Overheating problem BMW 5 series HELP!

[Deester]

Can anyone help?

Driving along tonight the temperature gauage in my BMW went up to MAX. I stopped the car let it cool down then removed the cap. There was enough water so I started the engine with the cap off to see what would happen. The water was being sucked in then it was being blown out with water spilling out. This happened continously.

Any ideas?

Deester

[FourWheelDrift]

Sounds like the head gasket, you've got air getting into the water system. Are you losing some water as well as over heating?

Edited to add, if it is get it done ASAP as it can damage the block.

>> Edited by FourWheelDrift (moderator) on Wednesday 6th August 21:52

[silverback mike]

Deester, I concur with fourwheeldrift unfortunately.
Check the coolant tank, should look a bit nasty if the headgasket has gone.
Sounds like all it could be to me.

[Deester]

When I checked the coolant, it looked a bit brown, then green!

Head gasket sounds like the problem The joys of motoring.

Tnx guys.

[Deester]

Could this not be the thermostat?

I don't really see any other symptoms that point to the cylinder head gasket ( i hope ) . Also, when the car is overheating there is no hot air from the heating system.

I wish I was a mechanic!

[FourWheelDrift]

Deester said:

The water was being sucked in then it was being blown out with water spilling out. This happened continously.

This is the big clue . If it behaves like a geyser when the engine is running at regular intervals then you have air getting into the system. The only place this can come from is the engine via a leak, which is usually the head gasket.

I had exactly the same thing happen 3 months ago.

You might want to check the pipes to and from the radiator for equal pressure, if one is not as 'hard' as the other then you may have a blocked radiator but that's less likely than the gasket.

PS my gasket problem led to a complete engine change, so get it properly looked at ASAP.

Good luck.

[Deester]

Hi Guys,

Got it sorted. The water pump was knackered. I had the head tested and it seems to be ok.

100 quid later and its sorted!

Cheers,
Deester

[silverback mike]

Thats good news!
Sorry for the duff info.
Mike.

[Deester]

silverback mike said:

Thats good news! Sorry for the duff info. Mike.

No problems!

When I had the AA guy look at the car he said 9 out of 10 times its the head thats buggered and convinced me that it was knackered!

I think I was VERY lucky!

Cheers,
Deester