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The BMW Range
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E36
e36 328 ownership experience
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<blockquote data-quote="Lee36328" data-source="post: 399204" data-attributes="member: 113"><p>Good to see a lively discussion on gearbox here. Thanks for your inputs, guys. This keeps the thread useful and relevant.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, if I may, a little update on my e36; cooling issue again, what else...</p><p></p><p>After yet another overheating incident, I sent the car in for a check.</p><p></p><p>Radiator sprung some fine leaks. This is a good place for a friendly reminder - don't ignore the CHECK COOLANT message (duh...), it's not always a faulty sensor. When the sign came up, my car was soon stranded w the coolant pouring down the tarmac.</p><p></p><p>By the way, it's also not a good idea to drive your car without coolant (duh no.2...) even if you start/stop start/stop in the rain, watching the temp gauge like a hawk in a misguided attempt to save towing fees (times are bad, dude...) Explanation later on below.</p><p></p><p>So, new radiator later, my car was overheating again within a few days - WTF?</p><p></p><p>Aircond fan was temperamental (no pun intended, not funny), sometimes on, sometimes resolutely off even when it's blardy hot.</p><p></p><p>Checked all the belts (new) and aircond fan (new), all looked ok.</p><p></p><p>Still overheating, no aircond, and furthermore, seems to leak coolant. Dammit.</p><p></p><p>Finally found all the sources. I hope...</p><p></p><p><img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/L36328/repairs/Image0722combocopy.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>This unglamorous looking thing is called the receiver drier safety pressure switch. It indirectly controls the aircond fan, based on the amount of coolant pressure. If the pressure is too low or too high, it cuts off the compressor (and therefore the aircond fan as well). </p><p></p><p>If it's faulty, it can either cause the aircond fan to blow at high speed all the time (sucking up power and consumption), or cut off prematurely (leading to loss of cooling in the cabin, and subsequently, overheating the engine). This is quite tricky to diagnose. As the symptoms include a warm aircond, a wild goose chase around aircond fans, compressors, cooling coils, etc may result.</p><p></p><p><img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/L36328/repairs/Image0710copy.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/L36328/repairs/diagram.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>And about that leak earlier? It was caused by a busted thermostat housing. The housing melted in the heat when I did my hero thing of driving slowly in the rain without any coolant.</p><p></p><p><img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/L36328/repairs/Image0735combo.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/L36328/repairs/Image0739combomelted.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>As it melted, the seal could no longer sit properly, resulting in a persistent coolant leak from the housing.</p><p></p><p>Apparently what happened was this. The radiator sprung some micro leaks, causing the cooling system to slowly lose coolant. Next, the busted receiver drier switch was cutting off the aircond fan prematurely, causing intermittent overheating, compounding the leaking coolant situation. And finally, when I limped the car to the workshop, I melted the thermostat housing.</p><p></p><p>So, with all these items sorted, hopefully my aircond and overheating issues are finally resolved.</p><p></p><p>Now, next project, on to the tiny leak they found in my exhaust (will this saga never end?)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lee36328, post: 399204, member: 113"] Good to see a lively discussion on gearbox here. Thanks for your inputs, guys. This keeps the thread useful and relevant. Meanwhile, if I may, a little update on my e36; cooling issue again, what else... After yet another overheating incident, I sent the car in for a check. Radiator sprung some fine leaks. This is a good place for a friendly reminder - don't ignore the CHECK COOLANT message (duh...), it's not always a faulty sensor. When the sign came up, my car was soon stranded w the coolant pouring down the tarmac. By the way, it's also not a good idea to drive your car without coolant (duh no.2...) even if you start/stop start/stop in the rain, watching the temp gauge like a hawk in a misguided attempt to save towing fees (times are bad, dude...) Explanation later on below. So, new radiator later, my car was overheating again within a few days - WTF? Aircond fan was temperamental (no pun intended, not funny), sometimes on, sometimes resolutely off even when it's blardy hot. Checked all the belts (new) and aircond fan (new), all looked ok. Still overheating, no aircond, and furthermore, seems to leak coolant. Dammit. Finally found all the sources. I hope... [IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/L36328/repairs/Image0722combocopy.jpg[/IMG] This unglamorous looking thing is called the receiver drier safety pressure switch. It indirectly controls the aircond fan, based on the amount of coolant pressure. If the pressure is too low or too high, it cuts off the compressor (and therefore the aircond fan as well). If it's faulty, it can either cause the aircond fan to blow at high speed all the time (sucking up power and consumption), or cut off prematurely (leading to loss of cooling in the cabin, and subsequently, overheating the engine). This is quite tricky to diagnose. As the symptoms include a warm aircond, a wild goose chase around aircond fans, compressors, cooling coils, etc may result. [IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/L36328/repairs/Image0710copy.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/L36328/repairs/diagram.jpg[/IMG] And about that leak earlier? It was caused by a busted thermostat housing. The housing melted in the heat when I did my hero thing of driving slowly in the rain without any coolant. [IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/L36328/repairs/Image0735combo.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f369/L36328/repairs/Image0739combomelted.jpg[/IMG] As it melted, the seal could no longer sit properly, resulting in a persistent coolant leak from the housing. Apparently what happened was this. The radiator sprung some micro leaks, causing the cooling system to slowly lose coolant. Next, the busted receiver drier switch was cutting off the aircond fan prematurely, causing intermittent overheating, compounding the leaking coolant situation. And finally, when I limped the car to the workshop, I melted the thermostat housing. So, with all these items sorted, hopefully my aircond and overheating issues are finally resolved. Now, next project, on to the tiny leak they found in my exhaust (will this saga never end?) [/QUOTE]
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