Last Fri after TT (with frens), drove back and notice that my car was dripping water (lots) when i was parking my car, some water vapor coming from the brake master cyclinder area but nothing else..... temp was ok.... so let the car cool overnight..... did not touch the car till yesterday. Yesterday, I change and cleaned the reflectors. I checked the water in radiator, it was ok. I started the car, and waited.... temp was ok and fan was turning..... killed the engine after 5 mins and went upstairs.... Today morning.... left the house, temp was ok, fan was on..... drove on..... was in jam..... 20minutes later and drove 3 kms on (jam ma...), noticed temp rising (3/4 mark)....!!!Quickly pulled aside and stopped engine..... Popped the hood, same symptom.... lots of water vapor from brake master cyclinder area..... best part, radiator was cool that i can open the cap without water gushing out!!! This despite the temp being so high.... peculiar.... assumed it was the water pump went dead (as concured by a good fren too). So, after waiting for 10 mins and temp lowered, filled the radiator to the brim with water... and attempted to drive back, or if possible straight to workshop. Could not achieve the distance to workshop, but managed to reach home. Got a tow truck to tow the sick car to workshop. Setapak to Batu Caves: RM80.00. Reached workshop and they just open shop and tengah makan breakfast..... joined them..... Later they started on my car.... needed to wait till the engine/water is cooled. He did a water pressure test (using some old bicycle pump with a pressure meter attached, and bottom modified to fit into the radiator cap area, and covered with plenty of plasticine like material). He filled the radiator with water, then fit the pump, and pumped away....... Horror to me... as expected.... water gushed out. Upon closer inspection, it was near the brake master cyclinder area, behind it actually. The culprit: Aircon Heater: Bocor!! Solution: One L shaped copper pipe to bypass the heater. Cost: RM48, workmanship RM20. Fixed in 30mins. My car used to need to top up 500ml water every week.... guess this was the reason... hope no need to top up water anymore.... Total damage: RM70.00+RM80.00 = RM150.00. Potential disaster: Engine head crack due to overheating!!! My advice to all E34 drivers..... check yr aircon heater!! Cheap solution to a potentially disasterous engine killing problem. If u dont use yr aircon heater for warm air, then u could consider bypassing the heater altogether.
Temperature Rising, but radiator is ok!!!???
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tongsatriani
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Bypassing...Hmmm...The way my heater was bypassed is...just disconnect it! It was rumbling before that. Now ok liao...
Actually its very simple....
1) Get a L-Shaped pipe.... mine was copper. Reason for L-shape, for ease of connection.
2) Disconnect the inlet hose from the engine (the one that brings hot water to the heater), and connect to one end of the L-shaped copper pipe. Tighten with clip.
3) Disconnect outlet hose from the heater (the one that sends the hot water back to the radiator for cooling), and connect to the other end of the L-shaped copper pipe. Tighten this too.
4) Fill radiator with water (remember to remove the bleeder nut too). Test the temperature or yr radiator.
5) If all ok, done. Simple and cheap.
I was lucky to be in KL, and could get tow truck relatively cheap. AND the potential disaster, engine head crack due to overheating costing u plenty of wallet pain!!! U may not notice it as yr radiator fan is moving, unless u keep an eye on yr radiator temperature. Now how many of u out there keep yr eye on this dial religiously??
This is my suggestion, my 2 cents, coz to save from headache. I would have done it long time ago if i had knew earlier. My biggest concern in this incident, not cost of replacing the pump/heater, but if i had cracked my engine had i not notice the temperature.
Bro.... yr method is to stop the heater.... but the water still flows thru it...
My heater is BOCOR.... so water goes in, and gushes out to the ground.... no water reaches the radiator.....
Imagine, water from radiator to engine then to heater and out to the ground, never to return to radiator..... meaning u lose all yr water very the fast....
So, bypass is the best way to go, esp if u dont use yr heater at all....
tongsatriani
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Lee36328
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That's why having to top up water in your car on a regular basis is a warning sign which should be looked into, as mentioned in another thread.
Having the temparature go up is never a good thing either... 5201, luckily you caught it in time.
Having the temparature go up is never a good thing either... 5201, luckily you caught it in time.
tongsatriani
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Talking bout temperature, my ride is having this weirdo thingy.
1. After every hot afternoon drives, say 30-40 kms, when I restart just after got it off a minute or 2, the temp will go 3/4!
2. But is gradually back to normal after moving the car for 50-100 metres.
The heater? Water level is ok, not dropped. Radiator+Exp tank d#*n hot too!
:blink:
1. After every hot afternoon drives, say 30-40 kms, when I restart just after got it off a minute or 2, the temp will go 3/4!
2. But is gradually back to normal after moving the car for 50-100 metres.
The heater? Water level is ok, not dropped. Radiator+Exp tank d#*n hot too!
:blink:
Lee36328
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Worse case scenario?
If left unresolved, you may wake up one day to find a blown gasket, warped head, or possibly even cracked block.
Don't say you have not been warned...
The best case scenario?
I am totally wrong above, and it might be a simple thing like a thermostat or something...
Either way, check it out. It might be VERY EXPENSIVE if you don't.
If left unresolved, you may wake up one day to find a blown gasket, warped head, or possibly even cracked block.
Don't say you have not been warned...
The best case scenario?
I am totally wrong above, and it might be a simple thing like a thermostat or something...
Either way, check it out. It might be VERY EXPENSIVE if you don't.
fabianyee
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that's bcos the water that is still in the water chamber is heated by the heat in the engine and thus got hotter. Once the water has been circulated thru the radiator it'll cool down naturally.. :getyourfactsright:
Does that make sense?
flash
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Your item 1.... I used to get that too after I changed my fan clutch. The temp would go up to the 3/4 mark upon restarting after a hard drive.
Don't think it was normal but I lived with it for a few weeks. Thereafter, I changed a few more parts like my thermostat, water temp sensor and got my mech to "readjust" the fan clutch for better cooling. Did a top end overhaul too and voila, back to "normal". The temp rises to 1/2 upon restarting after a hard drive. But I do not know what I did that cured that slight "heat soak" problem.... :dunno:
tongsatriani
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jsen,Originally posted by jsen@Apr 13 2006, 12:32 AM
yo tong,
easy way man, send terus w/shop, do a pressure test, then u will know alredy..
get it done asap, dun be sorry later....
wah this quarter so many radiator prob.. season la dude....
me been in & out workshop past a year on water prob. Few hoses changed, brand new radiator, pressure check all kau tim...anyways good advise too
Me Waterman ler...yeah, i think as what Fab thought too. Very obvious mah! Car stationary, 3/4..move back to norm...so let it be la...make sense though!
I believe Contis are prone to water probs...
Lionel_Koh
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