This would be the N42 engine
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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
Joining the E46 family
- Thread starter G10
- Start date
Ok so basically always have a decent amount of fuel at all times.
Will top up the car before I take the car to him tonight, it is just a pity that he is in midrand and I am in edenvale, its a long drive between 5 and 5 30 pm lol
Well I took a chance once and let a car go down to 80km left....car was still idling at the traffic light, then as soon as light was green and I pressed the accelerator...poof dead and wouldn't start. Filled up with a can and some sweat and it fired up.
I suspect you being able to start up again could be the colder temps allowing some fuel through.
Thanks for this information, I wonder if it could be as simple as this, I would just laugh if it is the issue.
Engen garage is down the road from me, I will take it there and fill up before I take it to him.
The nervous thoughts are due to me having my first automatic, I hate that I can't easily tow it if something happens
Morning Everyone
So car started up fine when I got home yesterday, drove to midrand fine was in traffic so was a long drive, parked off and had a chat with mech and 30 mins later tried to move car into workshop and didn't start for some time until it cooled down a bit.
Left the car with him for this weekend, he will look into all of the things mentioned in this thread.
Will update on the outcome once he is done.
More research on this "hot start" issue led me to asking mech to check the crankshaft position sensor. The symptoms I am experiencing and videos posted on youtube seem to match this. Goldwagen has them for R595 so I told him to just replace if necessary
So car started up fine when I got home yesterday, drove to midrand fine was in traffic so was a long drive, parked off and had a chat with mech and 30 mins later tried to move car into workshop and didn't start for some time until it cooled down a bit.
Left the car with him for this weekend, he will look into all of the things mentioned in this thread.
Will update on the outcome once he is done.
More research on this "hot start" issue led me to asking mech to check the crankshaft position sensor. The symptoms I am experiencing and videos posted on youtube seem to match this. Goldwagen has them for R595 so I told him to just replace if necessary
Regal
Active member
Second this. The life I live.
Patiently waiting for the replacement petrol card to be delivered, happy to have it parked off until I get that
It was basically standard for the final year production run.
Apologies, found out later that this is a N46 B20A engine, the bmw guy was wrong. 🤪
Finally picked it up today, all the errors, EML, Transmission cog light, rough idling, no starting when hot, caused by the crank sensor?
We really didn't want to believe it and did more checks on the car, but after that sensor was replaced the car started right up and no codes have come back in 2 days.
Will do more testing to make sure I am happy to take the car to Natal, else will use the wife's car for the trip
Update, problems and resolutions to follow
Car drove perfect to pmb the other week, decided to take it down against my better judgement and had a pleasant trip!
Full load, wife, cousin and I had a lovely trip all the way, averaged 7.2km/l and oil level was good.
Took it to Durban last week, back to pmb then driving around town, noticed the coolant light came on going uphill or downhill but on flats light went off.
Took it to a mechanic to do checks, no coolant loss and car was not reading any errors with diagnostics. Took it on a long drive at 80-120km/h to camperdown and back to pmb, no issues at all so mechanic and I were comfortable that it was safe to drive back to jhb.
Driving 90 on cruise control up van reenens, car starts to overheat and coolant light came on. Filled water and drove it to bergview, did not overheat and scanner showed 111 degrees by the time I got there. Managed to find leak, either from expansion tank or on the top of the radiator in front of tank. Had the tools to strip but I was with the wife and it was already after 2 so I called insurance, got it on a flatbed and got the car back to jhb. Wife got to experience her first trip in the backseats of a tow truck, she was not impressed 😨
I replicated issue this morning to confirm and when car got up to temp on idle, the leak started. Waiting for mech to visit and tell me what we need to do. Based on my checks, no oil or water mix and I stopped car from getting to red line so I think I am saved.
Will look at doing radiator, expansion tank, water pump and hoses. Goldwagen is around the corner for spares and silverton radiators is down the road if mech is too hectic with cars.
Aside from yesterday's drama, I still have not lost hope in my purchase though I fear the wife secretly wants to plan pouring petrol all over it and lighting it up, maybe with me in it too
Car drove perfect to pmb the other week, decided to take it down against my better judgement and had a pleasant trip!
Full load, wife, cousin and I had a lovely trip all the way, averaged 7.2km/l and oil level was good.
Took it to Durban last week, back to pmb then driving around town, noticed the coolant light came on going uphill or downhill but on flats light went off.
Took it to a mechanic to do checks, no coolant loss and car was not reading any errors with diagnostics. Took it on a long drive at 80-120km/h to camperdown and back to pmb, no issues at all so mechanic and I were comfortable that it was safe to drive back to jhb.
