Heater Probs...New owner.... [Archive]

Severian

10-27-2005, 03:19 PM

Could be a loose cable to the temp dial.
If it's cold at idle and luke warm at speed, that might be the problem. You need to remove the glove box and knee bolster. Reinstall cable and secure with a small screw.
Another possibilty is a faulty bypass valve located on the firewall. I would replace that first since it might be easier.
I found this thread because I had the same problem. The heater was warm at best, but only if you turned on cab air recycle. Without the cab air recycle it wasn't warm at all.
We had it serviced yesterday and they replaced the thermostat (said it was stuck open). The heat works better, no doubt, because now we have somewhat-hot air without cab air recycle turned on, and pretty-hot air with the cab recycle on. However there are two things bugging me:
1) Am I spoiled by every other car I've ever owned? Or are we supposed to feel HOT air coming out of our 318ti vents? My mazda blows damn-hot air, and with the new thermostat the beamer's air isn't as hot as the mazda's.
2) This is a mystery: if I turn the blower selector dial to the place between feet & face, the air turns COLD. The outside air is cold here right now.
Do you think it could be a faulty bypass valve? That is some strange behavior...my thinking is that the air should always be hot regardless of blower dial position, and if I fix that problem the hot air should also be hotter.
Anyone have any ideas?

1996 328ti

10-27-2005, 06:58 PM

It should be fairly hot but never was as warm as my Mazda either.
Could be air in the system.
It's easy enough to check the bypass valve.
Once the t-stat is open and your heat is on both hoses should be warm.

Severian

10-27-2005, 07:24 PM

DustenT

10-27-2005, 07:51 PM

Mine is VERY hot. Just replaced my radiator and flushed my cooling system. Did the collant system bleed procedure as documented in my Bentley manual. It's not kinda warm, it's hot and it's supposed to be.

vwt3

10-27-2005, 09:47 PM

I would say air in system. burp it, worked for me last year now it's hot city!!!!!

vwt3

Severian

10-28-2005, 02:39 PM

I would say air in system. burp it, worked for me last year now it's hot city!!!!!
vwt3
Thanks for the suggestion vwt3...but how do I burp it?
:smile:

Breeze30

10-31-2005, 07:31 PM

Severian, you can burp the radiator by loosening the plastic screw at the top or the radiator next to the fill cap, start the engine and let run. You will loose some coolant so you might want to put something under your car. Let the coolant flow from the hole where the screw is until you only have coolant and no air escaping, then tighten up the screw. easy. My heater was blowing cold this fall, I replaced the bowden cable from the temp dial to the heater box and it fixed mine. Check to see how far the cable is opening the flap at the box, it should open all the way, mine wasn't.

Severian

10-31-2005, 08:13 PM

...My heater was blowing cold this fall, I replaced the bowden cable from the temp dial to the heater box and it fixed mine. Check to see how far the cable is opening the flap at the box, it should open all the way, mine wasn't.
Thanks very much Breeze30.

Do you have a diagram or other online resource that describes the heater box and how I would access it? Is this the same cable mentioned earlier in this thread where the poster said I should remove the glove box and the knee bolster? I will try to find diagrams of these as well, but I wonder if I have the aptitude to perform this procedure, so to speak.

I've changed the oil in her a few times now, and I installed car stereo stuff in another car of mine, but I don't have experience with glove boxes, and I don't know what a knee bolster is. I'm willing to learn though!

Severian

10-31-2005, 08:35 PM

Ah! I found this so far from realoem.com

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=CG73&mospid=47506&btnr=64_0199&hg=64&fg=20

I can see where the bowden cable lies behind the control panel, I suppose the question is whether the other end of that cable properly opens the flap at the heater box, found at the other end?

Breeze30

10-31-2005, 09:17 PM

Correct. You have to take the glove box out of the car, its only 6 screws or so, unhook the glove box light and switch wires. Then take out the knee bolster, its only 4 10mm bolts. Then unhook the heater vent for the passenger side. Then you can see the other end of the cable and the flap it opens.

Severian

10-31-2005, 09:57 PM

Awesome, thanks. I will definitely try this.

vwt3

11-01-2005, 03:29 AM

Hey Severian, sorry I did'nt get back to ya on your how to burp question, wife is in hospital so i been out of the house and away from my laptop. Looks like breeze30 got it covered hope it works out let us know.

vwt3

Severian

11-01-2005, 02:31 PM

Thank you for the reply, vwt3. I hope everything turns out okay with your wife, that's more important!

Severian

12-02-2005, 01:31 AM

I have another update guys. I'm in the midst of attempting this repair. So far I have

* taken off the glove box and the knee bolster
* I see a flap for the FOOT vents, and that seems to be opening & closing fine. I have yet to remove the passenger face vent.
* attempted to bleed the coolant system using the small, black plastic screw next to the coolant cap

Strange...as I stood by my engine and waited for coolant (or air) to come out of that hole that the plastic screw plugged, nothing happened. I waited a good 10 minutes with the engine idling, but no coolant came out. Is this indicative of a problem? I assumed coolant would eventually rise and start pouring out. The temp dial is smack at 50%.

