Split rad and steam caused by...?

[Geeman]

I know this isn't E30 related, but it is in a way...

Went to pick up my 525e last night, but got 500 yds down the road only to turn back because of a poorly made repair to a spilt radiator. The top plastic section had been repaired to cover up a 'split' section in it about an inch and a half long.

What could have caused this...? Something being dropped on it?

Repaired it again myself this time, but a new symptom appeared in the form of steam coming from the top of the core underneath where the repair was. Could this be a knock-on effect of something heavy being dropped onto the radiator that caused the first problem and braking the core at the same time...?

Also, what could cause high pressure to make coolant squirt out of this hole(s)...? Head gasket? The engine runs sweet as a nut though, but the temp guage was just at the top of the blue sector.

Had to leave the car in Shipley as a 90 mile journey home wasn't going to happen!

Giles.

[320Touring]

from what i remember of seeing e28 525e's on fleabay, they are notorious for cracking at the top radiator pipe joint (think its drivers side?)

dont know what causes it but its common.

as for the coolent issues-if it had pressure in the system it should heat up (pressure increases with temp and vice versa)

pressure is usually transferred from the exhaust side of the gasket into the cooling system

[beardymat]

just a wild stab in the dark but if the headgasket has gone between a cylinder and the water jacket it has been known for the pressure build up to burst radiators(sometimes in the most spectacular way too) and that would also account for the steam too.

did you start the car from cold cause with this kind of failure you get initial missfire caused by water in the cylinder which then evaporates and then the car runs fine.takes quite a while for the water to build up again,say a few hours standing!!

[Toby_Unna]

cool u got an e28

don't think there's anything wrong with the engine, just put a new rad on.

my 528i did the same thing, once a split radiator and once a split pipe, both times there was steam shooting out of the hole and the pressure was way too much for rad-weld to do anything.

it just seemed to run at high pressure. never used any coolant in 20k miles and 3 years so the engine was fine.

[Geeman]

It is split in that place where the top hose enters it...

So you reckon a new rad would sort it...?

Anyone got one...? Ԛ£165 from GSF!

[320Touring]

It is split in that place where the top hose enters it...

So you reckon a new rad would sort it...?

Anyone got one...? Ԛ£165 from GSF!

think any one outta a 6pot e28 or 34 would fit????

new rad may be a plan, if you can get it cheap enough!

[Toby_Unna]

no point trying to mend the old one in my experience

i put a 2nd hand one on the 528i and it was fine. but when the one went on the m535 i found a place in sheffield that sold me a new one for Ԛ£110, much cheaper than gsf.

ring a few radiator specialists, they'll probably just want to know the dimensions.

[Geeman]

Apparentely autos have different rads... will a manual one be okay?

[320Touring]

Apparentely autos have different rads... will a manual one be okay?

think the auto rads have a feed from the autobox to cool the fluid....

[Toby_Unna]

yeah that.

unless the 525e is rare oddity, it'll have tranny fluid feed lines to and from the rad, running inside the rad in a separate jacket. can't run without them or the tranny won't be happy!

[320Touring]

yeah that.

unless the 525e is rare oddity, it'll have tranny fluid feed lines to and from the rad, running inside the rad in a separate jacket. can't run without them or the tranny won't be happy!

could you not barstewardise a an oil cooler off a 325 as a replacement for the cooler bit on the auto rad?

[beardymat]

but when the one went on the m535 i found a place in sheffield that sold me a new one for Ԛ£110,

that wasnt autorads in sheffield by any chance? my pal and his dad run that place,theyre top geezers

[Geeman]

Got a rad place here in Grimsby that's excellent. I bought a 'special' rad for my 318iS and it was only Ԛ£90... Ԛ£75 cheaper than the Dealers.

Think I've sourced one on Ebay for next to nothing... it will do to get me home in it... I hope!

Then I'll think about getting a proper replacement...

Fingers crossed.

[320Touring]

Got a rad place here in Grimsby that's excellent. I bought a 'special' rad for my 318iS and it was only Ԛ£90... Ԛ£75 cheaper than the Dealers.

Think I've sourced one on Ebay for next to nothing... it will do to get me home in it... I hope!

Then I'll think about getting a proper replacement...

Fingers crossed.

sounds like the ebay rad may solve your problem! TBH i'd be loath to spend Ԛ£100+ on a rad for it if the car cost less than Ԛ£200 (says he who's brakes cost Ԛ£350 and the car Ԛ£300 )

surely the joint at the top can be aquired off any rad?

[Geeman]

Ebay one a no-go...

MotorMec in Huddersfield have sourced me one for Ԛ£40, 6 months warranty and they're delivering it to the car's 'current' owner for him to install it ready for me to pick up this week.

Result.

[Toby_Unna]

but when the one went on the m535 i found a place in sheffield that sold me a new one for Ԛ£110,

that wasnt autorads in sheffield by any chance? my pal and his dad run that place,theyre top geezers

you know what i think it was! bloody good service rang up had it in stock collected it within the hour.

sounds like u got it sorted Giles well done, Ԛ£40 with 6 months warranty is a good deal. i paid about that for the 2nd hand one i put in my 528i and that had utterly no warranty whatsoever!