“Midwestern” type temporary fix.

709 Views 23 Replies 13 Participants Last post by OnTheFence, 4 d ago

DanThrax

Discussion Starter · 22 d ago

5

Bought my 316i from a used-car dealer with 106,000 miles on it. Less than two weeks after driving it home, the reservoir developed a crack the size of the State of Texas. Went through countless liters of distilled water while I tried to find it, as it appears to be a scratch at first sight. Noticed the thermometer moving to the right this afternoon, and was able to pull off the autobahn and shut it down pretty much immediately.

My replacement reservoir arrives via Amazon.de tomorrow, and I’m hoping this will hold until I take it to base (we have an auto hobby shop with lifts) 15 minutes from my house to install the replacement.

This will definitely not hold forever, but hopefully just enough that I don’t have to risk rushing a repair job.

Engine is showing no signs of overheating or any other damage. Oil is fresh (Liqui-Moly 4200).

Automotive tire Hood Grey Bumper Automotive exterior

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1 - 20 of 24 Posts

tks

· #2 · 22 d ago

im more amazed at the zipties... that must have taken forever to do..

Reactions: 2

Kolonel-Black-Fox

· #3 · 22 d ago

I thought I read “I got off the autobahn.” So for one you can do this fix without a lift at home in an hour. If you ever see the needle moving and you know you have a leak just hit a highway or travel on a route without stops, traffic or lights. You want the air and remaining water to cool the engine if you are in an emergency. Shut off the engine and coasting at high speeds can add time to that temp gauge. All in all most folks will just pull over let it cool and fight to that destination. Don‘t overheat though, once the light comes on I hear it’s already too late.

alan53

· #4 · 22 d ago

Well i hope you make it,my suggestion is to leave early while its cooler,drive slow with low revs,put the heater on max from the start.And one eye on the temp.

DanThrax

Discussion Starter · #5 · 22 d ago

Kolonel-Black-Fox said:
I thought I read “I got off the autobahn.” So for one you can do this fix without a lift at home in an hour. If you ever see the needle moving and you know you have a leak just hit a highway or travel on a route without stops, traffic or lights. You want the air and remaining water to cool the engine if you are in an emergency. Shut off the engine and coasting at high speeds can add time to that temp gauge. All in all most folks will just pull over let it cool and fight to that destination. Don‘t overheat though, once the light comes on I hear it’s already too late.

Exactly. When the needle began to move, I cut the motor and coasted to an emergency pull-off.

Reactions: 2

DanThrax

Discussion Starter · #6 · 22 d ago

tks said:
im more amazed at the zipties... that must have taken forever to do..

Half an hour. Just wanted to hold the epoxy plug on with something which will withstand the pressure.

Kolonel-Black-Fox

· #7 · 22 d ago

DanThrax said:
Exactly. When the needle began to move, I cut the motor and coasted to an emergency pull-off.

As Denzel Washington said in training day Ma Ninja…..

Reactions: 1

elfer

· #8 · 21 d ago

Kolonel-Black-Fox said:
So for one you can do this fix without a lift at home in an hour.

From my time in Germany I remember they're very strict on fluids from cars. You couldn't even wash your car on your own drive for lest the soap suds found their way into the water table. They'd throw away the key to your cell if you spilt any coolant on the ground!

Reactions: 2

B694515

· #9 · 21 d ago

I had a crack in the same location the FIRST time my expansion tank cracked. My advice is just fix it yourself and avoid taking a chance with a 15 minute drive. If the shop is a mile down the road that's another story but that coolant is going to get super hot in 15 minutes. And since the tank gets so hot and is under pressure, it will take that tape off and compromise those zip ties before you even realize it.

Replacing the tank is quite easy but you just have to make sure you catch the excess coolant.

elfer

· #10 · 21 d ago

B694515 said:
I had a crack in the same location the FIRST time my expansion tank cracked. My advice is just fix it yourself and avoid taking a chance with a 15 minute drive. If the shop is a mile down the road that's another story but that coolant is going to get super hot in 15 minutes. And since the tank gets so hot and is under pressure, it will take that tape off and compromise those zip ties before you even realize it.

Replacing the tank is quite easy but you just have to make sure you catch the excess coolant.

Yeah, if it was me I'd change it before driving anywhere despite any laws saying I shouldn't. If the stadt Polizei turned up I'd smile politely but lose any ability to speak German.

(I'm assuming OP is military based in Germany, from him saying there's an auto club workshop on base.)

markusmarkus

· #11 · 21 d ago

What brand is the new expansion tank?

The installation of aftermarket cooling system parts is strictly verboten.

DanThrax

Discussion Starter · #12 · 21 d ago

markusmarkus said:
What brand is the new expansion tank?

The installation of aftermarket cooling system parts is strictly verboten.

Can’t remember brand. It’s OEM by style, at least.

EDIT: Looks like Bilstein.

elfer

· #13 · 21 d ago

DanThrax said:
Can’t remember brand. It’s OEM by style, at least.

EDIT: Looks like Bilstein.

Won't be Bilstein. They only make dampers. But could be Febi-Bilstein, an entirely unrelated company selling mid-priced products.

resunoiz

· #14 · 21 d ago

DanThrax said:
Can’t remember brand. It’s OEM by style, at least.

EDIT: Looks like Bilstein.

use the bilstein that's arriving to put on the car at your home and then take the 15 minute drive to auto hobby shop to put a BMW original one 🤣

DanThrax

Discussion Starter · #15 · 21 d ago

So fun story: drove it around the neighborhood with the homemade patch today to test: no codes, no missing coolant, no squealy serpentine, no engine running slightly hot, no warning lights. All is well until something else shits the bed.

Not gonna push my luck taking this out on the road for real, just felt the need to prove my workmanship to myself 🙄, and maybe show off my MacGuyver skills a little. 🤷🏼‍♂️

In any case, replacement part came today and I’m swapping it out tonight.

Reactions: 1

TobyB

· #16 · 21 d ago

Hood Automotive tire Leg Tread Tire

was what the Google image of your ziptied reservoir is supposed to be. I like it!

And yeah, look up the thread on re- mapping the temperature gauge, and
then I think that fix passes the 'farmered- up' test with flying colors. At least, if you were fixing a leg, tread, or tire...

hee

t
would suggest using the 'whatever' until the Modine one in the BMW baggie comes in....

DanThrax

Discussion Starter · #17 · 21 d ago

So the reservoir is apparently permanently stuck to the bracket. Ordered a replacement for that, too.

alan53

· #18 · 21 d ago

Those brackets age out too so not a bad thing.

BigRye

· #19 · 20 d ago

elfer said:
From my time in Germany I remember they're very strict on fluids from cars. You couldn't even wash your car on your own drive for lest the soap suds found their way into the water table. They'd throw away the key to your cell if you spilt any coolant on the ground!

And William Wallace just yelled from the grave" "FREEDOM"!

Reactions: 1

BiH5

· #20 · 20 d ago

Did you even mix the epoxy lol

Reactions: 1

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