BMW 318I SE - help me

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Mon 23 Jul 2012 21:09
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish
I HAVE A BMW 318I SE 1.9 1999 MODEL

WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING STILL THE TEMP IS FINE.
WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR IT STARTS TO OVERHEAT. AND LOOSES WATER I HAVE BLEDED THE COOLING SYSTEM.
THE WATER PUMP IS NEW THE RADIATOR HAS A VERY MINOR LEAK.
I ALSO NOTICED THAT IT HAS NO THERMOSTAT IN.
THE HEADGASKET IS FINE AS THERE IS NO WATER MIXING

PLEASE CAN ANY 1 HELP
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Mon 23 Jul 2012 21:35
BMW 318I SE - help me - unthrottled

Somewhat counterintuitively, putting a T'stat back in might alleviate the problem. The thermostat provides a necessary restriction to the flow of water-you need it to help cool the engine, not just get the engine up to operating temperature.

If the radiator is old, are the fins blocked with dirt and debris? On the inside the radiator might be full of rust-especially if the car has been run on straight water or old coolant. Give the radiator a good flush out/

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Tue 24 Jul 2012 08:45
BMW 318I SE - help me - thunderbird

As Unthrottled says get a thermostat fitted. They are an essential part of the design. Manufacturers don't just fit them to increase profits.

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Tue 24 Jul 2012 16:35
BMW 318I SE - help me - Collos25
Ho
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Tue 24 Jul 2012 23:19
BMW 318I SE - help me - AM

This car's thermostat is part of the plastic hose connector in front of the engine. It comes with the thermostat built into it, not sure how it can be removed without breaking it..

I think the electric fan switch is also built into this unit. Maybe this is also faulty, change the unit and see what happens. These cars are very difficult to bleed the air out of the system.

These cars run very hot, if you access the actual cooant temperature from the digital dashboard you will see they run at 100-110c.

My brother has this exact car and we changed the thermostat on it a few months ago..

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Wed 25 Jul 2012 12:13
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish

IM GOING TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR AND THE THERMOSTAT WITH THE HOUSING AS YOU CANT GET THE THERMOSTAT ON ITS OWN AS IVE BEEN TOLD.

THE FAN COMES ON AS SOON AS I START THE CAR.

ALSO WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED AND PARKED THE TEMP IS FINE BUT AS SOON AS I DRIVE IT THE TEMP GOES UP

THE TEMP DOESNT GO UP STRAIGHT AWAY APPROX 10/15 MINS AFTER THE TEMP STARTS RISING

Edited by Navish on 25/07/2012 at 12:15

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Wed 25 Jul 2012 12:18
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish

DID IT WORK

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Wed 25 Jul 2012 12:20
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish

I HAVE THE 1.9 4 DOOR SALOON MANUAL WITH A/C 1999 MODEL

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Wed 25 Jul 2012 00:24
BMW 318I SE - help me - Avant

Moved to Technical.

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Wed 25 Jul 2012 09:27
BMW 318I SE - help me - Collos25

Had the thermostat removed its has a blown head gasget or a duff radiator,

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Wed 25 Jul 2012 12:16
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish

HEAD GASKET IS FINE AS IVE CHECK THE OIL DIPSTICK AND THE OIL CAP.

RADIATOR IS GOING TO BE REPLACED TODAY

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Wed 25 Jul 2012 15:10
BMW 318I SE - help me - Collos25

Thats hardly a check if the gasget goes between water and exhaust you would never see it in the oil dipstick or oil cap all you would see is a drop in water level.I hope the radiator cures your problem.

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Wed 25 Jul 2012 19:45
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish
ok ive put in the radiator and the thermostat, now the radiator light has come on
ive double checked all the wiring
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Wed 25 Jul 2012 20:14
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish
the water coolant is full and the radiator light comes on and wont go off.
1 problem after the another

no leaks
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Wed 25 Jul 2012 21:09
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish

radiator light is fixed however im getting cold heat inside the car

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Wed 25 Jul 2012 21:35
BMW 318I SE - help me - Collos25

Have you put the stat back,

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Thu 26 Jul 2012 10:41
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish
ive put new stat in
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Wed 25 Jul 2012 21:51
BMW 318I SE - help me - unthrottled

If the heater isn't working then you have not bled the coolant system properly!

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Thu 26 Jul 2012 10:42
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish
whats the actual process to bleed the coolant system to remove the air
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Thu 26 Jul 2012 11:14
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish
does any 1 know why the battery light come on when i switch my rear heater on?
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Thu 26 Jul 2012 14:38
BMW 318I SE - help me - skidpan
does any 1 know why the battery light come on when i switch my rear heater on?

Usually because the alternator cannot provide enough power meaning its probably knackered.

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Sat 28 Jul 2012 12:49
BMW 318I SE - help me - rastus XL
does any 1 know why the battery light come on when i switch my rear heater on?

The rear screen heater draws a lot of current possibly as much as 30 amps, your battery light comming on would indicate one or two problems 1/ battery can not cope with excesive load---get the battery tested by a garage. or alternatey 2/ altenator faulty this can also be checked eaisily by a garage,Hope this helps----rastusXL

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Thu 26 Jul 2012 14:39
BMW 318I SE - help me - skidpan
whats the actual process to bleed the coolant system to remove the air

Surely you should have bought/borrowed the relevant manual before starting a job like this.

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Thu 26 Jul 2012 22:44
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish

summery new radiator with new thermostat and housing

it has been bled but i have a hose the one on top of the radiator going to the engine is red hot and the other is it normal

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Sat 28 Jul 2012 11:31
BMW 318I SE - help me - AM

As mentioned, difficult to bleed because of the high operating temperature. Correct factory method is to use some sort of vacuum bleeding system I think.

Various other methods available on the net for this car. Involve overfilling the reservoir and allowing air to escape via the bleed screw.

Am sure you have air in system

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Fri 14 Sep 2012 00:53
BMW 318I SE - help me - Navish

problem solve i put in a liquid called K SEAL in the radiator and its worked no overheating

thank for all you help

navish

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