Coolant leak -Nearside front footwell - 318i

[Walter]

Hello.... advice please on my 1990 E30 318i touring.

Very small fluid leak onto the front nearside footwell mat. Looks & feels like coolant to me. I've read previous threads about this problem and that it is probably the heater valve.

I've had the car for about 3 years and never had the coolant mixture changed until a month or so ago. This was when I noticed the problem. Since I've had the car it's never had a very efficient heater in that it doesn't really get nice and warm, and consequently have problem demisting the screen.

I've researched the 'E30 wiki' but I'm a bit confused about access to the part. Do I have to remove the centre console ? and if so how do I get it over the auto rear lever ( I tried removing the centre console once before on another issue and couldn't work it out ).... and...Do I have to drain the whole coolant system to do this job ?

In fact any advice on the whole job would be greatly appreciated .... Thanks very much.

[Benjer182]

Centre consol out is a yes and drain the coolant as well dunno about how to remove the auto lever, there is a bracket for the brake cylinder that you have to remove plus lower glove box trim and don't forget the 2 coolant pipe connections in the engine bay, it's not hard just a bit time consuming, at the end of the day it's only taking apart and putting together

[Walter]

Thanks for the response Benjer.

Can anyone tell me how to get the centre console off, over the automatic gear lever ???... Haven't started the work yet but I can't see anything obvious on how to do it.... Thanks.

[BenHar]

RTFM?

There is a grub screw at the front of the lever cross piece.

Ben

[Brianmoooore]

You don't have to remove the lever. Remove the 'brush', then loosen the surround, and the surround can be manoeuvred through the console as you lift it off.
Nuts holding the valve are most easily accessed with a 1/4" socket and extension, pushed through the seal for the pipes from the engine bay. The cross head screw that holds the valve is not very conveniently blocked by the bracket that stabilizes the brake rod bell crank, on all but the earliest models (which didn't have the bracket). A short hex. sided bit, of the type you use with electric screw drivers, is the best tool for undoing this, turned with a 7mm (??) open ended spanner.
Hold the small square headed nuts for the valve flange in place with tape when you refit a valve.

[Walter]

Thanks for these tips.... appreciate it.

[scallyally]

Might be worth making sure that the heater hoses haven't softened with age and the jubilee clips aren't sealing, allowing fluid to trickle down the stubs into the footwell. (Happened to me)

Also re. low heating, ensure pipes are connected correctly, (from back of head to lower stub)

[Brianmoooore]

Might be worth making sure that the heater hoses haven't softened with age and the jubilee clips aren't sealing, allowing fluid to trickle down the stubs into the footwell. (Happened to me)

Of course! Don't just charge in and change the valve without identifying the exact source of the leak first.
A leaking valve is usually fairly obvious - given away by the coolant stains running down from the join in the middle of it.
It's also important to check that the pressure cap on the coolant bottle has been changed under the safety recall, if it's a 1.4 bar one. Replacement caps usually have a yellow disc on their underside.

[Walter]

Ok .... I'll check all these points when I get round to doing it. ..... Many thanks.

Could the fact that I changed the coolant mixture recently prompted this leak... ?????

[Brianmoooore]

Could the fact that I changed the coolant mixture recently prompted this leak... ?????

A bit of local boiling until all the air was expelled probably caused a few pressure pulses, so could well have finished off a failing valve.

[scallyally]

When bleeding the cooling system it helps to have the car raised at the front (ramps are ideal) and the heater control turned to full.
loosen the bleed screw (next to rad.cap) and run engine until heat is coming from heater vent (keep checking temp gauge and stop engine if it looks to be overheating)
When cool the rad should settle to the level and may be topped up to the mark.
Tighten bleed screw and jobs a good-un

[Brianmoooore]

The above is the correct way to bleed an e30 to avoid an air lock, but even then there will be small pockets of trapped air which will be expelled over the course of a few days.

[BenHar]

When cool the rad should settle to the level and may be topped up to the mark.

Where on the rad is the level?

Thanks
Ben

[jimbom30cab]

Well well worth changing the O ring between the motor and the valve body

Many people including me also drill out the rivets and use some M4 bots and nuts to re-fit it together.

[scallyally]

When cool the rad should settle to the level and may be topped up to the mark.

Where on the rad is the level?

Thanks
Ben

If your rad has a semi translucent section (n/side) there will be an indicator line approx halfway, fill to this level.