Help!!! Bad Leak, dont know what it could be...

[Bluebimma]

This morning on my way to work, the engine light came on. About a quarter mile after this, i stopped at a red-light and smoke started pouring from under the hood. I pulled into a parking lot to check it out. When i opened the hood and looked in, i could smell coolant. There was no splatter whatsoever towards the front of the engine but tons at the rear. I looked all around to see if any hoses were busted or came loose. I found one that was severed that ran from the intake to where the master cylinder/brake booster area was and replaced it. I thought that was the problem but it wasn’t.

After replacing the hose, i went to fill the system back up with coolant. While pouring, i heard the sound of liquid hitting the ground. I kneeled down and saw that all the coolant i poured in was coming out from somewhere behind the engine. I then called my co-worker and he towed my car back to my house. I was 2 1/2 hours late for work today and don’t have any idea of what could be broken/loose/severed in my cooling system. Im also at work right now so i cant check anything out until i get off. Can anyone give me any advice on what to look for? This is my first bimmer, but I’ve put together and taken apart Hondas before and this is a little bit different. Any help would be appreciated.

[316i compact]

I had the same problem too. This is typical problem.. You are not the first one... There is a plastic tube behind the engine that is taking coolant of the engine block. This tube divides in two in its end. This tube broke thats why you heard the water at the back of the engine. It is not expensive to buy, but difficult to get there to replace it!

(sorry for my poor english, i am doing my best!)

[Bluebimma]

Is this a special part that i have to order? Do i need to lower the engine and tranny in order to get to this hose? Your english is fine and i understand.

[grm]

plastic! was there ever a metal replacement? if there is, this would be the first thing i would replace, around my place the red light means nothing to anyone but to me.

[Bluebimma]

Yeah, i hate plastic parts too, but im not the designer...

[andyman7931]

I think the part is # 9 in the drawing here. I'm planning on replacing that when I swap heads in the next couple weeks. I don't like the idea of a brittle plastic part staying there.http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/d/m/0.png

[Bluebimma]

So, is this what you think is messed up?

[316i compact]

this is exactly it, the number 9.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=CG71&mospid=47455&btnr=11_1561&hg=11&fg=15
Our friend got it faster.
Order it and replace it.
You have to remove all the plastics under the windshield to get access.

EDIT : Be carefull to clean the inner diameter of the whole with a "hard paper" and to put the flange the best possible. When i replaced mine at the BMW service the mechanic wasn't very carefull with the flange and it was running coolant again, so he had to take it off and put it on second time.

[Bluebimma]

so i dont need to drop the engine or tranny to get to it right? This may sound dumb, but i really couldnt tell where it was coming from but i know it came from behind the engine.

[Bluebimma]

o yeah, can i get a metal one, or do they only have plastic?

[Bluebimma]

how long does this job take?

[316i compact]

BMW doesn't make mettal ones, only plastic!
It's not easy job to do, cause you can't see it at all!

[Bluebimma]

thanks for all the help, ill check it out later on when i get home...hopefully the pipe came loose or somethin stupid. Im supposed to be driving to cincinnati tomorrow for my grandmothers funeral and really dont have time for car troubles.

[grm]

surley you luck is not that good, plan on not driving that car to cincity unless you have a fast mechanic. lots of luck

[Bluebimma]

I actually do my own work....mechanics are way too expensive and a lot of them (here in toledo) dont know what theyre doin. Theyre about as useful as the people at autozone.

[316i compact]

When you take out the broken tube be carefull not to forget to take out of the pipes the broken rings. They will be in there for sure. It's not an easy job...
No way should you drive your car like this, you'll do huge damage if it overheats

[Bluebimma]

well, i finally got a chance to work on my car. The piece that you said was at fault is a new piece (previous owner) but...when the previous owner replaced it, he mustve reused the hose or something because it looked as though it was severed. anyways, it was a pain in the assets, but i got it done....thanks everybody

[brad]

Thanks for this, guys. At first I thought my leak was coming from the heater core because all I could see was coolant leaking from the bottom of the car where the transmission and engine meet. After taking off the valve cover, I could feel the palstic pipe and noticed one of the hoses had blown off. One of the biggest pain in the ass jobs I've had to do but I guess that makes up for our water pump, tstat, and belts being easy. By the way, how did you guys pull off the tube? With such little space, it's a real beetch.

