My 323i overheating ???

We have been - well not Fool Jam.......let's be honest, that's the kind of
advice that does nobody any favours. 15 years of working on BMW's
versus a mouthy interet hero - no contest if you really need help.

To re-iterate - does the heater blow hot/warm air? If it does you don't
have an airlock. If it doesn't, you do. If you have a massive airlock, you
need to bleed the system out properly. It could be something as simple as
a bad seal on the base of the expansion bottle where it fits into the side
of the radiator.
It's a long shot, but possible.

Shytalk - PM me if you want.

Whilst the video shows that it IS possible to check the fan with ones fingers, I personally would use the rolled-up newspaper method as being the most sensible, and a lot safer.

It's a lot easier to get a new newspaper

Anyway, let me post again and prove again what has been said is wrong
How to stop a fan video link




Edited by thepits

kbannon wrote: fooljam - be nice!

Yes come on, the guy wants help not a slagging match!

<edited due to content>



Edited by thepits

I have been working on Car's BM's for enough time now to know who to believe. BMW1 is right, now showing this to a friend of mine that has worked for a BMW dealer, now head tec for 25 years could not stop himself from laffing, nor could I for that, and I have a good 5 years

now my local is £125 ish an hour now lets say 5 hours + the vat

It's very hard to give advice on forums as everybody thinks they're right, but being a car mechanic gives some of us a good start,

 

As for stopping the rad fan on a hot engine you would have to be mad to do that, fan spinning at a 1000 rpm

 

<edited to make it relevent to thread>

Edited by thepits

MBW1 wrote: A car that overheats after 1 mile of driving has nothing to do with the viscous coupling!! As he has said, it will sit and idle all day and not overheat. This sounds like either a head gasket or a cracked head. Sometimes (well,

The nickasil issue has nothing to do with overheating...

A car that overheats after 1 mile of driving has nothing to do with the
viscous coupling!! As he has said, it will sit and idle all day and not
overheat.

This sounds like either a head gasket or a cracked head. Sometimes (well,
a lot of the time...) the threads will pull when the head bolt are given the
final angle tighten. Using the correct BMW bolts helps prevent this

Does it have the original Nikasil engine, or a replacement steel liner
block? The way to tell is to look at the back of the block (inlet manifold
side) with a torch - you are looking just above the starter motor. If you
can see a pear shaped casting lug in the alloy block, it's Nikasil. If you can
see a small steel plate with a bolt, it's had the replacement steel liner
block fitted. These frankly are crap and more trouble than the Nikasil
blocks! Once it's been cooked, the alloy between the steel liners sinks and
the block is well and truly scrap.

Does the heater blow hot air? If it doesn't, you have a massive air lock -
so proceed as follows....
There is only one way to fill an M50/M52 cooling system and that is via
the top hose. disconnect it from the radiator, slacken the engine end hose
clip and turn the hose so it's pointing upwards. Slowly fill with coolant
until you just see it at the base of the hose. Put an old towel under the
hose to catch ant coolant, remove the hose and fit it to the radiator, again
with the hose pointing upwards. Add coolant slowly until it appears in the
bottom of the hose. The engine and radiator are now full. REfit the hose,
set the heater to hot and give it a blast up the road. The key is a heater
that blows out hot air - if it doesn't, you may well have a faulty heater
valve.

As for replacement engines, be aware that an older iron block single
Vanos 325i or E34 525i engine will fit. Same capacity, cylinder head etc
but a lot cheaper and more durable. Just transfer the 323i engine loom
and manifolds across.

shytalk wrote: With regards to the fan, i can stop it with my hand with little or no resistance when the car is running

The fan coupling is obviously knackered so replace that first before worrying about the head gasket.

BTW I would not recoment using your hand again. Theres a good reason why people use a rolled up news paper...

Hi There

I am having trouble with my 323ci using alot of water but its not overheating.......yet!

I have been onto Davie at BM Motors today and he has suggested that before we look at anything else I should try this stuff.......

CARGO Seal up

Not sure if this would help you but it might be worth a look.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Issy

PS welcome to the forum