Severian

12-02-2005, 01:57 AM

Nother update, holy **** you guys were right!! I removed the floor vent tube on the passenger side and can see the yellow lever and the bowden cable. It was NOT pulling the lever far enough toward the inside of the cab to fully open the heater...it was mixing hot and cold air. Awesome!!

Now another problem, the little metal clamp came OFF of the yellow lever, so I'm stuck trying to put the clamp back on before I figure out how to make it stay. Looking at the assembly I must think to myself...this is just waiting to happen. Kinda sad, huh? This tiny metal clamp attached to a little plastic lever.

I'll update you if i succeed in attaching it again. Thanks you guys, I never could've done this without you!

Keach

12-02-2005, 02:03 AM

Had the same problem with the dial on my 318ti. Adjusted the cable and now I got heat.

Severian

12-02-2005, 02:10 AM

I found the problem. A piece of yellow plastic at the end of the Bowden cable USED to clip to the heat duct near the lever to hold the cable in place. That piece of yellow plastic broke, so I assume I'll need a new cable. How in god's name will I get to the other end of this cable, I don't need to take the dash apart, will I?? Can I just take out the heat/radio panel??

Oh boy...

The cable is cable A in this picture, and the clip is part B. That clip snapped. Anyone know what I can do to fix this? Do I need the new part I wonder...

hmmm

1996 328ti

12-02-2005, 02:18 AM

I believe the fix is to pop the cable back on and drill a small hole and use a screw it hold it.

Severian

12-02-2005, 02:33 AM

Man...this is disheartening. It's VERY hard to work in that area, and unfortunately it's impossible for me to pop the cable back on because the plastic tab that SHOULD click into place on the duct broke off. Therefore I have a bowden cable that's flapping around and I have nowhere to drill a hole, or reattach it to the duct.

I'm kicking around the idea of drilling a hole, then using very stiff twine to tie the cable back into place. I don't know how I'll drill...I'll need to hand drill a hole or punch it or something.

cali-ti

12-02-2005, 03:04 AM

The cable is cable A in this picture, and the clip is part B. That clip snapped. Anyone know what I can do to fix this? Do I need the new part I wonder...

hmmm
do you have the pic?

I'm kicking around the idea of drilling a hole, then using very stiff twine to tie the cable back into place. I don't know how I'll drill...I'll need to hand drill a hole or punch it or something.
would you be able to get a hand tap in there?

Severian

12-02-2005, 03:24 AM

A great time for the digital camera base to stop functioning. Damn kodak and their stupid proprietary hippy crap.

I'm gonna try to rig something. But thanks so much for your help you guys. OT, but any guesses why "burping" my coolant system didn't lead to coolant coming out that plastic screw?

cali-ti

12-02-2005, 03:53 AM

A great time for the digital camera base to stop functioning. Damn kodak and their stupid proprietary hippy crap.
i was cursing my minolta today too ... i just love the autofocus, especially when it DOESN'T! pos ...
I'm gonna try to rig something. But thanks so much for your help you guys. OT, but any guesses why "burping" my coolant system didn't lead to coolant coming out that plastic screw?
sorry, one of many things i haven't done myself yet. i posted the bentley manual instructions before though, try to find that thread and see what it says.

Severian

12-02-2005, 03:58 AM

Well, mission accomplished, at least 95%. I found a thin metal bracket laying around that I bent 90 degrees, and it traps the metal cable next to the duct, effectively reattaching it to the duct and allowing 95% range of motion for the yellow lever. Unfortunately when the lever comes 95% of the way it hangs up on the screw that I used. If I ever feel the motivation i'll take it all apart and use a flathead screw. I didn't think about it at the time.

Again, you guys rock. Thanks for your support.

andrewsarg101

12-02-2005, 04:09 AM

I have the same problem, but i can't the the freaking floor vent tube off so i can get to the yellow lever. its starting to drive me crazy. any suggestions on how to get that sucker off?

Severian

12-02-2005, 04:48 AM

Make sure the upper opening (the one that connects to the main heater system) is unlatched...I used a flathead screwdriver to get under the lip and pop it loose. Then lift the bottom LEFT end up until it pops loose (the end that routes toward the shifter stick). You may have to work your hand up under the paneling that surrounds the shifter stick, but it's flexible enough to allow your hand to fit under it. Finally, I had to make sure the panel below the glove compartment assembly was loose and flapping around so I had enough clearance to remove the entire tube. The panel I mean is made of card, not composite, and mine had the alarm system box attached to it.

