e30 sauna(major coolant leak)

[e30-320i]

just parked my car up switched the engine off i could hear a loud hissing
i lifted the bonnet and there's steam pouring out i've had a look as best i could through the steam and pouring rain and all i can see is what looks like coolant pouring from somewhere at the back of the engine onto the exhaust downpipes i'm no mechanic but need to get it sorted as is my only car can anyone give me some ideas where the leak may be coming from or where to start looking

[HartgeH27]

Check all your water pipes !!!!!

[e30-320i]

will do..
do you think i'll be ok to drive it without coolant its only a 5 minute drive to work.............or a 40 minute walk

thanks for the quick reply

[Jon_Bmw]

NO if its more than a drip here and there DO NOT DRIVE...otherwise overheats, head cracks bye bye engine. get a taxi

[e30-320i]

all the taxis round here are peugeots i'd rather walk

[HartgeH27]

Agreed NO N0 NO NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heads are too fragile, take a bus, walk , hop , skip but do NOT drive !!!!

[e30-320i]

ok i'll take that as a no then i'll have a look in daylight hopefully its just a hose gone

[e30-320i]

had a look today and couldn't find any split hoses but the leak is coming from right at the back of the engine and there is no access are there any gaskets in this area i can see a couple of pipes going into that area but its impossible to see where they go it looks like the engine's gonna have to come out just to find the leak

[chirayath21]

how about the hoses going in and out of the heater matrix, thats near the back of the engine, you check those hoses, theyre only little ones!

[e30-320i]

yeah it seems to be coming from lower down it was still dripping when we were looking and still couldn't find the leak

[ausbmwboy]

could it be a shot water pump? grab the fan blades and jiggle from side to side and see if there is a lot of movement.
NOTE: do not have engine running when grabbing fan blades!!

[Brianmoooore]

could it be a shot water pump? grab the fan blades and jiggle from side to side and see if there is a lot of movement.
NOTE: do not have engine running when grabbing fan blades!!

Only if someone put the engine in backwards!

[Brianmoooore]

Almost certainly the heater hose from the back of the head failed.
Check your coolant pressure cap has been replaced by one with a yellow disc on the bottom.

[e30-320i]

thanks for all the help again guys
the coolant cap has got a yellow disk on the bottom and i cannot feel any splits in the heater hose but it connects onto a metal tube that i cant see or get my hand onto is it possible the the tube is corroded and if so is this a seperate part or is it part of the block(hope this makes sense).

[Brianmoooore]

Pipe is seperate from the head, held on by two bolts.
Haven't known one fail in use, but I remember that I changed one on a rebuilt head once because of corrosion.
Undo the wiring and it's bracket from the bulkhead and tie it towards the front of the engine with string. Remove the bulkhead access panel to the heater fan and wiper motor as well if you like. Should be able to get at things then.

[e30-320i]

you are a hero i never even thought of removing the panel i had most of it off not long ago to change the wiper motor too hopefully that will give me enough space to work in.
just hope it don,t rain tonight thanks again

celvin

[e30-320i]

Pipe is seperate from the head, held on by two bolts.
Haven't known one fail in use, but I remember that I changed one on a rebuilt head once because of corrosion.

Removed the pipe from the back of the head, the two bolts were a mission to get to, but eventually got them out.. there was no gasket there only the remains of some silicone sealant... still dont know 100% if that is where the leak came from but surely there should be a proper gasket there...

I'm gonna go get a gasket tomorrow if I can and hopefully that will sort it !!

[Brianmoooore]

Should be a gasket there. Part no. 11 12 1 726 721

[e30-320i]

thanks again mate i'm gonna replace blue temp sensor rotor arm and dizzy cap at the same hopefully get it running right at last
i really hope thats where the leak is coming from as i cant see anything else it could be

[e30-320i]

looks like its all sorted it took about 3 hours fiddling around trying to change the gasket it was the one at the back of the head.we ended up taking off the bulk head panel,battery,brake fluid bottle and pulling all the wiring up and hooking it over the inlet manifold then had to undo the two bolts with a 10mm spanner clamped with a pair of mole grips just to reach only getting about 1/3 of a turn each time we almost gave up a couple of times but fingers crossed its ok now so all worth it.we also changed the dizzy cap/rotor arm about 2 years late judging by the state of it all the points were totally black and the whole cap was covered in thick black dust.
on the bright side i finally got round to fitting the rocker cover i hand polished months ago just gotta paint the inlet now..




thankyou again to everyone for their help
Celvin.