Just got the car back today from a cooling system overhaul. Replaced radiator, all hoses cooling and vacuum, thermostat and thermostat housing, and some other stuff. My fan previously made contact with my radiator and am surprised the radiator did such a good job of putting up with it. Also, my lower radiator hose was nearly punctured by something. And to think, this system survived two days at the track! Everything's fine, but the mech told me that there was something in there that shouldn't have been in the engine compartment. I snapped a picture of it before he threw it out. What on earth is this??? He didn't know what it was for and neither do I. Does anyone have a clue?
Botond, how was it hooked up to the cooling system. It almost looke like a pressure release valve of some kind. Where if pressure got too high it would push fluid through the small hose and then either back into an expansion tank or onto the ground. I just looked on www.realoem.com and couldn't find anything that looked like that. Is there a part number on it? If so, plug that number into realoem and see what comes up.
I don't have the part #. I left the part there at the shop because I'm not going to be storing ANYTHING anymore. That's how I got all the sh*t in my room I finally got rid of; I kept everything because "I might need it one day". Well, not this time. This part is out of my life. Just wondering if anyone knows what it is...
Our '85 325e was recalled in '93 for a cooling system problem that could result in a hose bursting & possibly spewing hot coolant onto the driver's leg. The fix was performed by the dealer, but I thought it was a valve somewhere near the firewall.
You see, that happens to be the tubing that allowed the prenatal BMW to gather nutrients while it was still in the womb. Someone at the factory just forgot to discard it when it was born all those years ago.
That's the pressure relief system (presumably valve) for the issue John mentions. This was installed as a recall by BMW NA. Installs between the heater core and ummm.. the head, although mmmv (my memory may vary ) on exactly how it's installed. & yes, it's put in on the engine side of the firewall. If you plan to keep the coolant system in tip-top shape, I would _imagine_ you would be unlikely to have the hose blow and spew coolant onto your leg. I don't think there's any problem about leaving it in place, though. Your mechanic was just unaware of the issue, recall, and part. On 'es & early 'is M20'd E30's (with the coolant tank on the passenger side fender), the lower radiator hose (driver's side, bottom of the left side of the radiator) is routed such that it is susceptible to being cut through by the power steering pump pulley when the motor mounts break. (Ask me how I know) - and, this is guaranteed to happen when you are at full bore high speed in the middle of a right-hand turn, and you will _snap_ sideways instantly as your coolant is dumped out the hose and onto your tires. Stock motor mounts are _really_ soft, and probably, generally speaking, fine for street use, but for anyone tracking that generation of E30, they are prone to cracking pretty easily, allowing the motor to shift and eat into the lower radiator hose. 6er motor mounts from.... (hmmm... mmmv again, I can dig up a part number if someone needs it) I think the mid-80's are a higher durometer rubber, and more durable. 1/4" thicker, but that's insignificant, same size, you just have to grind off a locating nub. They will hold up a good bit longer, but also will eventually crack. I upgraded to these - http://www.vorshlag.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_17_49&products_id=99 Vibration transmission isn't bad, nothing noticeable above idle, as far as I'm concerned. I seriously recommend to anyone tracking an E30 more than once or twice w/ a build date prior to 9/'87 to use the 6er mounts, upgrade, or do something. It's no fun to find yourself (and anyone behind you) spinning out because your motor mounts busted!
Well damn it. Those mounts just got replaced at a cost of about $50 or so each (got 2 replaced) and I'm willing to bet they're stock mounts... As far as this pressure relief valve; is it really necessary? I don't want hot coolant spewing over my leg! This car is only to see the track once, maybe twice a year if that. I haven't had any issues at the track in my 2 times I've been there, and I don't want to start now!
Wow, I don't think I could do that! Just through out a perfectly good e30 part! The horror! Good thing thing you don't have a 2002 and made that statement! That action could be considered sacrilegious!
Paul might recall the issue more specifically, I'm tryin' to dig out something I haven't thought about in years. Let's see... would take a substantial pressure build up, which would probably require a _bad_ or old, disfunctional, radiator cap, that doesn't release pressure the way it should. I think the later radiator caps are supposed to keep 1.2 bar of pressure on the cooling system? I think that number is molded into the rad. cap. Anyway - if you weren't paying attention and didn't notice your car substantially overheating, and continued to drive it, possibly combined w/ a faulty radiator cap, then I think that's the type of scenario where the hose could blow at the heater core and give leggus fryus. Presumably, most attentive drivers with common sense would not push things so far, risking the head or the engine, or miss the overheating cues. I don't think there was a massive rash of these incidents, but enough to prompt the recall as a contingency to cover BMW's potential liability. Part # 3 probably the least-expensive way to go for motor mounts - http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=5236&mospid=47204&btnr=11_0040&hg=11&fg=10&hl=6 Those have two positioning nubs, E30's have 1, as mentioned before you have to grind one off.
Ask T.C. Kline how he learned this back in 1989 ... at Watkins Glen ... in the last turn (a fast right-hander, as Marshall will recall). Marshall can also guaran-damn-tee you that there is a wall there. Yes; we (the crew) spent the night rebuilding a BMW ...
This overheating thing scares me because on the last track day I went to, I ran the car hard enough to have the temperature gauge keep creeping up and it almost hit red. I told my instructor and he didn't seem phased at all about it. It was August but it wasn't so hot outside that you could boil an egg, so I don't see why he wasn't concerned. Now you say this valve is to prevent coolant from molesting my leg, I'm starting to get nervous about it...
'Fazed'. Wouldn't bother me either, for three reasons: 1.) It crept up slowly, not a sudden spike. That is normal under extreme use. 2.) It didn't reach the red. That, too, is normal; or at least acceptable. That's why there's a red zone. If you aren't in it, you aren't too hot. 3.) It ain't my car ...