Severian

12-02-2005, 01:00 PM

OT, but any guesses why "burping" my coolant system didn't lead to coolant coming out that plastic screw?
After I revved the engine a bit this functioned as normal; the engine spit out some coolant. Mission accomplished!
:biggrin:

Juni

04-08-2006, 06:30 PM

Does anybody have a pic of how the yellow tab that broke off is supposed to be reattached? I just got my new cable and I have no Idea how to reattache it.

snwbrdrbum10

10-06-2006, 06:42 AM

does anyone have pictures of this cable that is actually in the car? i think mine may be broke, or i need to burp my system. or both..so any pics would be greatly appreciated. Maybe someone needs to do a "knowledge base" page on this. seems like a few of us have had this problem..w/ the bowden cable

Severian

10-06-2006, 04:33 PM

It's not hard to find. Passenger side, remove the panel by the passenger's feet (phillips screws), then remove the knee bolster (bolted on), then remove the tube that leads air down to the passenger's feet (it's towards the center of the car), and once you move that tube you'll see the RED/YELLOW of the bowden cable. It's attached to a plastic YELLOW arm.

snwbrdrbum10

10-06-2006, 05:14 PM

how much coolant did you lose when you burped the system? i have animals and dont want to mess w/ having it all over....

Severian

10-09-2006, 06:19 PM

When I burped it I lost maybe a tablespoon full. Not much at all.

aceyx

10-10-2006, 02:23 AM

Jam a few rags around the bleeder screw and put a tub underneath.

If you spill anything, use kitty litter to absorb the fluid, then wash with soap and water.

wirelessalpha

11-07-2006, 07:58 AM

Hey guys,

Just wanted to say that the info I found on this thread was priceless. I had the same common problem (cable +yellow lever). With all the info I found on this thread, I printed everything out and systematically tried everything first until it came time to take the glove box off.

Again - kudos to you guys.

Severian

11-07-2006, 03:26 PM

Awesome, I love to hear success stories. And doesn't that heat feel good.
:)

wirelessalpha

11-08-2006, 02:19 AM

Good? sheeeeeeeet. Good is not the word. My balls sweat more now than those nights when I need my "medicine" (men - speak up!) from the wife. I absolutely love it.

DOh! too much information....

Funny side note: My 240 drift car is my summer car, and it has no AC. My 318 is my winter/daily driver and it has no heat (until now). Go figure....

ssprint

11-12-2006, 09:28 PM

i have the same heater problem and i still can fix it. is this the right cable,the red cable with the yellow end on it?
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/500/medium/bmw_002.jpg

wirelessalpha

11-12-2006, 09:34 PM

remove that airbox and you will see a yellow lever - with a cable attached to it. My level was "popped" out of the niche which made it swing free...hence, no use when using the heater knob.

The cable goes from the yellow lever to the heater knob - remove your stereo, unscrew the two top screws in the din, and pull the center console out a bit. You can see how the cable is attached to the knob, via metal, spiral loop. It might be a good idea while you at it, to put some putty on that spiral loop. Mine kept sliding off - so that was another problem I took care of.

ssprint

11-12-2006, 10:37 PM

i was able to see the cable and the knob. it seem fine to me. i tested it a couple of times and it goes back and forth but i still don't have the proper heat just warm air. i check my coolant and my temp gauge seems to be normal. i don't know what to check next. any suggestions?

wirelessalpha

11-16-2006, 06:19 AM

wait - and I promise I don't mean to sound like a dick:

Are you sure you tried pulling it back all the way? The lever....

See, I thought the same thing too - then I gave the lever a bit more oomph, and realized that it could go back a bit farther. It seems like it naturally notches somewhere near when its pulled all the way up/left....then just give it some more push and it goes farther.

See - thats also if that yellow clip thing is hanging loose and not in the slot its supposed to be in (which was my original problem). If the yellow clip is in the slot, then....it should move back freely...without the notch feeling.

bucksworld

01-04-2007, 04:48 PM

I am going to take on this job today. i have ordered the bypass valve. But for :cool: now I want to open the clove box and check out this cable.

1996 328ti

01-04-2007, 07:50 PM

I am going to take on this job today. i have ordered the bypass valve. But for :cool: now I want to open the clove box and check out this cable.
It may not be the valve. With the heat on both hoses should be warm.
If only one hose is warm, then there is a good chance it's the valve.

bucksworld

01-04-2007, 08:42 PM

It may not be the valve. With the heat on both hoses should be warm.
If only one hose is warm, then there is a good chance it's the valve.

Yea.....My friend came over and went ahead puting the new heater bypass valve on. This seems to be are problem. We got plenty of sut in the radiator water now and have to continue bleeding it or burping it. I don't know when the last time this heater core had any water in it(5 years my guess). My friend says not to flush the core. Is he right? This may bring on a leake in the core by flushing it. I am just happy to have heat. I still have the glove box out. I don't think this is are problem? any more idea's?
Thanks

magman

02-07-2007, 02:06 AM

Hi, I just read your problem and my 97 318ti has the same issue. id you get yours fixed? can you explain what you did? I need some serious heat in mine. Thank you

magman

02-07-2007, 02:34 AM

Hi, I just read your text and I have the same problem did you get yours fixed?

magman

02-07-2007, 02:40 AM

Do you have the part number on this bypass valve?

rhombus

03-17-2007, 09:58 PM

wirelessalpha

03-18-2007, 02:15 AM

Hey Rhombus - I got your PM as well. Here is what I did:

1. For me, my first test was to just turn my heat knob and realized that there wasn't any feeling of "tension" or a click. This is a dead giveaway that something was loose, or no longer attached.

