Dead TI..

[Bluebimma]

Originally Posted by jflip2002

The water p umping out of my radiator, when I tried starting it with the cap off isnt a good sign though.

Im sorry, i dont quite understand what youre saying here. When you bled the system, did you turn the car to the on position (position before starting it), run the heater at full blast, and refill the system until all the bubbles stopped coming out (at least wait about 2 minutes to make sure)? Do you know if both (upper and lower) radiator hoses were hot, or if there seemed to be excess pressure on either hose? Have you checked the o-rings on the radiator cap to see if theyre damaged or not?<<<may not make a big big difference/impact on your situation.

How exactly do you know you blew the headgasket? Fluids in different places, in the oil, etc.?

[jflip2002]

The upper hose blew off, which is what caused me to start to lose fluid, which caused the overheating. The lower hose was cold. Im imagining it may be a head gasket because it has a little bit of a fuel smell, and when I took the cap off and tried to turn it on, water started pumping about 6" out of the top of the radiator.

As for bleeding it, I just let it sit til it got cooler, I put water in the radiator, and turned the bleeder screw, and let it run until no steam was coming out. I topped it off after that. that was the first time I "fixed" it, until it got hot again.

The second time, I just let it totally cool, and I topped off the fluids.

[Bluebimma]

Sounds like what happened to me...but my hose didnt explode or blow off the radiator. Mine was a closed thermostat, but you said yours was brand new, right? Maybe you need a new radiator if its leaking and/or a temp sensor because if you were just cruising, the bottom hose was cold, and the top blew up, then it seems that the system isnt allowing the coolant to circulate when it needs to. An air pocket in the system can also cause the temp sensor to not respond properly too.

You didnt "run" the car while filling the system did you? Did you use only water or the proper mix with antifreeze? Was your fan on when it got hot, if not, when you filled it back up, did it turn on? If this is your case, then the thermostat is stuck closed because theres nothing going to the sensor.

Hope this makes sense.

[jflip2002]

I let the car cool, I turned it on, let it run, while putting in the 50/50 mixture. Ive always known to fill it while running if its warm so you dont crack the block. And come to think of it, my aux. fan wasnt on. I dont know if our fans come with only he aux. fan, and not the one connected to pulleys, but thats the only fan I have I believe.

Either way, this is all what could have caused my problem. Now I gotta find out what the problem now is, and hope its not a head gasket.

[Bluebimma]

The aux fan and the radiator fan are both electric fans, no pulleys. The aux fan is on the outside of the condenser and the radiator fan is on the inside facing the motor. Anyways, hopefully its not the head gasket though. Have you been able to check the oil yet?

[pdxmotorhead]

Quick tip, when changing coolant.
Add water wetter , below 40 or some equivalent, it helps break surface tension in the coolant which helps purge air.
For me the actual cooling results are secondary to the feature of avoiding trapped air.

Dave

[jflip2002]

I dont know whats wrong with the car yet, but I went to BMW of Santa Maria, and I will be getting an 01 330i this week I believe. Assuming my credit checks out, hopefully I dont gotta get a cosigner. If I can talk a friend into doing the work for cheap for me, I may just sell some jordans and some reef lighting, and even keep the TI. So I dont gotta drive the 330(again hoping and assuming I get it).

[Bluebimma]

Good luck on whatever happens, whether you get a new car or fix the ti...dont forget to keep us updated.

[jflip2002]

Hopefully itll be both. Its looking like the head gasket =\ . That should be about $300-$500 to fix, depending on what he wants to carge me, and how bad he needs money lol.

[pnosker]

You can change the head gasket pretty easily yourself as long as you keep it clean and carefully bolt everything back together. If you're looking at selling anything off the car, I might be interested.

[jflip2002]

The car wont be parted. Its not wrecked or anything, so I dont see that being an option. If I get the 330, I can probably have the TI towed to my uncles and we can just kinda bang it out on the weekends and get 'er done for free, besides the $40 or so for a head gasket.

[Bluebimma]

Well, that sucks about the whole head gasket...so youre for sure getting the 330 now?

[HuGo]

Go for the 330CI Convertible.

[jflip2002]

Or not. Convertibles are for women. Its between a 330i or a 323ci. I like the CI because its 2 door, but I like the 300i also because it seems nicer and cleaner.

[Bluebimma]

Definately stay away from the convertible.