Radiator Leakage

[mugz]

i experience leakage problem like sunshines.. not too sure izzit the same problem
The problem goes like this.. not all the time it leaks.. but sometimes it leaks so terrible dat whenever i start the car, the "water boil" indicator will appear.. this happens like 1~2mths once la..

At times, when this happen when i m outside, i had no choice but to cooldown the car and fill like 1.4 L of water so dat i can go home..
But, when i fill it full and start moving around 10mins. the "water boil" indicator shows up again..

Most funny is that there is no problem anymore if i fill the water and let it cooldown for like 5 to 6hrs instead of driving it. then 1 or 2mths onwards got no problem d. I send to my regular workshop to check, leave there for 2days, he cant check anything as well..

anyone experience this b4? normally i look underneath the car there is no leakage at all but sometimes it leakages until the floor filled with water.. Could it be its too hot and it flows out? i never use any coolant b4.. u think adding coolant will be better for the temp? my temp is always at the half.. wat about you guys?

 

[Joe80]

yesterday i found my E36 318 also have expansion tank crack.... to replace brand new expension tank only cost me RM300 and radiator services will cost me RM100..... overall around RM400... So i decide to buy complete set brand new BEHR (OEM) for RM600 only..... can use for 5 years at least without make my head "pening"....

 

[astroboy]

Good choice

Then u should have sell ur used but non-leakage radiator here..

 

[c-square]

i experience leakage problem like sunshines.. not too sure izzit the same problem
The problem goes like this.. not all the time it leaks.. but sometimes it leaks so terrible dat whenever i start the car, the "water boil" indicator will appear.. this happens like 1~2mths once la..

At times, when this happen when i m outside, i had no choice but to cooldown the car and fill like 1.4 L of water so dat i can go home..
But, when i fill it full and start moving around 10mins. the "water boil" indicator shows up again..

Most funny is that there is no problem anymore if i fill the water and let it cooldown for like 5 to 6hrs instead of driving it. then 1 or 2mths onwards got no problem d. I send to my regular workshop to check, leave there for 2days, he cant check anything as well..

anyone experience this b4? normally i look underneath the car there is no leakage at all but sometimes it leakages until the floor filled with water.. Could it be its too hot and it flows out? i never use any coolant b4.. u think adding coolant will be better for the temp? my temp is always at the half.. wat about you guys?

That seemed strange that if you re-fill and go, the water starts to boil again very quickly, as opposed to you letting the car cool down for 5-6 hours. Well, my guess would be that at that time when you were outside and had to re-fill and go, some air pockets may have gotten trapped within your cooling system, thus you experienced "overheating" warning after only about 10 minutes of drive. However, on your second attempt to re-fill and leave the car to cool down, the air pockets may have been luckily dislodged, thus your cooling system working fine up till today. Normally, when I check and had to do a top-up of water in the radiator, I would also unscrew the "Bleeder Screw" and maintain a slow and smooth flow of fresh water into the expansion tank until all the bubbles are released out from the bleeder hole. Continue to let the water over flow out of the little bleeder hole until no more bubbles comes out of it (just to ensure that there are no air pockets left inside the cooling system).

As for you not using any coolent, it has nothing to do with your overheating experience. Coolents (or anti-freeze) are actually meant to prevent the water in the cooling system from freezing during sub-zero weather conditions and is not meant to reduce of dissipate heat. However, coolent are still used in this part of the world because these coolents tend to have some additives that can lubricate and prevent corrosion in the internal parts of the cooling systems, thus people uses coolent here. Becareful to use only good and reputable brands of coolent as the "al-cheepo" ones will cause more harm than good. So, it is entirely OK for not using coolent but it is advisable to use distilled or RO water because these water have very low mineral contents, unlike the water that flows straight from the tap.

 

[*SunShin3*]

i experience leakage problem like sunshines.. not too sure izzit the same problem
The problem goes like this.. not all the time it leaks.. but sometimes it leaks so terrible dat whenever i start the car, the "water boil" indicator will appear.. this happens like 1~2mths once la..

At times, when this happen when i m outside, i had no choice but to cooldown the car and fill like 1.4 L of water so dat i can go home..
But, when i fill it full and start moving around 10mins. the "water boil" indicator shows up again..

Most funny is that there is no problem anymore if i fill the water and let it cooldown for like 5 to 6hrs instead of driving it. then 1 or 2mths onwards got no problem d. I send to my regular workshop to check, leave there for 2days, he cant check anything as well..

anyone experience this b4? normally i look underneath the car there is no leakage at all but sometimes it leakages until the floor filled with water.. Could it be its too hot and it flows out? i never use any coolant b4.. u think adding coolant will be better for the temp? my temp is always at the half.. wat about you guys?

Sounds like the same kind of problem that i was facing. The first time it happened i needed to fill up the water every couple of months, then it became more frequent. Send to my mechanic & he changed the radiator cap as he could not find any leakage during that time. But it made no difference. Instead it got worse & i had to top up every 2 days!!!
So in the end, i send it in again to my mechanic & only then he found 3 areas leaking. He changed those parts for me & now the indicator no longer shows.
*Phewwww*:4:

 

[c-square]

SunShin3, glad to know that you have managed to sort out the radiator problem.

 

[mugz]

hmmm maybe i should arrange an appointment wif my mechanic and try to diagnose the problem...

I once had this kind of problem when i 1st got the car.. i got it 2nd hand..
water leakage and over-heat problems.. send to check, according to the mechanic, the cylinder cracked and water goes it.. need to repair @ 8k

Well.. lucky the previous owner is kind enough to pay for this repair...
i hope this dun repeat again... if not really pening man..

 

[astroboy]

N42 cylinder has a thin wall surrounded by water for exceptional good cooling effect. However, its vulnerable to crack. I wonder how the cracks are repair? I would replace the block..

 

[Mouse]

Good choice

Then u should have sell ur used but non-leakage radiator here..

its already 5 years lar, its gonna explode anytime,

 

[mugz]

N42 cylinder has a thin wall surrounded by water for exceptional good cooling effect. However, its vulnerable to crack. I wonder how the cracks are repair? I would replace the block..

well.. no idea.. but it was being replaced i guess.. dats the reason why it costed rm8k.

lil update on my case, today the weather is damn hot~ i drove like 1hr, reach home.. and there's no leakage.. no over-heat.

Today's the 3rd day since i re-filled 1.4L of water. Checked this morning and water lvl its pretty much still there.. really headache..

 

[*SunShin3*]

SunShin3, glad to know that you have managed to sort out the radiator problem.

So i tot...I got back from overseas 2 days ago & when i started my engine, i notice that the radiator light came back on again!!!...*sigh*

Am really at a lost...:dontknow:

 

[Gunner]

Mine too.. I hv to refill almost 1L in every 2 months. but now things r getting worse...500ml every 4days...expansion tank and the valve just changed recently but the problem still prevail.. i also has changed the water pump housing and seals...all sifu, pls help me...

 

[berserkdroid]

Sometimes the culprit is the Radiator Cap itself. A quick fix is to use high temperature resistant rubber and create a washer inside the cap. That should work.

BTW if anyone is looking to buy a rarely used E30 M40 Expansion Tank, PM me.

 

[Gunner]

Sure and thanks berserkdroid.. i'll get the new cap from my mech next week... happy holiday...