2. I proceeded to remove my glovebox. First open the door and do your best to bend the plastic "hinges" out of its slot, so that the glovebox door opens wider.

3. Some of the screws are obvious, some are below the glove box, and 1 is to the side (open passenger door).

4. slowly remove the box - and slowly detach the wire that is clipped onto the lens for glovebox light.

5. Now, do you see that odd looking, oval bar? Get yourself a ratchet, look underneath the bar and start to remove it.

6. See the black, plastic tube structure that is to the left (look down, then left). Remove that too (note: This was a bitch..and I promise you that it won't go back to the shape it was perfectly when you are done "popping" this out).

7. Now look in same area - vola. See that yellow, plastic lever? In my case, it was out of its slot. There is a tab attached...and you can pop it back in th slot. For safety measure...after I was done...I screwed in a screw so that it can't ever leave that slot again.

(note: The next steps you only need to do if the cable is not attached to the knob anymore.)

8. Removed my head unit - inside the box area, upper left and upper right...and screws. Remove those.

9. Slowly bend that sucker back - make sure you dont break off the bottom clips near the bottom dip on the center console. (that little wedge area).

10. Popped out the clock, popped out the buttons.

11. Took some long nose tweezers...found the other end of that cable from the previous description...and using the already formed loop (there is a metal loop at the end of the cable...the red cable), I put it back on the back end of the temp control knob.

12. Got some jb weld and plastered as much as I could so that the loop won't ever come off again. Waited about 15 minutes before I put everything back together.

HEAT.

rhombus

03-19-2007, 01:47 AM

Wow, thanks for that detailed writeup, wirelessalpha. About how long did it take you to do the whole job?

German Luger

03-19-2007, 07:32 AM

I had no heat a few days ago also. I had air in the system and now it works fine

rhombus

03-20-2007, 02:18 AM

Uh oh. I just tried burping my system and now I need help!

http://318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14960

The heat does seem to work a bit better though.

hridge06

04-10-2007, 04:47 PM

I'm a new member and would like to thank everone for the heater repair. I puchased a '95ti last week and my yellow clip was disconnected. Fixed it with no problem. Thanks for the advice.

rhombus

09-23-2007, 07:44 PM

Severian

10-02-2007, 02:42 PM

For my money I dread the day when I might have to do this myself...sorry I can't offer any help with it.

cope

11-29-2007, 01:20 PM

Thanks for the info. I have a new Bowden Cable on order. This forum saved me a bundle.
Best,
John Paul

vjmvjmvjm

11-04-2008, 09:20 PM

Thanks everyone for the write-up. Some observations follow:

1. The end of the cable is attached via a screw to the adjacent dash / HVAC assembly. Through fatigue or through turning the HVAC control to hot beyond the stop (or both), the plastic connection on the end of the cable breaks off.

2. After I discovered this to be the case, I wondered how I would reattach the cable sheathing to the dash / HVAC assembly. Note that the sheathing on the end of the cable (bright yellow) has two diameters. It is necessary to restrain the sheathing from moving toward the front of the car when the knob is turned toward hot.

3. A P-Clamp works fine as a solution. See the attached graphic. These plastic clamps are used to attach coax and electrical cables. Find a P-Clamp that fits the smaller diameter end of the sheathing, but is smaller than the larger diameter portion. Place the P-Clamp over the small end of the sheathing, and reuse the screw from the original attachment.

YMMV. OAC.

Vic

jmoti

11-10-2008, 05:16 PM

Thanks to everyone who's posted on this thread, but I have a particularly elusive heater problem that I'd love some input on. My heater generally blows cold, though occasionally (generally when parked) it will blow lukewarm. I checked the Bowden cable, and it seems fine - it moves the flap and doesn't appear broken. I checked the heater valve by feeling both input and output hoses, and that seems fine (both are hot). I think the thermostat's ok, as my water temp is rock solid at the middle. I'm stumped - any other ideas? Thank you!

trickiekid

11-10-2008, 08:09 PM

Wow, the first post was 7 years ago. How is your coolant level? If its low it won't blow hot. Also, Make sure that you bled the system properly

jmoti

11-10-2008, 09:56 PM

Thanks for the suggestion - I forgot to mention that my coolent level's fine, and I also tried burping the system as described in this thread. And yeah, it seems that this problem keeps cropping up over the years, in some form or the next... :-)

vjmvjmvjm

11-11-2008, 11:45 PM

I checked the Bowden cable, and it seems fine - it moves the flap and doesn't appear broken.

How far does the cable move the flap? When you turn the dial toward hot, the cable should completely close the opening toward the front of the car. If it doesn't close completely, then fresh (cold) air gets mixed in. When you're not moving, less cold air comes in so the mixture gets warmer.

Is the end of the cable sheathing still attached to the panel behind it, or is the end loose? The end of the sheathing closest to the flap should be solidly attached to the panel behind it.

Vic

jmoti

11-12-2008, 12:18 AM

Hi Vic,
Thanks for your reply. To be honest, when I had it apart I couldn't actually see a flap (maybe I didn't take it far enough apart?) I took off the glovebox, knee brace, and plastic duct, and I could see the cable mounted to the side of what I assumed was the heater box. It moved fore and aft continuously when I twisted the knob, so I assumed it was ok. I'll take it apart again and take a closer look - maybe that's the problem after all. Thanks again!
justin

jmoti

11-12-2008, 12:43 AM

UPDATE: Vic, you are absolutely right! Turns out the little yellow plastic cable guide had separated from the heater box, and I just hadn't noticed it before. That was wedging against the yellow lever and stopping the flap from opening the whole way. Thank you!!

redhottaudrey

11-25-2008, 09:07 PM

And another one... My heat is blowing luke warm too. The coolant level is full. The guy at AutoZone said it may be the thermostat but my engine temp goes to the middle when hot... so can it still be the thermostat that's causing the problem? I'm really hoping I don't have to go through all these other steps but thanks for all the info guys!

I checked some things and both hoses going into the firewall are hot. And I can here the click when switching the lever to hot/cold.

b.u.ti-ful

11-25-2008, 09:53 PM

How much air can you feel blowing?

Have you tried it on recirculate?

I just changed my cabin air filters and they were so clogged up that no fresh air could flow into the car.

redhottaudrey

11-25-2008, 10:05 PM

Plenty of air is coming through.

It does seem to be warmer when it's on recirculate.

Probably a good idea to change the filters regardless.. But I'm an idiot when it comes to car stuff so is there a forum on how to do this?

b.u.ti-ful

11-25-2008, 10:10 PM

It is unbelievably difficult on our cars.

http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7836&highlight=micro+filter

jmoti

11-26-2008, 03:13 PM

Ok, having just received sage advice here, let me try to distribute some of my own. First, if your temp gauge is solidly in the center, it's *probably* not your thermostat. Bentley manual suggests that you can test this by feeling if the top hose of your radiator is hot - if so, the thermostat is working, allowing water to flow through the radiator. Not the best test, but it is one indicator.

Secondly, I'd check your heater bypass valve. It's tough to see - you can see pictures of what it looks like at http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Valve-Cleaning/E36-Valve-Cleaning.htm . When the engine is warm and the heater going, both input and output hoses should be hot. If that's the case (as it was in my car), you know the problem is further downstream - most likely the cable that goes from your rotary heat control to the flap on the heater box. Some kind folks have provided step-by-step directions to get to this earlier in the thread, so I'd print them out and start pulling apart your dash. If you dont' feel comfortable, maybe point your mechanic in this direction - it's not the first place they would look (as Autozone showed), but it is the most likely in our cars. Good luck!

redhottaudrey

11-26-2008, 05:52 PM

Thanks Guys! I'm heading to the mechanic in a bit & I'll be making sure he does it right. Both hoses are hot so it must be the Bowdon cable & the flap. I wanted to start taking it apart myself but maybe next time.

znine

12-29-2008, 01:57 AM

Thanks guys! I've been freezing my ass off all winter thanks to this cable.

Someone had already drilled and screwed my yellow clip but it snapped off. I reattached it with a homemade P Clip but it's not perfect. Does anyone know the part number for the cable? My lever moves through it's full range of motion but the knob for some reason does not.

Throttlechop

12-29-2008, 02:57 AM

Just fixed mine today. Thank you to this site for making this thread.

My car no heater problems fixes:

1) Burped radiator, yes, air inside.

2) Tore apart glovebox/kick/and also removed stereo panel with HVAC dials.

3) RED CABLE =

a) Was disconnected at knob (dial). Could access easy thru stereo hole. At the end of the cable is a small coiled section of the cable. Had to "pinch" down the coil to let it fit snug on the dial "knub" that it slides onto. In standard coil, it would just fall off, as "knub" was worn smaller.

b) After messing with dial-end of the cable, I went after the other end (yellow lever). It was un-clipped fron the plenum box. Re-clipped, drilled a .025" hole right thru the yellow sheath clip, and threaded a PK screw right thru the yellow clip and the plenum box. Good.

c) Re-attached the metal lever/cable clip to the yellow plenum arm. Cycled 50 or so times, no problems.

Now = HEAT!!! Thank you!!!

It was a very easy job, the hardest part is removing the 3 legged floor diffuser duct, which is a pain. Everything else was very simple.

You should stick a self tapping screw into the yellow sheath stop no matter what when you are in there.

PHL

01-05-2009, 12:59 AM

Any hints on getting the 3 legged floor diffuser duct back in? The back end of the next to the bowden cable gets caught on the lip of the air duct and I can not pull the diffuser duct any lower. Do I have to remove the entire dash?

redhottaudrey

01-10-2009, 09:58 PM

PHL, good luck with that. It took forever to get it back in place but I didn't have to remove the dash.

For anyone else that's having problems with the yellow tab: I fixed mine by securing the cable in place with thin wire.

