URGENT HELP with my E46...!!! More bad news...!!!

[Coisman]

Hi guys.

So for the last few weeks my car has been pushing up my blood preasure!!!

When I drive, the coolant light will come on. The yellow one that looks like a radiator that normally indicated the water level is low.

Now it will come on for 15-45 seconds, then go off. This can happen any time I drive. Then for a few trips nothing, then again it would come on. :bangdesk:

Now I have made sure the cooling system was bled properly, and the water level is 100%, so I thought it might be the sensor.

I called my mechanic, and he told me to remove the fan and take out the sensor on the bottom of the expansion tank bottle, and then take out the sensor out of my window washer bottle, they are the same, and swop them around.

I did this, and all seamed fine, then on my way to work now, the light came on, and stayed on!! :argh:

The temp of the car is 100%, idling 100%, power 100%, all ok, but for the yellow light in the dash.

Now, do you guys think it might be that both my sensors were FUBAR??
Or might it be something else, like the water pump or the thermostat??

PLEASE guys, I am really not mechanically inclined, and really need help and advice???

 

[Crash_Nemesis]

My 323i does this sometimes when I put on the heater full blast. Then when I turn the heater off, the light switches off. No temp problems, nothing. Weird. Very weird.

Are you running your heater???

 

[moranor@axis]

lol mine is doing the same sh!t right now the float in the expansion tank can also get stuck causing this...

 

[speeddemon]

Hmmmm...i had this same problem a while back but only when i switched on the heater :blab:
Then all of a sudden it would go away and come back on when i use the heater again...decided to check everything out and found that my radiator was leaking but not overheating....I replaced the whole cooling system radiator; expansion bottle; waterpump; hose with the bleeding screw; and the bloody light still came on:argh:
Decided to bleed cooling system while driving for about 3km @ 60km/h and no problems after that..my mech told me sometimes there's just that tiny air bubble still there that causes it but i dont know....so far so good:thumbs:
Hope u get it sorted cause it's a k@k feeling driving with that light on and watching the temperature gauge the whole time:thumbdo:

 

[Raybimmer]

I would suspect air in the system , when the heater is used the water flows all around and any air bubbles can be agitated and the float can move up and down causing the light to come on .

Good luck .

 

[abmi0000]

Did you bleed the system when hot? The thermostat has to be opened for proper flow.

 

[Sabretooth tiger]

You spoken to Gizmo yet? Hope you come right buddy:thumbs:

 

[Coisman]

Thanks guys. :thumb:

Abmi, yes, I start when cold, then open bleeder screw, fill till it spill.
Then close screw, drive for a few minutes, and stop, open cap, and top up if needed.

I do however think I have a small leak in the exspansion bottle, at the top, or one of my hoses are leaking, cause there is a little coolant on the top.

PS: Abmi, how do I blead it when hot without making the cap shoot off when I open it?? Or do I keep the cap off, and have the car idle till warm??

HELP ME GUYS!!! I Am Soooo clueless here!!!

 

[moranor@axis]

proper bleed procedure is:
turn the heater full hot
make sure radiator is at full mark
open bleed screw and fill cap
start car
keep filling until no more bubbles come out bleed hole and engine is at operating temp
close bleed screw and filler cap

 

[Coisman]

proper bleed procedure is:
turn the heater full hot
make sure radiator is at full mark
open bleed screw and fill cap
start car
keep filling until no more bubbles come out bleed hole and engine is at operating temp
close bleed screw and filler cap

Ok, I will have to try that. But do you think it might be my sensor as well??

 

[moranor@axis]

you already swapped sensors so i dont think its that... probably something to do with the float in the tank...

 

[SP33DYV]

Ok, here's the kicker, you need to replace the expansion tank if there is no leaks and it has been bled properly. The float inside is messed up. That's how I got rid of my water level warning light coming on and going off intermittently. I have a brand new sensor that did not solve the problem, so I've been there and got the T-shirt.
Real k@k job to get the sensor out from the bottom of the expansion tank.:thumbdo:

 

[Coisman]

To get the sensor out was fast.
Took out the cooling fan, and had axcess, took me 5 minutes. I guess I will swop the sensors back, and then bleed the system like Moranor said, and see if that works. :dunno:

 

[zaleonardz]

cois

checked for rodent bites ?

 

[Coisman]

cois

checked for rodent bites ?

I was also wondering about that... F***ing office is FULL of them!!! :argh:

 

[abmi0000]

Thanks guys. :thumb:

Abmi, yes, I start when cold, then open bleeder screw, fill till it spill.
Then close screw, drive for a few minutes, and stop, open cap, and top up if needed.

I do however think I have a small leak in the exspansion bottle, at the top, or one of my hoses are leaking, cause there is a little coolant on the top.

PS: Abmi, how do I blead it when hot without making the cap shoot off when I open it?? Or do I keep the cap off, and have the car idle till warm??

HELP ME GUYS!!! I Am Soooo clueless here!!!

Bleed it the way Muranor just sketched out and see what gives. Good luck!

 

[Spy007]

All these dead cats are coming back to Haunt.



Here is the DIY on expansion tank if you decide to change.
Around R850 from Goldwagen

this was on Gopher

Good luck


http://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=9442

 

[zaleonardz]

Cois,

Bud I am so sorry, I feel horrible whenever I do this,

But... But.... But...

How can I not make a speedcop joke out of that.....

Ok Ok, I shall compose.

I may be barking up the wrong tree here, but I think that is a Normally closed circuit and not a temp sender, I think the temp sender sits in the block.

If that is the case, you can always just short out that sensor and see if your problem goes away, if the problem carries on, I would look at your wiring harness...

cois

checked for rodent bites ?

I was also wondering about that... F***ing office is FULL of them!!! :argh:

 

[abmi0000]

Cois,

Bud I am so sorry, I feel horrible whenever I do this,

But... But.... But...

How can I not make a speedcop joke out of that.....

Ok Ok, I shall compose.

I may be barking up the wrong tree here, but I think that is a Normally closed circuit and not a temp sender, I think the temp sender sits in the block.

If that is the case, you can always just short out that sensor and see if your problem goes away, if the problem carries on, I would look at your wiring harness...

cois

checked for rodent bites ?

I was also wondering about that... F***ing office is FULL of them!!! :argh:

But he is getting a low level warning. Where does the temp sensor come in?

 

[zaleonardz]

Exactly.

Low level warning is a just a switch, meaning digital, hence you can short it out.

Temp sensor is analog, and works by measuring resistance or microcurrent.

Dont mind me, I just spent an hour watching who's line is it anyway bloopers, so im in a strange place