Losing coolant from E30 M3
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Category: Technical & Model Specific Forums
Forum Name: BMW ///M Power
Forum Discription: Ask your BMW M Power Technical Questions here (M1, M2 hybrids, M3, M5 & M6)
URL: http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=3214
Printed Date: 19-April-2024 at 19:55
Topic: Losing coolant from E30 M3
Posted By: John W
Subject: Losing coolant from E30 M3
Date Posted: 18-September-2003 at 21:06
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Lads,
Recently my E30 M3 has started losing coolant to the tune of half a litre a week. The oil isn't emulsified, so I don't think my head gasket is shot. I've replaced the expansion tank and radiator cap and tightened all the hoses I can find (they're new) but it's still the same. I've flushed the system through and put in new anti-freeze. I wonder if it's the radiator or heater matrix? How would you proceed from here? |
Replies:
Posted By: jon90
Date Posted: 18-September-2003 at 21:48
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hi jon.have you had a good look around the water pump?apparently its a bit of a weak spot on our cars.Half a litre a week in a car you use every day is not going to be that obvious. also check to see if its seeping from the two halves of the radiator,when the engine is hot it evaporates away almost as quick as it leaks,so is easily overlooked as it just looks a bit damp.
Cheers Jon |
Posted By: grant w
Date Posted: 18-September-2003 at 21:56
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john
i have the same problem with mine , but i only top up every other week , i could'nt find any leaks either ,sorry can't be of more help.. ------------- 
www.redevom3.co.uk 1989 e30 m3 2.5 1996 e36 m3 evo , sold 2002 e46 m3 smg . 1991 Daihatsu 2.8 TD Work Horse Rust Never Sleeps . Tattooed Lady - Bearded Baby - there my family .. |
Posted By: John W
Date Posted: 18-September-2003 at 22:13
| Thanks lads. Has anyone else got ideas too? |
Posted By: BMG M3
Date Posted: 18-September-2003 at 22:30
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A squealing belt is also a bit of a clue that the water pump is on the way out , the water drops onto the bottom pulley . If it was the heater matrix you should be able to feel is the carpet is damp if you are losing half a liter a week .
The rad should show some signs of any leak in the form of a residue around any joints If it does turn out to be the water pump then get a genuine BMW part and not a repro part , there was some talk on s14.net about them being total sh*te. The only time i've had a problem with water loss was when the heater hose on the back of the engine to the bulkhead split , maybe that or another hose has a tiny split in it. |
Posted By: John W
Date Posted: 18-September-2003 at 22:43
| Thanks BMG. |
Posted By: lancelotII
Date Posted: 19-September-2003 at 00:13
| Water pump. You normally get anti freeze stains on the underside of the bonnet as the coolant gets thrown off the pulleys, plus Lots of white streaks around the front of the engine. |
Posted By: John W
Date Posted: 19-September-2003 at 00:17
| Cheers Roops. I'll have a look. |
Posted By: Nick
Date Posted: 20-September-2003 at 18:41
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Doc.. it could escape from the expansion tank if the engine is overheating a little.
Put some absorbent kitchen paper around the end of the little overflow pipe and see if it gets wet after a drive. Hopefully it is not the head gasket.. but they can fail and allow the water to escape without it getting to the oil.. .. the cooling system is working isn't it.. with the electric fan cutting in well before the water boils? |
Posted By: John W
Date Posted: 21-September-2003 at 18:26
Hi Nick. Yeah, the fan cuts in and the water and oil temps are as they should be. I think I've cracked it though. I was at a track day Croft today. I saw a couple of drips coming from the small hose to the top of the radiator. I'm going to replace that hose and get a new clip and hope that solves it. |
Nick wrote:Posted By: stevespray
Date Posted: 21-September-2003 at 19:12
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John, Visual inspection is still the best way to find water leaks in my opinion. If there are no signs of water (or the white stains) then the rad and hoses are most likely okay. If the heater matrix leaks you can normally smell somekind of odd smell inside the car. I'd take another look at the head gasket. Going back a few years I had a head gasket go twice on an E28 535i and on both occasions there were no tell tail signs in the oil. It's very cheap to have a 'block test' done which takes about 10 mins at your local garage and involves them using a chemical to detect combustion gases in the cooling system when the engine is at idle. If it were mine I'd want to get the head gasket ruled out as quickly as possible becuase the situation can get worse without warning. Also, of all the cars that I have owned I have noticed that BMW engines seem to suffer more than most with cylinder head destortion which seems to occur at the slightest signs of overheating (maybe I've just been unlucky) but now whenever I have a head gasket replaced I always have the head looked at by a professional to check for cracks and most importantly to check its flat, I find that in most cases a small amount of skimming is always required and its far better to have that done than risk having a gasket fail again inside 6 months. Do you have a record of when your cylinder head gasket was last replaced ? Also, has the car ever got too hot due to lack of coolant at any stage ? Steve.