Sorry, the pic is fuzzy but hopefully that will help.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l207/audrey_smith1/DSCN1313.jpg

PHL

01-12-2009, 07:23 AM

Thanks, I did eventually get that air duct back in without removing the dash. Make sure you check your vent control knob before buttoning everything up. I didn't and could only turn the knob 180 degrees. But the heat must have softened up the plastic and the offending edge popped back into its rightful place.

Check my album for the heater fix photos.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a7/kapitalismus/P1000018.jpg

budget76

01-14-2009, 12:06 AM

I'm another posting up that the cable was disconnected. Drove up to northern VT , 8hr trip, with ZERO heat. The windows froze over INSIDE the car. NOW I HAVE HEAT AGAIN!!! THANKS GUYS.

I had planned on pulling and flushing the heater core/valves. Can't believe it was something this simple

briansol

01-26-2009, 12:19 AM

just did this...

my switch/cable is functioning fine unfortunately :(

car gets to near 12 oclock on the thermo when parked and heat is 'warm' but not hot... but once moving, it drops to 10oclock and the heat goes with it from warm to luke warm.

i topped off the coolant (was about a cup low) and bled it out... no difference.

as for the plastic hose- what a PITA. spent nearly an hour trying to get that back on. It worked best to get on when the selector was straight down (feet/vent blend).

budget76

01-26-2009, 01:20 AM

Hmm, sorry to hear it wasn't the easy cable. Next step I'd take is throwing a new thermostat in.

As for the hose, am I the only one that had NO problem getting it back in? It took me literally 30 seconds. I just popped it right back. Can't be too gentile, it's not a fragile piece

Criswell

01-26-2009, 07:20 PM

I just bled my cooling system, b/c im having basically the same issue. "barely warm at idle, fairly warm at cruising speeds."

Bleeding mine seemed to help, but i still want to take apart my dash to check things out in there.

I removed all the screws in the glove box, save for the bottom left corner. I couldnt get at it with a screwdriver.

I wasnt sure if i pressed down on the back side of the plastic "archs" (that keep the lid from dropping flat against the knee bolster) if it would allow me to flip the glove box lid all the way down so it would all be easy to get at or not. I tried a little bit, but i didnt want to get to forceful and end up breaking soemthing by doing soemthing i should have (maybe) never tried in the first place.

So, my question is, is that the correct way to do it or not ?

(pressing down on plastic arch's to get the lid to come out of its "fixed" open position and flip it down the rest of the way.)

Also, what are all the plastic "buttons" for. Theres one between the door and the far right of the dash, and theres 2 on the bottom side. 1 is right by the screw in the lower left corner, and theres another on the right side opposite the left one.

budget76

01-26-2009, 07:33 PM

cris, maybe try a stubby screwdriver? I was able to get at the bottom screws with one.

Also, those plugs sound like where I have screws? It sounds like that's just how the dash is held on. Good luck

briansol

01-26-2009, 07:58 PM

go in by the radio on an angle.
/
i guess :)

its the eaiest way to get that screw out.

the buttons are just cosmetic screw caps to hide the screws.

briansol

01-26-2009, 08:11 PM

go in by the radio on an angle.
/
i guess :)

its the eaiest way to get that screw out.

the buttons are just cosmetic screw caps to hide the screws.

Will'sBimmer

02-15-2009, 10:48 PM

Just fixed mine for good. I had gone back there twice before and just put the clip back in. But after a few turns it just keeps popping back out. So I went in there today for the third or fourth time to fix this thing for good. So I tried to drill a hole first but the drill bit couldn't reach. I tried to drill a screw in by hand but it broke part of the yellow clip. So with the clip in place I zip-tied the cable to the same metal bracket that redhotaudrey used. Worked the cable back and forth about 40 times and the clip never did come out of place. So problem solved and hopefully I will never have to go back there again. Going to sit back in the car today and enjoy the warmth.

Criswell

02-15-2009, 11:44 PM

go in by the radio on an angle.
/
i guess :)

its the eaiest way to get that screw out.

the buttons are just cosmetic screw caps to hide the screws.

I forgot to repost my update. All I needed a screwdriver with a longer shank, then i was fine. My handle kept bumping it when i tried it before. I still havnt had a chance to pull the box off, but i pulled out the glove box and reinforcement bar as a trial run to see what it was all about (did that when i installed my alpine deck, to run the ipod cable ... )

XxKEITHxX

02-18-2009, 07:52 AM

Good thing I searched this thread!!! I had the same problem! That silver clip came off, probably when i got the aux cables for my deck. Well took me like 30 mins to fix it. THanks to all the people that contributed to this thread!!

DLag

11-13-2009, 06:59 AM

YES!!I finally got heat in my car!! thanks for info guys!

DGWGuitars

12-11-2009, 12:19 AM

I'd like to add my thanks to all who have posted the fixes on this thread. My mechanic was reluctant to believe that you guys knew you asses from a hole in the ground, but he's the one who's eating his words now. Mine was a broken lever, so he did the epoxy the cable to the broken lever solution. A working heater is a meaningful thing.

6speed ti

01-23-2010, 11:24 PM

Assuming everything else is working here is a quick way to check the heater valve located at the firewall. You need two people to do this unless you have really long arms. With the key in the ignition ON position Engine NOT running move the temp selector to full cold and then cycle it just slightly off the full cold position. You will feel a slight detente and while you move the temp selector back and forth the heat valve solenoid will make a clicking noise. This is the valve closing in full cold and opening when out of full cold. Now here is the kicker, even though the solenoid is clicking it does not necessarily mean that the valve is opening. What happened to me was the plunger inside the valve broke so the plunger never opened but the solenoid was still functioning correctly. One way to confirm this is to run the car until it gets hot and select full hot and see if both hoses are hot. If one is cool and you have full hot selected and the solenoid is clicking then replace the valve. The heat valve is energized in the FULL COLD position. So if you have the A/C running or full cold selected most of the time the valve will fail sooner then expected. Living in Florida I always have the Full Cold position. What I have done now is I keep the temp selector just slightly off the full cold position so the valve is not energized.

arcteryx

02-07-2011, 12:11 AM

I checked my bowden cable. I dont think it's broke. When I move the control from defrost to vent, the white plast piece with the spring doesnt move. From vent to floor it moves to the right. And from floor to defrost it moves back left. The yellow piece never moves. Any ideas?

I do know that at times, the temp control gauge has been hard to turn for about a 1/2 turn at times.

Neu Inglind

05-06-2011, 01:57 PM

Wow. This thread is really helpful.

I have a heater temp control knob that does sweep w/ resistance, yet little to no heat blowing.

I'm thinking that 1) most - likely the heater valve is not functioning or 2) less likely - there is air -or- a clog in the core somewhere.

I'm going to try first with the heater valve cleaning:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Valve-Cleaning/E36-Valve-Cleaning.htm

Has anyone done this with good results?

cavogel

11-26-2011, 08:20 PM

My car won't blow any air at all, and the temp gauge stays at coool for most of the time. Any ideas?

1996 328ti

11-26-2011, 09:21 PM

My car won't blow any air at all, and the temp gauge stays at coool for most of the time. Any ideas?I already mentioned 3 possibilities. :rolleyes:
First bleed (http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27983) the air out of the cooling system.

cooljess76

11-26-2011, 09:32 PM

My car won't blow any air at all, and the temp gauge stays at coool for most of the time. Any ideas?

If it won't blow any air, the blower motor likely needs to be replaced or at least looked at. If it only blew cold/cool/warm air, your cooling system would likely need bled. If the temp gauge doesn't reach and remain at the 12 o'clock position, your thermostat likely is stuck open. If you replace the thermostat, you might as well replace the water pump since you're going to be opening the coolant loop and the system will NEED to be PROPERLY bled which is a somewhat painstaking process for some.

I'll warn you of two issues that you'll probably run into. First, the water pump will likely break into pieces upon removal. There's two threaded extraction holes on the water pump housing. These holes are pretty much worthless. The idea is that you're supposed to thread bolts into them evenly until they contact the timing case and push the water pump outward. This never works. Usually the water pump housing cracks and you end up scratching your head. The reason the water pump gets stuck is because of the duration it's installed, hundreds of heat cycles and the fact that there's a big fat o-ring holding it in.

The best way to remove a water pump is first, remove the belt. Then remove the pulley. Then remove the mounting bolts. DO NOT PRY OR HAMMER on anything. Doing so can result in a damaged timing cover and your life will become hell. Instead, use a big ass pair of channel lock pliers. Grip the water pump housing firmly. Rotate it side to side while slowly pulling it forward. When it gets close to coming out, use caution as to not let it suddenly give and slam into the radiator.

You can find any part number you'll ever need on realoem.com. getbmwparts.com and pelicanparts.com are the best places to purchase Genuine BMW parts. After you've replaced the thermostat and water pump, it's absolutely critical that you PROPERLY bleed the cooling system of air. Failure to do this will result in air in the system causing vapor-lock. Follow these steps precisely to the letter:

http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27983

NEVER allow the engine to overheat. EVER! Not even for a second. If you notice the temp needle above 12 o'clock, Shut the engine off IMMEDIATELY. Failure to do so can result in a blown head gasket or at least a significantly weakened head gasket. Shops generally charge between $1000-2000 to replace a head gasket depending on damage to the head. When a head gasket goes, it usually warps the head and in some cases it may even crack the head. Just make sure you properly bleed the cooling system. Never mix coolants. It's recommended to use BMW coolant, but if you don't know what coolant is in your car, then it's probably best to drain it and start fresh. Always keep an eye on your temperature gauge. Best wishes.

Zolf

12-20-2011, 10:25 AM

So has anyone here actually replaced the whole bowden cable? I think I need to replace mine, but I'm not sure how I can actually do that. I've removed the glove box, lower dash on the driver sside, have the radio out and also the center console around the shift knob, and I don't think I can I can access the area where the cable attaches to the knob.

Hi guys,

Had the same problem. Heat was warm-ish but not toasty. Winters are brutal in Canada.

Thought I could start by first checking for a broken bowden cable then bleed, replace heater valve and what not. Indeed, it was the Bowden cable. God bless you all. This thread saved me time and money. Thank you for sharing.

