» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM 05-02-2024 08:18 PM 6 Replies, 329,040 Views | | | | | | 11-01-2009, 04:00 AM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Francisco Posts: 29 | Help: water leak! I drove my new '96 318ti today, parked it, and later when I walked by I noticed it dripping water from the bottom rear of the front bumper. It was getting dark, so I can't see exactly what's leaking. And, of course, this has to happen on a Saturday night, and Monday morning I'm moving...! I know from reading here and elsewhere how important it is to not let the engine overheat, so I guess my question is this: would it be safe to just top it off with distilled water, so that I can drive it to the shop (less than a mile away)? Or does it have to be mixed 50/50 with coolant, even on a short-term/emergency basis? I don't even know what sort of coolant it uses, having just gotten the car and not yet found an owner's manual. Any advice? | | | 11-01-2009, 05:09 AM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: 43609 Posts: 3,425 | Stick your finger in the puddle and make sure its actually coolant. Other than that, its one of eight different spots. Either side of the main coolant hoses to the radiator, the line to the heatercore/main hose, waterpump, or thermostat housing. You can top if off with water, youll be fine. __________________ 1995 Hellrot Clubsport 318ti -Gone 1996 Schwartz II Sport 357ti - 5.7L V8 LS1/6 1997 Moregrun Metallic 318ti - Gone 1998 Schwartz II sport 318ti - M50TUB25/5 | | | 11-07-2009, 05:37 AM | #3 | Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Francisco Posts: 29 | New radiator Turned out to be an unrepairable leak in the radiator. I now have a new one and $540 fewer dollars.... | | | 11-07-2009, 01:40 PM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gulfport, Florida Posts: 3,208 | Quote: Originally Posted by PapayaSF Turned out to be an unrepairable leak in the radiator. I now have a new one and $540 fewer dollars.... | Dude you got boned with no KY. I just got a new radiator for $140 shipped to my house off ebay. Perfect fitment. Sorry to bring you the bad news | | | 11-07-2009, 01:46 PM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Manassas, VA Posts: 4,129 | +1... Quote: Originally Posted by xxxJohnBoyxxx Dude you got boned with no KY. I just got a new radiator for $140 shipped to my house off ebay. Perfect fitment. Sorry to bring you the bad news | __________________ 1998 (July) 318ti, 5-spd OEM Armrest Blaupunkt Heidelberg CD50 CD Player/Compact Drive MP3 Player Diamond Audio 5.25" rear speakers Navman ICN 530 GPS BMWALARM.COM (with comfort settings) after market alarm system Magnecor 8.5mm wires M-Z3 Shifter/Momo Knob Burlwood Dashboard Stromung Exhaust X-brace Racing Dynamics Front Strut Bar Carbonio C.A.I. 17" Rial Rims Vader Seats/Heated/Lumbar Support M-tech Steering Wheel/Front Sway Bar/Front & Rear Bumper Depos/w 6500K Angel Eyes/6000K HIDs Clear Corners M3 Mirrors UUC Light Weight Flywheel/M5 Clutch/M3 Clutch Slave E28 3.46 LSD/Mcoupe Cover/E30 Flanges & Halfshafts UUC S.S. Brake/Clutch Lines Hartge Roof Spoiler BavAuto Springs Bilstein Sport Struts/Shocks E46 M3 Rear Shock Mounts SPC Front Camber Kit Reiger Hatch Spoiler BavAuto Rear Camber Kit Dinan Stage II Software Turner Rear Sway Bar Reinforcements BMW E46 Auto dimming mirror with Clown Nose alarm Engine Compartment Light Heated Wiper Fluid Retrofit OEM Fire Extinguisher Da'lan Trailer Hitch Rear Sun Shade OEM Fog Light Retrofit H & R MZ3 Rear Sway Bar/ UUC Adjustable End Links Cruise Control Retrofit On Board Computer Retrofit M3 twistie style side skirts Carbon Fiber Hood | | | 11-07-2009, 06:47 PM | #6 | Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Francisco Posts: 29 | Well... Well, it's a shop I trust, and there's a little bit of difference between 1) the cost of one replacement part from eBay, and 2) having a mechanic figure out what the problem is, drain the coolant, install the new radiator, replace some clamps, refill it with new coolant, and make sure everything works. Are you ripped off because the cost of two eggs, two pieces of bacon, and two pieces of bread at a supermarket is several times less than what a restaurant charges to bring it to you cooked on a plate? | | | 11-11-2009, 03:32 AM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 368 | BMW NA list price is $300. Hopefully they put on new hoses, too. And remember labor in the Bay area is likely to be $130/hour or more. I was quoted $800 just to replace the plastic water connector at the back of the cylinder head by an independent BMW shop in DC, and that was an $8 part. $500 for a radiator installed in San Francisco doesn't surprise me. These are pretty economical cars...if you can work on them yourself. | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |