The worst feeling....

[ChrisBrand]

So i drove to Stellenbosch today from Cape Town.

After i parked the car i heard a loud thud. Thought nothing of it so a few seconds later a louder thud that sent a shock wave through the car and the whole bonnet just disappears under steam.

I jump out the car and ran to the front to find radiator fluid dripping everywhere. Had the car towed to the nearest radiator shop only to discover the expansion tank exploded and cracked all the way down. Luckily its only a plastic bottle and this happened the morning. The guy drove all the way to Cape Town and back to fetch a new tank, installed it and i even got my car back a few hours later running perfectly again.

Very happy and thankful it wasn't too serious. I tell you its just the worst feeling having your car go up in smoke in front of you.

PS the garage name was Silverton Radiators if any one is in that area and needs some radiator repairs again.

 

[Sankekur]

Not a nice feeling, but at least it happened as the car was parked and not on the highway or stuck in traffic or something like that.

 

[Philip Foglar]

Not a nice thing to happen! This same thing happened to my father in law some years back with his 328i, also the expansion tank!

 

[Twinz]

Crazy feeling, because one expects the worse. Glad it tuned out well :thumbs:

 

[calypso]

That *wtf is that steam* feeling
Sucks

 

[Rooi_Willie]

Sometimes life still surprizes you with good service!! :bravo:

 

[moranor@axis]

must have been a huge relief when you saw if was just the tank :rollsmile:

 

[Coisman]

imp:
Dude, I know the feeling... Here is what happened to me not so long ago...

imp:
So it seems the last few days really wasn't my best... :bawling:
Sunday night: Rear brakes go, so the light on the dash is totally freakin me out! :dropjaw:
Monday: Public holiday, and I call in favours, Willem, aka bavarian auto parts, helps me with the parts, R300 for rear pads + sensor :thumb: and Sankekur and Legacy help me fit it. :thumbsup: But, the light on the dash stay on, sensor faulty?? :dunno: Yip, the one little pin on the plug of the sensor pushed out the back and bent, :cursin: so took the old sensor, :thinker: cut the new sensor head off and connected it to the old sensor plug, Finally finishing the job at 00:30 on tuesday morning.
Wednesday: Started work at 06:00, and as I parked my car in the basement and switch her off, BANG!!! PSSSSTTTTT!!!!!! Radiator preasure tank, or watever it's called, the bottle that holds the water ok... blows up!! :facepalm: Once again calls in favours, Willem AGAIN, for the parts, R650 for the bottle, and R190 for the antifreeze :thumb: Frikkieh to help me fit the shit, hell, frikkie even volenteered to tow my car from my work to his house, but I called my insurance, and 30 minutes later, free loadbed truck taking me for free to frikkie's house.
Strip out airbox, radiator fan and all pipes, and fit the new bottle and connect the whole system, put in the antifreeze, then, spot one rubber o-ring lying on the floor... :banghead: strip everything off again, fit o-ring, fit everything else and fill up till level indicator is on correct level, but the car keeps boiling... :thinking:
Call up Willem, he explains that you need to take out the breather plug, open the bottle and fill it till the water comes out the breather plug hole, then put back the plug, close the bottle, and start her, for 2 minutes, open bottle again and check levvel, then all will be ok. :hammerhead:
So now at long last my baby is ok again!! :clap: But it cost me +/- R1200 out of a budget I don't have!! but at least I know who my real friends are!! :excited:
Thanks guys, everyone that helped me out, I love you all... :mmm:

 

[herr bmw]

not very good,know the feeling

pulled off from a robot and next moment just smoke behind me.

turbo blew.with in a matter of 2minutes oil warning light came on

so much smoke,looked worse than fog

 

[rick540]

I think we should rename expansion tanks to explosion tanks.

 

[Philip Foglar]

LOL, built in steam bombs... :fencelook: