this a couple of years ago on a E39 528i. Some a**hole removed a thermostat and fitted a frost plug into the head where the flow direction part of the thermostat should seat, so that water would circulate correctly without thermostat control. I fitted a thermostat while doing cooling system repairs and ended up with the results you are getting. I only found it because the car was on a hoist and raised slightly and I saw it while removing and rechecking the thermostat. The cheap a**hole might have worked on your car as well sometime.... I have photos somewhere Edited February 25, 2016 by *Glenn* 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mal6 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2016 ^^^t Ive had it for 5 years regular serviced no additives just antifreeze & was a 1 owner . Mech now wonders if part of the old plastic rad tank has lodged in a water passage , told they go brittle with age the top hose connection broke off when I took origonal radiator out so guess its a possibility done 220K . See what today brings cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mal6 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2016 Well head is off & went to machinists for test & its warped & gone soft . This is 4th BMW to do this , started with 1980 323i then 82 635 CSI , 85 325i & now 96 328i . Yet i maintained them all fastiidously with good quality products . Seems to be once they reach the 200 K mark they have reached the end of life . No more BMWs for me . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Docile 64 Report post Posted February 28, 2016 wow.. that sucks... my e36 was on 312k kms no warped head. my e38 is on 308k kms. still going strong. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BM WORLD 1283 Report post Posted February 28, 2016 must have got hot at some point in its life , only way that can happen ? only takes a coolant leak , failed thermostat , worn fan clutch , failed water pump etc have seen plenty of these engines pass 350-400,000km etc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zero 1162 Report post Posted February 28, 2016 Well head is off & went to machinists for test & its warped & gone soft . This is 4th BMW to do this , started with 1980 323i then 82 635 CSI , 85 325i & now 96 328i . Yet i maintained them all fastiidously with good quality products . Seems to be once they reach the 200 K mark they have reached the end of life . No more BMWs for me . Was it overheated? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eliongater 718 Report post Posted February 28, 2016 Well head is off & went to machinists for test & its warped & gone soft . This is 4th BMW to do this , started with 1980 323i then 82 635 CSI , 85 325i & now 96 328i . Yet i maintained them all fastiidously with good quality products . Seems to be once they reach the 200 K mark they have reached the end of life . No more BMWs for me . Remember that what you do has no bearing on what previous owners have done (or more importantly not done) and they could have easily been overheated in the past. If maintained, they should last a lot longer than 200000km like Brent said. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mal6 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2016 Malcolm, with all due respect your proposition that its a BMW fault that happens at 200,000k is unlikely, appreciate you may be frustrated but many of us have more than 200,000 k on the same engine . For you to have 4 various engines do it is highly unusual. I suggest it is sabotage from your landrover Actually got a classic range rover now done over 300 k , takes plenty of abiuse in the bush but just keeps going & can fix it with a cresent & screwdriver ...mmmm wionder what those supercharged mercs are like like the look of the CLK 230 its about the same power as Bm328 Time for a change ? . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KwS 2425 Report post Posted March 7, 2016 hahaha, complains about unreliable BMWs, wants to buy a Merc. You must be a sucker for punishment. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mal6 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2016 Update the head is salvageable , was 6thou out of true & skim has trued it up & the softness was within limits , providing it doest get overhot agian . Now the cause , ALL the water holes (except the big main inlet ) were blocked by rust formation on the head gasket hole & eaten away under the head so it meant the pump was only cavitating & the water in the head eventually boiled off . This explains lack of circulation . Strange as always had castol anti freeze /inhibitor in it for last 5 years & replaced every 2 . No corrosion of the head or block no sign of it leaking between cylinders or oil gallery & piston tops ok . The gasket was origonal . Anyone ever seen this before ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allanw 1071 Report post Posted March 11, 2016 Got Pics??? Sounds wierd. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
