E46 318i - Oil in radiator/expansion tank

[Mishima01]

Hi

This morning when I started the car, noticed that the coolant light came on. So I switched off and decided to top it up. When I opened the radiator cap, noticed that the water/coolant was thick and creamy.

A couple of days ago I had to top up engine oil as the light came on.

There is no rough idle, no smoking. no water on dip stick.

Please help. What could be the cause?
What am I looking at spending to get this resolved?

I am new to Cape Town, so don't know of any good mechanics that I could go to.

 

[Nick]

I could be wrong, but it sounds to me like the Head gasket has blowen.

 

[zaheer]

I could be wrong, but it sounds to me like the Head gasket has blowen.

I had the exact same issue on my 2004 318i.
Turned out to be the Oil Cooler that failed.
Oil pressure is much higher than water so oil will push into the radiator.

 

[MikeBMW]

it's probably the heat exchanger that has cracked

 

[Peejay]

Is you car an Auto or manaul?

If auto then its the oil cooler and you need a new 1 if manaul then its the head gasket:thumbs:

 

[Mishima01]

Is you car an Auto or manaul?

If auto then its the oil cooler and you need a new 1 if manaul then its the head gasket:thumbs:

It's a manual. 2004 318i

 

[Peejay]

:argh:

Could be head gasket then. I don't think the manaul has an oil cooler

 

[Swiegie]

Hi

I am sure they replaced the oil cooler on our 2005 318 E46 manual a year or two ago.

First check with the agents, before stessing about head gasket.

Hope you get this sorted.

 

[Pfw28]

If I remember right, there's an oil cooler on the manual also. Hope that's your problem, good luck! :sorry:

 

[vishal@somaitech]

Hi

what was the cause of this.

yesterday the E90 asked for +1L of oil so i added it. i also checked the coolant reservoir and to my amazement it was full of oil.

the car does not or has never overheated. there is no miss from the engine and there is plenty of power so it is definitely not the head gasket. we pressure tested the oil cooler while it was hot and it turned out to be ok.

i am pulling my hair out on this one. please can someone advise if they experienced this problem and what the cause was.

 

[zaheer]

Hey Vsomai
I also had the exact same issue with my E46 318i a few years back. Took it to the agents, they conducted a pressure test on the oil cooler and it passed. Agents immediately diagnosed head gasket failure but I was not convinced. I took it to Glazier Tech for a second opinion and he immediately said it's definitely the oil cooler and NOT head gasket. Oil cooler changed and radiator flushed a few times....problem solved.

 

[vishal@somaitech]

thank you very much for the reply. did the agents pressure test it while it was hot? coz with heat things expand and makes leaks worse.

in fact come to think of it, there is no place else where this can happen.

 

[Die_Miek]

If I remember right, there's an oil cooler on the manual also. Hope that's your problem, good luck! :sorry:

Correct, the manual has a oil cooler as well.

 

[zaheer]

thank you very much for the reply. did the agents pressure test it while it was hot? coz with heat things expand and makes leaks worse.

in fact come to think of it, there is no place else where this can happen.

The car was driven about 80km before it was tested so yes it was hot. Hope you come right buddy.

 

[vishal@somaitech]

thanks for your help. i will update this thread on Monday after some trials.
raise:

 

[Mishima01]

Hi Vishal.

It was in fact my oil cooler.
New oil cooler, everything flushed and cleaned and problem solved.

Thanks,
Kiran

 

[vishal@somaitech]

Problem sorted guys. It was the oil cooler. Fitted a new one and flushed the system. Thanks for all your help members.

Sent from my HUAWEI P7-L00 using Tapatalk 2

 

[zaheer]

That's great V. Glad it's sorted. The oil coolers seem rather common on these motors. Please monitor the radiator. You may need to do an additional flush in a weeks time.