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Posted By: Darren M
Date Posted: 21-September-2003 at 19:59
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John, are you talking about the very thin hose that goes to the passenger side of the radiator??? If so, you can only order it in metre lengths. I have some spare. If you want me to mail you a piece send us your address.
darren.munday@btinternet.com |
Posted By: John W
Date Posted: 21-September-2003 at 22:40
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Steve,
Thanks mate. I'll get the block test done ASAP. Darren, That's exactly what I'm talking about. You have mail. Thanks. |
Posted By: Sean Bicknell
Date Posted: 21-September-2003 at 23:10
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How hot do your guys E30 M3's get. I guess my gauge gets to the mid way point between three qtr's and the red before dropping back down to half way. This only happens when stationary in traffic though. Normal driving sees it just below half. Sean.. |
Posted By: John W
Date Posted: 22-September-2003 at 09:01
Sean, I guess everyone's M3 will have slightly differently callibrated instruments. In traffic, mine will get to between the 1/2 and 3/4 marker before the fan cuts in and takes it back to the 1/2 marker again.. It was the same on the 2.3 car I had. Normal driving sees it betwen the 1/4 and 1/2 markers. |
Posted By: Darren M
Date Posted: 22-September-2003 at 12:48
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John, you have mail. I`ve just popped a piece of the hose in the post for you.
Sean, the temp at which my fan cuts in has varied. But since fitting a new radiator and cleaning both the sensoors in the bottom of it, it seems to cut in at 3/4 all the time now. Might be worth cleaning the sensors in the bottom of the rad. |
Posted By: PikeyM3
Date Posted: 22-September-2003 at 19:12
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sensoors? That's a new one! Pikey ------------- Old enough to know better, too young to care! |
Posted By: m3geezer
Date Posted: 22-September-2003 at 19:27
| try taking to a local garage and get them to pressure test it for you, this involves pumping u[p the water system under pressure when cold, hence any leak will hopefully show, as the water doesn't evaporate straight away, while it is a fairly basic test, it is so easy to do it might highlight a problem. as said before, if the problem is inside the car , eg heater matrix, you will have a funny sweet smelling horrible odour and damp carpet around the centre tunnel, if it is the heater matrix then get it sorted before it gets wprst and dumps a load of hot water over your legs, you also won't be able to see anything but steam on your windows when it does pop, i'm speaking from experience! |
Posted By: John W
Date Posted: 22-September-2003 at 22:38
Blimey Simon....the same has happened to me. I was passing Durham on the A1 a few years ago when the heater matrix on my Citroen AX GT went pop. Boiling water spilled into the footwell, and I had to slow the car with the handbrake in order to pull over. Great fun. |
Posted By: Jeffo
Date Posted: 22-September-2003 at 22:49
Imagine the fun that would be had if it happened on the track
|
Posted By: Jimmy
Date Posted: 22-September-2003 at 23:15
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Quote: on my Citroen AX GT
cant believe you owned up to that one John ------------- Regards Jimmy 98 528se Tourer 97 328 Sport 97 3.2 saloon 88 B10 # 77 85 B9 86 M5 3.6 http:\\www.e28club.com - www.e28club.com |
Posted By: John W
Date Posted: 22-September-2003 at 23:54
Come on Jimmy!! They're not that bad!! Crap reliability though. |
Posted By: Jimmy
Date Posted: 23-September-2003 at 23:54
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Nah not realy, .... if you add a supercharger and tint the windows Just kidding..................... ------------- Regards Jimmy 98 528se Tourer 97 328 Sport 97 3.2 saloon 88 B10 # 77 85 B9 86 M5 3.6 http:\\www.e28club.com - www.e28club.com |