You can fix it with a thin wire or any of the other DIY suggestions. However, it's easier to just go down to the dealer and buy a new one. In Canada it will cost you $10.99 (Toronto dealership). After taxes etc it comes to ~14 bucks - shipped from Germany. Took about 8 days to get to Toronto.

Just be careful about the part number. You want the Bowden Cable Temperature Control as per RealOEM.com. Part number: 64228367779

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=CG83&mospid=47506&btnr=64_0199&hg=64&fg=20 (third from bottom)

First time around they sent the wrong one so I had to wait another 8 days. Thought I could save someone time and hopefully also contribute a little.

Pictures of broken Bowden cable:

http://i42.tinypic.com/15x4b6f.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/148hmrk.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/259d4xc.jpg

The radio/knob panel I put up just for size comparison. It took me around an hour to get it done. I went in through the radio. It's more difficult trying to reach in from the glove compartment.

Cheers guys

volgapower

12-24-2011, 07:32 PM

i wonder wether Ti-s have any cabin filters near glovebox or elsewhere?
i changed the cabin filter on my subaru forester and the heater became much hotter
might be same issue on my compact )))

cooljess76

12-24-2011, 08:23 PM

i wonder wether Ti-s have any cabin filters near glovebox or elsewhere?
i changed the cabin filter on my subaru forester and the heater became much hotter
might be same issue on my compact )))

Yes, they're accessed through the engine compartment towards the top of the firewall.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa282/schwarz318ti/CIMG3495.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa282/schwarz318ti/CIMG3489.jpg

volgapower

12-24-2011, 08:31 PM

thank you cooljess
this means no filters under the glovebox?

1996 328ti

12-24-2011, 10:56 PM

thank you cooljess
this means no filters under the glovebox?

Correct.

volgapower

12-25-2011, 08:51 PM

today i cleaned the filters with air pressure
the incoming air stream became hot (seems no air was not passing through)
tomorrow im going to buy new filters )))

E36/doode

12-26-2011, 12:45 AM

Maybe start with installing a new thermostat/pressure test (for any coolant leaks)/coolant flush, cheap and easy to do (or get done). If that doesn't help, then start diagnosing and go from there.

jca

12-26-2011, 02:05 AM

I would get an Bentley manual for the e-36 and get started. If you can install an radio, you can pull a glove box, etc. You'll learn a bunch about your car and improve your mechanical skills at the same time. Good luck!

volgapower

12-26-2011, 10:18 PM

today changed the filters and air stream rised
and incoming air temperature became irrisistably hot even on 1st speed!!!
try all )))

KSKarl

12-26-2011, 11:03 PM

Knee bolster is the pad the passenger's knee hits just below the glovebox. If I remember correctly, it's held in by the outer two glovebox screws and a couple other screws on the bottom.

cooljess76

12-26-2011, 11:33 PM

Knee bolster is the pad the passenger's knee hits just below the glovebox. If I remember correctly, it's held in by the outer two glovebox screws and a couple other screws on the bottom.wtf:confused:

6speed ti

12-27-2011, 04:37 AM

Yes, they're accessed through the engine compartment towards the top of the firewall.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa282/schwarz318ti/CIMG3495.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa282/schwarz318ti/CIMG3489.jpg

Do I have to remove the engine and transmission to replace the filters?:rolleyes:

cooljess76

12-27-2011, 05:29 AM

Do I have to remove the engine and transmission to replace the filters?:rolleyes:

Lol no, just the windshield and dashboard:biggrin:

volgapower

12-27-2011, 08:15 AM

just remove the firewall cover
a pair of screws and 3 bolts 7mm

volgapower

12-27-2011, 08:16 AM

just remove the firewall cover
a pair of screws and 3 bolts 7mm

dave45056

12-27-2011, 04:24 PM

For anyone reading this later... check out this link for cabin filters:
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7836 (http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7836&highlight=filter)

Vazquezp

12-29-2011, 07:04 PM

how did you manage to get the stereo/HVAC panel off... im trying to replace my bowden cable..

Zolf

12-29-2011, 09:36 PM

Remove the 3 control knobs and you will see two screws. The panel sort of "clicks" into place. At least mine did...

volgapower

12-29-2011, 10:16 PM

just 2 screws and clicks? is that all to remove the panel? i have to change small bulbs there

cooljess76

12-29-2011, 10:52 PM

Remove the 3 control knobs and you will see two screws. The panel sort of "clicks" into place. At least mine did...

just 2 screws and clicks? is that all to remove the panel? i have to change small bulbs there

No there's more than that. There's a screw up under the top of the radio opening and another one up under the top of the clock opening. There's also tabs on the backside that hook into the dash, so you have to pull down and out. Be careful not to break those tabs off, otherwise the panel will never secure properly.

If you're just replacing the light behind the panel, you can access it by simply removing the radio(no need to remove the HVAC panel). I took pics a while ago for another member, let me see if I can find them.

Edit; Here's the pics. There's only one bulb behind the panel: