How often do you guys get grabbed for car support?

Kinda getting fed up of being phoned to car break downs now! Seriously, if you let your mates know you're good with cars, how often do you guys get a phonecall with a plea for help?

This was an E34 in distress! So I went out to have a 'quick' look - 5 hours later still not got it running properly. 520i bog standard spec w/vanos.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...e/DSC00065.jpg
Check out the steelies, and the lack of fog lights!
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...e/DSC00061.jpg

Fault 1: Exploded radiator!
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...e/DSC00062.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...e/DSC00063.jpg

This turns out to be a symptom not a fault, unlike I first thought. Dismantled the expansion tank out of the radiator quickly and found a huge crack in the side of the radiator where the top expansion tank bleeder plugs in.

Quick trip to B&Q for some 5 minute epoxy resin and that problem's now fixed!

Got it all back together at the side of the road and the b*stards still overheating!

I *think* the _cause_ of all this trouble is that the pumps imploded - the radiator top hose gets boiling hot, but the bottom hose stays stone cold.

This implies that the thermostat's open as hot water's rising to the top of the system under convection etc. What really gives this away is that with the heaters on full, you get no heat and the hoses going into the firewall/bulkhead are stone cold... this indicates a lack of flow I think?

What do you guys think?

Going to tow the bugger home this morning and pull the waterpump and see what state it's in, I know the visco coupling is shot, but the lack of hot water to the heater is giving me that twitch!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ferret

Fault 1: Exploded radiator!

This turns out to be a symptom not a fault, unlike I first thought. Dismantled the expansion tank out of the radiator quickly and found a huge crack in the side of the radiator where the top expansion tank bleeder plugs in.

Quick trip to B&Q for some 5 minute epoxy resin and that problem's now fixed!

Got it all back together at the side of the road and the b*stards still overheating!

I *think* the _cause_ of all this trouble is that the pumps imploded - the radiator top hose gets boiling hot, but the bottom hose stays stone cold.

This implies that the thermostat's open as hot water's rising to the top of the system under convection etc. What really gives this away is that with the heaters on full, you get no heat and the hoses going into the firewall/bulkhead are stone cold... this indicates a lack of flow I think?

What do you guys think?

Going to tow the bugger home this morning and pull the waterpump and see what state it's in, I know the visco coupling is shot, but the lack of hot water to the heater is giving me that twitch!

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Before you rip the pump out, bleed the system through the bleeder on top of the rad. I find it best at a slightly fast idle. No circulation to heater is classic air lock symptom. If you can get all the air out in less than half an hour you are doing well. I've had to switch off many times in the past as the needle was going too high while I was bleeding the system. And yes, I get my fair share of calls. My favourite is 'my car is making a funny noise....':(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ferret

Got it all back together at the side of the road and the b*stards still overheating!

I *think* the _cause_ of all this trouble is that the pumps imploded - the radiator top hose gets boiling hot, but the bottom hose stays stone cold.

This implies that the thermostat's open as hot water's rising to the top of the system under convection etc. What really gives this away is that with the heaters on full, you get no heat and the hoses going into the firewall/bulkhead are stone cold... this indicates a lack of flow I think?

What do you guys think?

Going to tow the bugger home this morning and pull the waterpump and see what state it's in, I know the visco coupling is shot, but the lack of hot water to the heater is giving me that twitch!

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Agree, this sounds very waterpumpish. Won't take you long to pull the pump and figure it out.

Question: When you bled the system after the rad replacement, how well (if at all) was the coolant flowing through the expansion tank? It should be a nice steady steam, especially under partial throttle. Oh, and jacking up the front end as high as possible while bleeding really helps the M50s.

Good luck with it,

Dave

Oh, forgot to add that my wife wants me to start charging for repairs as I spend a fair amount of time in my garage working on other peoples $hit :D

Dave

Maha!
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...e/DSC00067.jpg

Shame it's a sunday, cant get a replacement!

Looks fairly clean inside:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...e/DSC00068.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...e/DSC00069.jpg

Will get a metal replacement, this one was just spinning on the shaft, and because it had expanded was just stuck, not rotating!

It had bled up fine yesterday, just not pumping the water!

You might still get something for that on ebay ;)

Nice easy fix, good job,

Dave

Good call going for the water pump. I'd probably still be trying to bleed it:D

on an m50 its always best, though, to suspect either the pump or air in the system....
seems like it is always one or the other....

a while back we changed a bunch of cooling hoses, radiator, etc. on my wife's 525 and couldn't get rid of a persistent leak right at the lower radiator hose below the expansion tank. finally turned out to be a tiny hole in the hose itself; sometimes even new parts aren't good! :)

and, yes, i do get calls quite often - its either for a car or a computer....both sometimes equally frustrating!

If you cant take a joke,leave Reading and join the Mormons! Oh, and loose all friends with E34`s.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barney Paull-Edwards

If you cant take a joke,leave Reading and join the Mormons! Oh, and loose all friends with E34`s.

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Wow! They dont have Mormons in Reading?