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

[Coisman]

So I just drove to get some food, I am at work, and working till 06:00...

anyway, the light never comes on... I even tought a E90 323i a lesson in how fast a E46 325 is.

So on the trip back to the office, switch on the heater and not even 10 seconds later... light comes on!! :facepalm:

Switch off the heater, and 30 seconds later, light goes off...

So get to the office, and open the bonet, and it looks like on the top of my expansion tank there is water/coolant leaking out, not much, so I cant see if its coming from the main pipe where the bleeder screw is, or if the bottle is cracked at the top... :dunno:

So I guess my next move is bottle replacement! :bangdesk:

 

[Henry330i]

@Coisman before you change your expansion tank check the cap first my car did the same and the one o-ring was missing on the cap. It has a double seal.

And they aren't to expensive either paid R150 at Dealer.

Not saying it is but worth a look.

Good Luck

 

[zaleonardz]

Well +1 for finding the fault,

At least now you know...

 

[Henry330i]

Well +1 for finding the fault,

At least now you know...

I just can't take the credit for finding the fault. Was in Boksburg when it happened stopped at the dealer there. So they helped me. best service ever. Only had to pay for cap. And was filled with BMW antifreeze and bleed the system.

 

[Coisman]

I will look into it tomorrow, cause driving and being scared something serious might go wrong is not lekker at all. :nonono:

I will check the cap tomorrow morning before I leave for home, cause for sure there is coolant leaking from the top, cause thats where the water is, right on top of the expansion tank.

I hope its just that. :thumb:

 

[Henry330i]

Fingers crossed

 

[Pfw28]

Addendum to bleeding procedure. Moranor's system works well for bleeding, but keep it up till the heater blows HOT air, not just warm. The heater matrix traps the air in the system, so poor heat delivery = air. Squeeze the bottom radiator pipe a few times, this often shifts most of it. Make like a doctor, have lots of patience! :rollsmile:

 

[SP33DYV]

It could also be your radiator. The e46's has a weak spot at the top of the radiator where the expansion tank connects. It cracks and the actual radiator starts leaking. I had this problem as well on my 325i. Its best to replace the cap at the same time. Hope you get to the bottom of this.

 

[Sabretooth tiger]

Glad you found the problem Cois:thumbs:

 

[Coisman]

Hi guys, :wave:
So went and got 5 litre coolant for in case I had to replace the expansion tank, and went to Willem, at Michael Brink street in Villieria. He stocks BMW spares, and they are building a moerse workshop as well.

We took off the cap, and as Henry predicted.... Car's bottom part with o-ring washer gone!!

We bled the system, and fit the new cap, and 30km's later, still no light! :joy:

Coolant 5litre: R250
Cap: R150

Thanks to everyone for your advice. :thumbsup:

 

[moranor@axis]

lucky you... seems im now loosing coolant had a look and it seems to be the return pipe to the expansion tank i hope i can get one today was supposed to leave to JHB today but the pass is closed...

 

[SP33DYV]

Glad it's sorted Cois.

 

[Sabretooth tiger]

I was at that place last week, a lot of Beemers there:thumbs:

 

[Henry330i]

Glad its sorted:thumbs:

 

[abmi0000]

Happy for you Cois :thumb:

 

[Coisman]

Hi everyone.

So after replacing the cap, I noticed that there is still coolant leaking out somewhere. Decided to take the car in today and have a preasure test done, and....

...leak on the radiator!!!

Will have to get a new radiator, and replace it... :argh:

So Goldwagen priced me R1280 for one, the mech is charging me 1 hour labour R360, and I need a bottle of coolant R250.

...only problem now... I don't have enough money... :facepalm:

Will wait till monday to see what I can do, so tonight I will use mommy's Honda to get to work. Leak is small, but I can't risk it blowing out, and me getting stuck with a car that overheats... :nono:

So thats how my weekend is going... :bangdesk:

 

[Mo63]

Sorry to hear man :nonono:

Hope you come right

 

[Crash_Nemesis]

:argh: Not cool

 

[Bayn46]

Ai, not cool :bangdesk:

I feel your pain; flywheel, four tyres and control arms in two months has bled me dry. Maintenance items like to come up in groups and beat you into submission :fishwack:

 

[rash777]

eish man..... not lekka