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AlphaVortex · 04-25-2011, 08:35 PM

Hey guys, need some help with my motor. I have been trying for the past few weeks to get my car back on the road after a head gasket failure.

After all the work I've done, the car now starts right up and idles great. I can let it idle or even drive it, but eventually it will start overheating. The warmest it's gotten is to 3/4 on the gauge before I stopped it immediately. This has been only on trips around the block.

I've tried bleeding it at least 4 separate times at this point (using the instructions posted here, which include separate warm up and cool-down cycles on an incline), with and without water wetter. The coolant gets to a certain point, and just stays there.

Work Done So Far

Head Gasket change (this included new gasket, stretch bolts, other gaskets, etc. that go along with this)
- Head taken to a reputable shop. Head was not cracked or warped, but did need a valve job.

New Water Pump and Thermostat (on my third thermostat at this point actually)

All new cooling hoses under the intake (including the plastic piece from the block)

Things to Note

The top coolant hose from the radiator to the thermostat is always hot, but the lower hose is cold. I tried removing the thermostat and running it, but it still wanted to overheat. With the stat out, the lower hose DID get much warmer.

There is NO smoke, and from what I can tell no oil in the coolant, and no coolant in the oil. I have pulled the spark plugs a few times and each time the cylinders were clean.

I did have a stripped water pump bolt that I had to helicoil, and I was not able to tighten it QUITE as tight as the other bolts, but close. No leaking from the water pump.

There is a small amount of coolant coming out of the side of head/block directly above the plastic coolant piece and directly to the side of where one of the head bolts would be... this seems to leak only once the motor has gone to that 3/4 mark... until it gets to that point nothing leaks.

So off the top of your guys' heads... does this seem like a simple air trapping issue? A blockage in the coolant passages? Maybe the radiator? I'm honestly starting to get real stressed that maybe I cracked the block (perhaps I didn't manage to get all the liquid out of the head bolt holes?).

Any thoughts or advice from you guys would be great. I'm getting to the point where I'm about to call it a wash.

04-25-2011, 08:35 PM	#1
AlphaVortex Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Ogden, UT Posts: 45 '02 BMW 325i '95 BMW 318ti Active iTrader: (0) Photo Gallery	M42 overheating after head gasket Hey guys, need some help with my motor. I have been trying for the past few weeks to get my car back on the road after a head gasket failure. After all the work I've done, the car now starts right up and idles great. I can let it idle or even drive it, but eventually it will start overheating. The warmest it's gotten is to 3/4 on the gauge before I stopped it immediately. This has been only on trips around the block. I've tried bleeding it at least 4 separate times at this point (using the instructions posted here, which include separate warm up and cool-down cycles on an incline), with and without water wetter. The coolant gets to a certain point, and just stays there. Work Done So Far Head Gasket change (this included new gasket, stretch bolts, other gaskets, etc. that go along with this) Head taken to a reputable shop. Head was not cracked or warped, but did need a valve job. New Water Pump and Thermostat (on my third thermostat at this point actually) All new cooling hoses under the intake (including the plastic piece from the block) Things to Note The top coolant hose from the radiator to the thermostat is always hot, but the lower hose is cold. I tried removing the thermostat and running it, but it still wanted to overheat. With the stat out, the lower hose DID get much warmer. There is NO smoke, and from what I can tell no oil in the coolant, and no coolant in the oil. I have pulled the spark plugs a few times and each time the cylinders were clean. I did have a stripped water pump bolt that I had to helicoil, and I was not able to tighten it QUITE as tight as the other bolts, but close. No leaking from the water pump. There is a small amount of coolant coming out of the side of head/block directly above the plastic coolant piece and directly to the side of where one of the head bolts would be... this seems to leak only once the motor has gone to that 3/4 mark... until it gets to that point nothing leaks. So off the top of your guys' heads... does this seem like a simple air trapping issue? A blockage in the coolant passages? Maybe the radiator? I'm honestly starting to get real stressed that maybe I cracked the block (perhaps I didn't manage to get all the liquid out of the head bolt holes?). Any thoughts or advice from you guys would be great. I'm getting to the point where I'm about to call it a wash. __________________ 1995 BMW 318ti - Hellrot Red - Active Package - Automatic - Best DD ever!