This car is frustrating. One step forward, two steps back. Running great, thought I'd improve the suspension.
Had the back end in the air to install Bilstein HD shocks, and noticed a coolant leak at the front of the car.
Finished the shocks (drives great now) and got the front in the air. Realized that the leak is somewhere in the middle below the intake manifold, where there is a tree of sorts of hoses that come together. I can't pinpoint more than this, looked from above and below and when I squeeze the hoses in that area, I see a fast trickle of coolant.
I'm going to have to pull the intake manifold, and just plan to replace all the hoses I guess.
Anyone BTDT on this particular issue?
coolant leak - somwhere
Re: coolant leak - somwhere
I had a leak at the hose coming off the fast idle thing. It wasn't a hose issue, the housing of the fast idle had some corrosion so it wasn't sealing. Cleaned it up with a wire brush and its fine now.
Re: coolant leak - somwhere
Someone messaged me with what is likely the problem. There is a 4 way plastic tee for the coolant hoses, and apparently it's prone to cracking.
I'll probably take parts off until I can get to it, but it's 2+ weeks delay getting it from Germany whether I go direct or through BMW US.
By any chance does someone have an old stock spare?
I'll probably take parts off until I can get to it, but it's 2+ weeks delay getting it from Germany whether I go direct or through BMW US.
By any chance does someone have an old stock spare?
Re: coolant leak - somwhere
Update.
I parked the car in the garage and spent some time figuring out how to get to the hoses and tee.
Ordered parts from Bavarian in NH, all the parts had to come from Germany so it took a few weeks and I'm still waiting on 2 hoses.
Removed the intake manifold (partially) - cannot get it off completely because the wiring harness is threaded through the firewall side of the manifold.
I had enough room to lift it up and get down to the hoses.
In the end, it was not leaking at the tee (so I have a spare if anyone ever needs it) but at the hose coming from the heater core to the tee, at the hose clamp.
Questions:
- I see a lot of carbon buildup in the valves. Probably normal but wondering if I should do something while I have some access.
- The new intake manifold gaskets I ordered are different, each gasket goes across two cylinders, the originals were one per cylinder. Weird? I ordered from the parts fiche.
- Recommended hose clamps? OE/reuse the BMW clamps should be fine but the damn clamp did cut a hole in the hose, so... I think spring clamps are superior but I won't have enough access to put them on. T bolt clamps are recommended by some but hard to find.
Hoping to get this back on the road soon, may not be before the end of the year though.
I parked the car in the garage and spent some time figuring out how to get to the hoses and tee.
Ordered parts from Bavarian in NH, all the parts had to come from Germany so it took a few weeks and I'm still waiting on 2 hoses.
Removed the intake manifold (partially) - cannot get it off completely because the wiring harness is threaded through the firewall side of the manifold.
I had enough room to lift it up and get down to the hoses.
In the end, it was not leaking at the tee (so I have a spare if anyone ever needs it) but at the hose coming from the heater core to the tee, at the hose clamp.
Questions:
- I see a lot of carbon buildup in the valves. Probably normal but wondering if I should do something while I have some access.
- The new intake manifold gaskets I ordered are different, each gasket goes across two cylinders, the originals were one per cylinder. Weird? I ordered from the parts fiche.
- Recommended hose clamps? OE/reuse the BMW clamps should be fine but the damn clamp did cut a hole in the hose, so... I think spring clamps are superior but I won't have enough access to put them on. T bolt clamps are recommended by some but hard to find.
Hoping to get this back on the road soon, may not be before the end of the year though.
Re: coolant leak - somwhere
Which wiring harness, the stuff to the bracket where the diag plug and such live? I pulled those connectors out of the bracket on mine and fished them through the intake to get it out of my way when I did the injection pump. Mine had been off before though. It was missing a number of the washers and one of the nuts. I ended up buying a bag of each to replace the missing hardware.
While that was off I cleaned the intake out in the solvent tank at work. Its basically mineral spirits, got all the oily crap out of it. I wiped inside the ports with blue shop towels but that was it. There was significant carbon on the back of the valves but I wasn't real inclined to soak things down with cleaners or start breaking up chunks.
Same with the intake gaskets. I've got 3 extras now.
McMaster-Carr has T-bolt clamps and a worm drive type with an extended tail that covers the slotted part on the inside. Either should do fine. Pack of 10 of either is about 12 bucks.
While that was off I cleaned the intake out in the solvent tank at work. Its basically mineral spirits, got all the oily crap out of it. I wiped inside the ports with blue shop towels but that was it. There was significant carbon on the back of the valves but I wasn't real inclined to soak things down with cleaners or start breaking up chunks.
Same with the intake gaskets. I've got 3 extras now.
McMaster-Carr has T-bolt clamps and a worm drive type with an extended tail that covers the slotted part on the inside. Either should do fine. Pack of 10 of either is about 12 bucks.