Driving 90 on cruise control up van reenens, car starts to overheat and coolant light came on. Filled water and drove it to bergview, did not overheat and scanner showed 111 degrees by the time I got there. Managed to find leak, either from expansion tank or on the top of the radiator in front of tank. Had the tools to strip but I was with the wife and it was already after 2 so I called insurance, got it on a flatbed and got the car back to jhb. Wife got to experience her first trip in the backseats of a tow truck, she was not impressed 😨
I replicated issue this morning to confirm and when car got up to temp on idle, the leak started. Waiting for mech to visit and tell me what we need to do. Based on my checks, no oil or water mix and I stopped car from getting to red line so I think I am saved.
Will look at doing radiator, expansion tank, water pump and hoses. Goldwagen is around the corner for spares and silverton radiators is down the road if mech is too hectic with cars.
Aside from yesterday's drama, I still have not lost hope in my purchase though I fear the wife secretly wants to plan pouring petrol all over it and lighting it up, maybe with me in it too
///M Individual
Well-known member
Sorry bud, guess the wife definitely misses the Golf after this one.
Not really, she reckons it was too small! Her i20 was smaller
She expected the car to be start an go without issues, not interested in my stories of checking/replacement of parts that previous owners neglected to do.
Once it's all fixed I'm sure she will sit in the car again..... One day
Exactly why she was irritated with me
The plan was to do it with the next service when I got back but my luck was short livedParts list not looking too bad so far from goldwagen quote, waiting for quote on other items, this is what I got so far
Expansion Tank R956.52
Water Pump R1126.09
Expansion cap R121.74
I already removed the expansion tank to inspect for leaks but I will be replacing it.
Now to just get some time to check the radiator out, mech will only be here a little later so just stripping bit by bit, working from home today so I can get some things done
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Riaad
Events Organiser
I suggest you opt for an OEM expansion tank and cap, it is probably double the price but far superior in quality.Exactly why she was irritated with me
Parts list not looking too bad so far from goldwagen quote, waiting for quote on other items, this is what I got so far
Expansion Tank R956.52
Water Pump R1126.09
Expansion cap R121.74
I already removed the expansion tank to inspect for leaks but I will be replacing it.
Now to just get some time to check the radiator out, mech will only be here a little later so just stripping bit by bit, working from home today so I can get some things done
It's the Febi Bilstein part but I will find out from bmw now on the oem part as well then look at getting that one instead.
Attached some pics after removal, I will rather wait for the pros to come and confirm what I am looking at
Attachments
From experience, if you want to replace select items, this is what I do.
1. Expansion tank = must with oem. If you dont know the car history, replace it. Lasts about 20-40k km, random.
2. Thermostat = is expensive and usually fail open, so your engine will never get to temperature and with the temp gauge hack this you can wait till failure. So I usually skip this
3. Waterpump. When this fail, engine overheat super fast. Not so costly so definitely replace.
4. Pipes are easy to spot. Generally the top pipes wear out much quicker as they carry the hot coolant. lower pipe/hose last much longer. I would do lover if you replace radiator.
5. Radiator, Id be surprised if this is leaking, but if it is it is generally a slow leak so I would only replace if it is leaking
For slow leaks, usually cheap or free to get a pressure test done at any shop
1. Expansion tank = must with oem. If you dont know the car history, replace it. Lasts about 20-40k km, random.
2. Thermostat = is expensive and usually fail open, so your engine will never get to temperature and with the temp gauge hack this you can wait till failure. So I usually skip this
3. Waterpump. When this fail, engine overheat super fast. Not so costly so definitely replace.
4. Pipes are easy to spot. Generally the top pipes wear out much quicker as they carry the hot coolant. lower pipe/hose last much longer. I would do lover if you replace radiator.
5. Radiator, Id be surprised if this is leaking, but if it is it is generally a slow leak so I would only replace if it is leaking
For slow leaks, usually cheap or free to get a pressure test done at any shop
Going to do all of these except thermostat unless mech says it is faulty.
Looks like the ET was replaced before, the one I pulled out is a Febi
Got car back today
R4500 later at silverton... Radiator replaced, along with the top radiator pipe that was leaking.
I bought the expansion tank myself and got them to fit it.
Used the EML scanner to check temps while driving. On the highway gunning it a bit, went up to 105 then almost immediately returns back to 102 and around 98 when coasting. Idle at robots was 105 and fan kicks in, back to 102.
I didn't end up doing the waterpump, it was inspected and found to be 100% but just to be sure, with the next scheduled service I will ask mech to do that anyway. That about sums it up for cooling?
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