[Mothman]

Good Luck:
Hope this helps:

08 O-RING 26,5X2,5 1 11511739691 $1.89
09 CONNECTOR 1 11531743679 $7.81
10 HEX BOLT WITH WASHER M6X20-Z1 2 07119915190 $0.22

[mohaughn]

Has anybody had this happen on an m42? Seems like it happens a lot on the m44's but I've not heard of it occuring on to many m42s. I've got the part, just haven't replaced it.. Probably on borrowed time.

[Bluebimma]

Thanks for this, guys. At first I thought my leak was coming from the heater core because all I could see was coolant leaking from the bottom of the car where the transmission and engine meet. After taking off the valve cover, I could feel the palstic pipe and noticed one of the hoses had blown off. One of the biggest pain in the ass jobs I've had to do but I guess that makes up for our water pump, tstat, and belts being easy. By the way, how did you guys pull off the tube? With such little space, it's a real beetch.


The easiest way to get it off, which i didnt do, is to remove the upper half of the intake manifold and the valve cover if you really want to. I was able to reach from under the the car to get it off the head, but it took forever to do. There are only 2 bolts holding it on there, but from reaching from the top, one bolt is kind of difficult to reach. Have patience and dont rush, you dont want to break anything else trying to get this simple job done.

[thesk8nmidget]

Has anybody had this happen on an m42? Seems like it happens a lot on the m44's but I've not heard of it occuring on to many m42s. I've got the part, just haven't replaced it.. Probably on borrowed time.
happened on my m42


The easiest way to get it off, which i didnt do, is to remove the upper half of the intake manifold and the valve cover if you really want to. I was able to reach from under the the car to get it off the head, but it took forever to do. There are only 2 bolts holding it on there, but from reaching from the top, one bolt is kind of difficult to reach. Have patience and dont rush, you dont want to break anything else trying to get this simple job done.

and might try ding it the way you did!

thanks for the past mishap! helped me save some thinking time!

it is a pain to see i just spent an hour looking for where it came from

[cooljess76]

This morning on my way to work, the engine light came on... This is my first bimmer, but I’ve put together and taken apart Hondas before and this is a little bit different. Any help would be appreciated.
Personally, I'd just swap the motor with a non-vanos m50 and turbocharge it. Screw Hondas, especially crx's. I'd look into getting a black on black 318i for my winter beater:biggrin:

[mohaughn]

happened on my m42




and might try ding it the way you did!

thanks for the past mishap! helped me save some thinking time!

it is a pain to see i just spent an hour looking for where it came from


I really don't see how you can replace that pipe on an M42 without removing the lower intake manifold. I could see maybe getting at the bolts to unscrew it, but the connections on the end of the pipe where it goes into the normal style water hoses would be really hard to connect and disconnect. I couldn't even get at the temp sensor towards the rear with the lower manifold attached. The wiring harness as well as the fuel lines coming up into the fuel rail are right in the way. I guess my hands are just to big for that. Where did the pipe break?

[adamud]

I replaced the whole entire cooling system on my M44 without removing the intake manifold.

The m42 only has the piece that is under the intake manifold, correct?
All you have to do is take off the alternator, air box, and the fan behind the radiator and you can get every hose and screw without a problem at all. There is actually a gap in the intake manifold where you can reach an extended socket wrench all the way to the back screw.

Thats how it was on my m44

[mohaughn]

Yeah, just the one pipe that runs below the lower part of the manifold. With the alternator removed I could see it being possible. That would open up a lot of room underneath the manifold. That's actually not that bad of an idea.

I would still probably spend the extra hour or two and just take the manifold off. If nothing else you can clean that side of the engine then.. :) I cleaned my up real nice when I removed the fuel rail and changed the sensors.

[adamud]

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b203/adamud/IMG_1226.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b203/adamud/IMG_1227.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b203/adamud/IMG_1223.jpg

^For visual help. I forgot to take one of the opening in the intake manifold to show the other bolt

[Bluebimma]

Personally, I'd just swap the motor with a non-vanos m50 and turbocharge it. Screw Hondas, especially crx's. I'd look into getting a black on black 318i for my winter beater:biggrin:

Keep your comments to yourself sir.....:crazy:

[cooljess76]

Keep your comments to yourself sir.....:crazy:

Oh... hey there Tony, hows the car coming along:wave:

[Bluebimma]

Oh... hey there Tony, hows the car coming along:wave:

Well, since the accident, ive been forced to get it back on the road by monday, so it should get finished this weekend.