phenryiv1's 530xiT Thread
#51
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My Ride: 2006 530xiT, 2001 325ciC, 1989 325iC
Model Year: 2006
Cooling woes continue. I drove the car to work yesterday (with a jug of distilled water in the back just in case) and things were fine. No puddles under the car that I could see, but as I got ready to head home I got a "Coolant too low" warning. I topped it off and drove home.
Once there, I checked the level (still good) and put the car up on ramps.
I took off the lower splash cover https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=51_5089 in an attempt to find the leak but no luck. I let the car run for over 30 minutes and never saw a drop of coolant. I checked the tube over the radiator and it was completely dry, and checked every hose connection that I could while I was under the car.
At that point, I assumed 2 things:
1. The drop in coolant level was the result of the car "burping" and the level dropping accordingly, and,
2. The small amount that I saw under the car was the result of spillage when removing and/or refilling the tank, since some coolant was on top of the splash shield.
At least one of these assumptions were incorrect.
I decided to try to drive the car to work today (it is supposed to be 97* today) and the E30 - though a convertible - lacks A/C (and if it rains, driving in 97* weather with no A/C and the windows up is a bit uncomfortable) but as I left me development I realized that leaving the front splash shield off was not going to work, as the back panel is held in place by the screws from the front panel. I turned around with plans to install the crews or the whole shield (while on a dirty garage floor, dressed in work clothes, no less) but I saw more coolant pissing out of the lines near the radiator. At least I could now locate the source of my leak.
Based on this https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=17_0742 it looks like I need at least 17127521778
And maybe some hoses from here, if I find anything else wonky: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_3755
Once there, I checked the level (still good) and put the car up on ramps.
I took off the lower splash cover https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=51_5089 in an attempt to find the leak but no luck. I let the car run for over 30 minutes and never saw a drop of coolant. I checked the tube over the radiator and it was completely dry, and checked every hose connection that I could while I was under the car.
At that point, I assumed 2 things:
1. The drop in coolant level was the result of the car "burping" and the level dropping accordingly, and,
2. The small amount that I saw under the car was the result of spillage when removing and/or refilling the tank, since some coolant was on top of the splash shield.
At least one of these assumptions were incorrect.
I decided to try to drive the car to work today (it is supposed to be 97* today) and the E30 - though a convertible - lacks A/C (and if it rains, driving in 97* weather with no A/C and the windows up is a bit uncomfortable) but as I left me development I realized that leaving the front splash shield off was not going to work, as the back panel is held in place by the screws from the front panel. I turned around with plans to install the crews or the whole shield (while on a dirty garage floor, dressed in work clothes, no less) but I saw more coolant pissing out of the lines near the radiator. At least I could now locate the source of my leak.
Based on this https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=17_0742 it looks like I need at least 17127521778
And maybe some hoses from here, if I find anything else wonky: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_3755
Last edited by phenryiv1; 07-13-2017 at 04:44 AM.
#52
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My Ride: BMW 530xiT (E61)
Model Year: 2007
Based on this https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=17_0742 it looks like I need at least 17127521778
And maybe some hoses from here, if I find anything else wonky: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_3755
sorry to hear about your issues, but i'm glad you've potentially tracked down the problem.
#53
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My Ride: 2006 530xiT, 2001 325ciC, 1989 325iC
Model Year: 2006
Me neither. I tried to explain it to a buddy of mine who (like me) has an E36. He recommend that I just replace all the lines on the front of the cooling system, just like most older BMW owners do. The E30/36 has a limited number of hoses. This thing is a mess. I was over $600 in hoses alone.
#54
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My Ride: BMW 530xiT (E61)
Model Year: 2007
Me neither. I tried to explain it to a buddy of mine who (like me) has an E36. He recommend that I just replace all the lines on the front of the cooling system, just like most older BMW owners do. The E30/36 has a limited number of hoses. This thing is a mess. I was over $600 in hoses alone.
sadly, it's probably easier to replace some of them together rather than dig in there a few different times to replace them one by one.
are you positive that the leak you're seeing is due to a faulty hose/clamp and not a abnormal buildup in pressure that is finding the path of least resistance to escape?
#55
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My Ride: 2006 530xiT, 2001 325ciC, 1989 325iC
Model Year: 2006
I ended up ordering the offending hose and a few fasteners that were missing from the splash pan, plus a new radiator drain plug (those tend to fail). If this fix does not work then I will just run down the list of hoses on RealOEM and replace them all. The one that looks to have failed is actually fairly easy to access. If I have ot start doing other ones then the mess of interconnections are probably best served with a total replacement of all of them. And with 130K on the car right now it might not be a bad idea anyway, but I would like to see what this hose does for the problem.
Logically, one might deduce that there is a blockage caused by the thermostat failing to open but I don't know how likely that is. I have seen leakage after being parked, and the thermostat should have opened last night during 30 minutes of idling in a garage when ambient air temperatures were 90* or better.
#56
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My Ride: 2006 530xiT, 2001 325ciC, 1989 325iC
Model Year: 2006
Added my photos to the post above.
Also, while I was under the car and awaiting drips that never materialized I did go ahead and install some Nokya yellow fog light bulbs. The off-white color of the stock bulbs always bothered me, given the contrast with the HIDs. No more:
On a not-so-happy note, there was a LOT of oil on the underside of the motor:
Also, while I was under the car and awaiting drips that never materialized I did go ahead and install some Nokya yellow fog light bulbs. The off-white color of the stock bulbs always bothered me, given the contrast with the HIDs. No more:
On a not-so-happy note, there was a LOT of oil on the underside of the motor:
#57
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My Ride: 2006 530xiT, 2001 325ciC, 1989 325iC
Model Year: 2006
So the replaced coolant tank did not solve the problem. After almost a week of waiting for the replacement lower radiator hose it finally arrived.
I give up on the picture links. I'll post them later.
I give up on the picture links. I'll post them later.
Last edited by phenryiv1; 07-19-2017 at 01:48 PM.
#58
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My Ride: 2010, E61, 535i xDrive
Model Year: 2010
#59
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My Ride: 2006 530xiT, 2001 325ciC, 1989 325iC
Model Year: 2006
All of the links are broken in the whole thread or just the more recent ones?
I use PhotoBucket and my early posts have the PB links. Recently I tried Google Photos. I can see all but my most recent post.
Do do any of them work for you?
I use PhotoBucket and my early posts have the PB links. Recently I tried Google Photos. I can see all but my most recent post.
Do do any of them work for you?
#60
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My Ride: 2010, E61, 535i xDrive
Model Year: 2010
Cannot see any of them...not a single one, just to be redundant ;-)