Overheated

[selavia]

Any thoughts on the following situation:

1998 528i, 100k miles

The vehicle began to overheat slightly. Instead of pulling over the driver (my dad) decided to continue driving. The overheating light (the red warning light) came on and then the driver continued to drive it an additional 2-3 miles.

When I saw the engine bay, antifreeze was everywhere. One of the hoses leading to the radiator was in tatters. Smoke was billowing from that area alone.

After the car cooled down, I fired it up again. It started well and idle was stable. My concern is whether either the head or block cracked or warped due to the excessive heat. Also, whether this may damage the head gasket.

Also, now, whenever the engine is stopped, it makes a funny noise, as if air is escaping and then stopped by a seal/gasket resealing. The best metaphor I can think of it a whoopi cushion. It sounds like air is escaping and then after 1-2 seconds it sounds like two pieces of rubber suctioning back together.


What should I check and/or replace? Thoughts?

 

[Big Daddy]

Sorry to hear this Sean, I would suspect a head gasket. See if you can find and or use a cooling system leak down tester. It connects to the radiator fill neck and you can pump air into the system and see if you can hear and or see the leak. Also check you oil and water for evidence of contamination. Coolant is very hard on rod bearing.

 

[selavia]

*&*&$%^&* That's my biggest worry BD. I was thinking it was the head gasket too. Which, makes me wonder if block/head warped. I couldn't check the fluids etc because I came home late last night. I came home an hour after my dad stopped driving it and I could still see some coming out of it; and not just traces-- so much that I had to back up.

I am so annoyed. I don't understand why he didn't pull over and let the damn thing cool down. I am fairly certain that it began overheating because coolant was low. And now because it wasn't allowed to sit and cool, I get the bad feeling that it's going to need to be rebuilt or the motor is now trash. *!$*%*%(#@

 

[selavia]

Update

I did a pressure test. At first it would not hold any pressure. Careful inspection of the radiator revealed that where one of the hoses meets the radiator was completely destroyed. The hose that leads from the radiator to the resevior was also completely obliterated.

My brother found a radiator (Behr Brand) for $158 brand new; we installed it, cleaned everything up, put new hoses, o-rings, fluid etc and retested with the pressure tester. Pumped it to the recommended 21 PSI and within two minutes it did not loose more than .2-.5 PSI. I ran the car really hard afterwards with the A/C on, etc. No overheating, steady RPMS, etc. Everything is fine.


However, upon removing the splash shield from under the engine (to access the radiator), I noticed was I presume are bearings. They look like the little pegs that come with book shelves (the pegs that one uses to support adjustable shelves). While the splash shield, fan shroud, fan, and radiator was out I inspects the alternator, water pump, a/c compressor, etc and could not find and sign of bearings falling out. I surmise (by the fact that the stearing whines as if it has no fliud) that the bearings are most likely from the steering pump. Does anyone know whether these type of bearings are within the steering pump or, BD, do you have an exploded diagram of the inside workings of the power stearing pump?

Thanks guys.

 

[Big Daddy]

No Sean I don't and I searched the web and could not find anything on the bearings in the pump. Can you wiggle the pulley shaft? I suspect what you are describing is needle bearings and I have no idea if they are used in that pump. Sorry man.

 

[E30m42cab]

Hmm, I don't think you'd have P/S pump bearing lying around without having catastrophic failure of the pump's casing. I have a spare (failed) PS pump from a E30 325 lying around somewhere that I could pull apart, but I won't have time 'till thursday evening. Also, if your pump bearings were falling out, your belt would have gone for a walk. You PS pump might just be in need of a flush. Either that your engine's shelving unit is falling appart, and in need of a rebuild. jk!

 

[upwindskipper]

overheat

Any thoughts on the following situation:

1998 528i, 100k miles

The vehicle began to overheat slightly. Instead of pulling over the driver (my dad) decided to continue driving. The overheating light (the red warning light) came on and then the driver continued to drive it an additional 2-3 miles.

When I saw the engine bay, antifreeze was everywhere. One of the hoses leading to the radiator was in tatters. Smoke was billowing from that area alone.

After the car cooled down, I fired it up again. It started well and idle was stable. My concern is whether either the head or block cracked or warped due to the excessive heat. Also, whether this may damage the head gasket.

Also, now, whenever the engine is stopped, it makes a funny noise, as if air is escaping and then stopped by a seal/gasket resealing. The best metaphor I can think of it a whoopi cushion. It sounds like air is escaping and then after 1-2 seconds it sounds like two pieces of rubber suctioning back together.


What should I check and/or replace? Thoughts?

Sean:

If you start with fresh oil, you might consider an oil analysis after a few hundred miles. If you send about an ounce of oil to a lab, they will give you a great deal of imnformation in about 48 hours. I had a Mercedes E320 with similar mileage, found myself adding coolant about every three months. A pressure test could not find the leak but I knew it was going somewhere. Lab called me with the bad news and sent me a full spectrum analysis. I traded that car for my current BMW and could not be happier.

 

[Kirby]

I agree with Dan, sounds like needle bearings. I don't think the PS pump would be the suspect source. I thinking possibly idler wheel bearings.

Has the car ever been service up front and had any idlers replaced? Could they be remnants of a PREVIOUS service job? If they are bearing needles, the bearing would have failed catastrophically to leave needles in the pan and you would know about it. But if they are from a previous service event, they could have fallen out during disassembly.

 

[selavia]

How much does this oil analysis cost? And where can I get it done?

I don't think the bearings were there from a previous service. We had taken off the splash shield once before and did not notice these bearings.

Also, after about 100 miles, the car began leaking antifreeze like nobody's business. After more inspection, I found the water pump was the cause. When I replaced it, I looked at the old one and the clutch (perhaps; I don't know if you would call that a clutch) that the pulley bolts on to was spinning extremely unevenly and everytime I turned it, it was grinding. Also the turns were not smooth nor circular. It feels like something was terribly wrong with the bearings inside the water pump. I want to disassemble it and take a look, but haven't had the time. The leak was not from the gasket of the waterpump, but actually from the clutch. I have never seen a water pump leak like that before. I'm thinking that the bearings could possible be from the water pump. Does the water pump have those type of bearings?

Also, would pictures of the bearing be helpful?

Any other comments? You guys, as always, have been an immense help

Also, on an unrelated matter, on my 318is, the clutch finally went.... I hoping to get the original clutch to last 200,000, but it's making the car unreliable, so I will have to settle for 150,000. Is $800 a good/fair price to replace it (from a BMW shop)?

 

[Big Daddy]

$800.00 is fair Sean, my roadster was more than double that (had some performance parts installed). The needle bearing could be from the fan clutch maybe? Definitely take that pump apart and educate us, and I would like to see a photo of the needle bearings.

 

[Kirby]

Yup, I'm with Dan, the bearings might be from the fan clutch. I really doubt it is from the water pump. Every water pump I have seen uses a bronze sleeve bearing. Needle bearings and water don't get along well at all!!