BIG news - my engine overheated
#1
Contributors
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Zoo York
Posts: 9,986
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: Alpine White 2006 530Xi (SLD)
So it happened - my "big kahuna", that one BMW repair that I will definitely be limping after. Today, I took my brother in law to lunch and on the way back the dash lit up and said "car overheating". After another minute, it said "overheatED".
I pulled into the nearest shop and had a guy look at it. He started trying to tell me "thermostat, water pump, radiator" story, and it's all nice and dandy and all, but I'm interested in getting the car fixed - not the bill ... long story short, flat-bedded to a specialist, took a sample of oil to send in to the lab. If there's antifreeze in it, the head gasket is definitely needed. Maybe the whole engine. I can't help but think that the design of the lifters has something to do with it - 99% of the time, this car is driven grandpa style. I haven't had the chance to find that SIB on the lifters yet, but I swear that this is one of the symptoms I remember reading about - antifreeze in the engine. Funny, a guy was just asking me about "how hard would it be to fit an M5 V10 into the Xi"... yeah, lol, that's baller haha
anyway, sorry no pics
I pulled into the nearest shop and had a guy look at it. He started trying to tell me "thermostat, water pump, radiator" story, and it's all nice and dandy and all, but I'm interested in getting the car fixed - not the bill ... long story short, flat-bedded to a specialist, took a sample of oil to send in to the lab. If there's antifreeze in it, the head gasket is definitely needed. Maybe the whole engine. I can't help but think that the design of the lifters has something to do with it - 99% of the time, this car is driven grandpa style. I haven't had the chance to find that SIB on the lifters yet, but I swear that this is one of the symptoms I remember reading about - antifreeze in the engine. Funny, a guy was just asking me about "how hard would it be to fit an M5 V10 into the Xi"... yeah, lol, that's baller haha
anyway, sorry no pics
#7
Contributors
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Zoo York
Posts: 9,986
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: Alpine White 2006 530Xi (SLD)
Thanks Amigos! I'm gonna take it one step at a time and not sweat too much. I'm sending the oil for a lab test to see if there is any coolant in it. If none, consider the bullet dodged.
Appreciate any and all help too
Appreciate any and all help too
#9
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: So. Cal (SFV)
Posts: 17,508
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
My Ride: 2011.5 Alpine White E90 M3 | Black Novillo Leather | Carbon Fiber Leather Trim | ZCP | ZP2 | M-DCT | Navigation | Moonroof | 6FL Mods: TMS 12.5mm spacers all around l Hawk HPS Brake Pads l OEM M3 Edition Grills l Paint Matched Side Gills l Key Hole D
sorry to hear vlad....glad it didn't happen during your recent road trip to florida tho, hope the fix doesn't break your wallet...
#10
Contributors
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Zoo York
Posts: 9,986
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: Alpine White 2006 530Xi (SLD)
The reason I want to get the oil tested first is because when I let it cool down and re-start it, the overheat message comes on within a matter of 2-3 minutes. That combined with oil found in the coolant tank - I want to know for sure whether the gasket is leaking from the lifters issue.