E30 Zone

I noticed on my 318is the other day that the passenger side footwell was a bit wet in the corner next to the transmission tunnel. I feared the worst and assumed the heater matrix was rotten. However, after further insepction there seemed to be a small leak from the joint between the upper (white plastic) and lower (black plastic) in the water valve, part number 64111386707. The rest of the system was bone dry.

Has anyone ever experienced this before?

I am wondering if it is just a worn O ring in the part?

Any help or experience would be welcome!!

Thanks in advance.

Very common. Change the valve for one from a scrapper that doesn't have crusty bits around it or green stains down the side.
Also check that you don't still have the original pressure cap on your coolant tank. There was a recall several years ago, but plenty of E30s missed it.

Thanks for your advice. Out of interest what was the problem with the original pressure caps? Were they over pressurising the system?

got a how to with pics for this from the archives of tbmw..send me an email address and i will forward..

Jamese30 wrote:Thanks for your advice. Out of interest what was the problem with the original pressure caps? Were they over pressurising the system?

Got it in one! The safety aspect of it that prompted the recall was a few cases of legs being burnt by superheated water when the valve or heater matrix failed.
All the replacement caps that I've seen have had a yellow disc on their base, but following a thread on the subject on here, it seems that there is another version around that still has a black base.
Give your VIN to your dealer, and they will be able to tell if a replacement cap has been supplied. If not, you should be able to get a free one out of them.

Brian,
Brilliant news. I will get onto them straight away and see if the car has been recalled yet.

Out of interest does this recall refer to all E30s? Do I need to check this on my 1986 320i and on my Dad's 1989 M3?

Dave,
I have dropped you a PM.

Cheers,

Recall affected most BMWs that used similar caps, not just E30s.

Thanks again Brian,
I will get onto them straight away.

hi all is this the bit in question cos it looks like it's leaking on mine too and i have a pass side footwell full of the wet stuff???? if so how much are they? and does anyone have one for sale???
kevo

kevo wrote:hi all is this the bit in question cos it looks like it's leaking on mine too and i have a pass side footwell full of the wet stuff???? if so how much are they? and does anyone have one for sale???
kevo

That's the same problem! Plenty in scrapyards and easy to change. There's a self tapping screw which is a bit difficult to remove because the big spring in your pic, and the associated metalwork, impedes access to it. Tape the little square nuts in place when you fit the new one.
Take off both heater pipes on the bulkhead before you start, (note which way around they go - the opposite of what looks correct), and tie them up as high as possible so that they don't drain. Flush the heater through by connecting a hose to the bottom pipe, then use a piece of hose to blow through, and thus remove most of the water.
When you take off the valve, there will still be some spillage, but because you flushed it, it will be clean water.
Fill the heater with water and top up the header tank before you reconnect the hoses, so that as you connect them a little water spills out. This way you won't get any air lock problems.
Watch the temperature gauge for several minutes when you start the car up afterwards, just in case.

cool nice one mister, should be a little easier to change at the mo too as my dashboard is currently in the living room he he (fitting my roll cage).
kev

Hello
I've just purchased a 323i baur, had 4 325 saloons before but always wanted a baur.
I have a water leak which appears to be (accourding to the dripping) on the drivers side bulk head some where. It's not the 2 main bulk head pipes. The drip seems to come out of the bottom of the jacking point (driver side) when the engine is running.

I too have a wet carpet , more in the passenger than the driver, but both are wet. Not sure id this is because it's a baur so it leaks, or my matrix has gone.

Could I have an opinion of what this may be. The Water Valve you metion in this thread, is that on the driver or passenger side? Where abouts? And how do I check id the matrix leaks?

Any ideas would be good.
Cheers
K

Could I have an opinion of what this may be. The Water Valve you metion in this thread, is that on the driver or passenger side? Where abouts? And how do I check id the matrix leaks?

its on the passenger side.

I have a leak problem (when i bough the car the heater was disconnected) the valve is easy to take off, but the core wont come out without taking the metal bulkhead pipe off?

The screws connecting the metal bulkhead pipe to the core are on the wrong side for me to undo!!! How is this done? does the WHOLE heater box need to come out??