2004 E46 318 Troubleshooting

[Yuben]

Guys, from your experience what would cause this car to require water top up every week?
No obvious signs of a water leak can be seen?
Could it be a problem with head?
Mileage is 190000km.
Valve stem seals were done about 4000km ago.

Lastly, the car is not steady on the road. There's a knocking noise that sounds like its coming from inside the steering column. The LCABs were changed very recently.
Could it be something related to the steering?

Anyone else with the 318 experience similar issues before?

Any suggestions are appreciated:thumbs:

 

[andrewbuch]

I have similar issues on my car. Slight knocking from steering. I have had control arms, bushes, tie rods, shocks, top shock mounts, sway bar end links, engine mounts replaced. Still got it, so its something in the steering. But don't know what.

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[Die_Miek]

What does the oil look like?

 

[Yuben]

What does the oil look like?

Oil looks normal

 

[Ralf*]

you say oil is fine.....so that should eliminate head gasket leak into an oil passage

check for the smell of exhaust fumes or smell of fuel at the water filler cap, to eliminate head gasket leak into the water passages/jacket

 

[Die_Miek]

Look around in the engine bay, if you see any white deposits, than that is likely where the leak is.

 

[Ralf*]

Look around in the engine bay, if you see any white deposits, than that is likely where the leak is.

the expansion tank on my E39 530d decided to call it a day last week, the glue holding the top to lower parts had given in and it was "steaming" out between the two halves, no real water, and thus wasn't leaving a tell-tale white residue of a Bona-Fide leak, just steam !!

 

[Armand]

when i got my 318 it had the same problem, short after the car overheated, the bottle next to the rediator cracked, also no white stains just little bit of steam, replaced the rediator the bottle and all water hoses. That sorted my problem and never had the problem again. Hope that helps.