325i steam off bonnet?

[bryn_p]

Morning gents,

It was raining this morning and I got stuck in a load of traffic and noticed steam coming off the bonnet of my 325i. Initially I panicked and though a collant hose was at fault, but the temp was fine and when I pulled over I couldn't see anything wrong. The car had been running for about 2 hours, and I seem to remember this happening on my old Sport.

Does anyone else get this? I assume its just the rain evaporating, well hopefully anyway!

Cheers,
Bryn.

[Ziggy]

It's fine - they all do it! Chiiill Winston

[Cotty]

Mine did the same once. I was in pretty much stationary traffic in my auto 325i and saw steam on the bonnet. The temp was up a bit.

I should have knocked it out of Drive into Nutral but was being lazy

[Simon]

I've noticed my touring has only done this since I changed the bonnet on it, the bonnet on there now has no sound proofing on it, where as the old one did.
As the others have said, nothing to worry about though, just the water on the bonnet evaporating.

[6potWil6pot]

Never had that on my E30s but i have on a Diahatsu and the Fiat ive owned Altho now i think of it, it was the panel gaps that were steaming cause water was trickling into the engine bay

[Ziggy]

I've got no soundproofing on my bonnet either; I guess it just heats up quicker when you're sat in traffic than if it's insulated...

[bryn_p]

Thanks guys,

Was a bit paranoid because I commute 120 miles a day and acutally did have a coolant hose split a few months ago but luckily I stopped and called for recovery before the head gasket cooked!

I had actually retired my convertible for the winter, but I stupidly bought a French priece of junk to commute in which had broken within the first week!

Cheers,
Bryn.

[jonmsm]

I had actually retired my convertible for the winter, but I stupidly bought a French priece of junk to commute in which had broken within the first week

ROFL!!!! Serves you right for buying ANYTHING french! Sorry, thats a bit harsh but I work part time at Halfords, and the ONLY cars the cause us problems is french cars! I am not joking, the french engineers do things JUST to make my life harder when (not if) the cars break, like wiper arms that dont flip up away from the window so you cant change the wiper, batteries behind the bulk head underneath the windscreen meaning you have to remove half the trim round the windscreen to get to it, when there is adequate space under the bonnet, the list of issues is endless, all French cars!

As for the steam, even my merc does that, and it wouldn't overheat if you stuck a furnace underneath it so you shouldnt worry about it! As mentioned before, it probably is just a damaged underbonnet pading thats causing water to drip onto the engine.

[Martinaston]

Is the bonnet warm to the touch ?
It could just be rain water thats splashed onto the exhaust and the steam is coming up around the bonnet