My bad, the rings are at the ends, but yes those are sweating out quite a bit. Not a drip, but like heavy sweat.
325i nonsensical coolant leak
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With all of these data, the coolant spray that you saw was from the crack radiator neck, not from the busted open hose. Engine was overheating while idling in hot weather with the electric fan not running properly. The coolant pressure was up so high that it caused the radiator neck cracked. I would be worried about the head and gasket. Keep an eye on the coolant level to see if it drops.
just got back a 530 I sold an heat wave in NYS today feserted a coolant leak. Looks like pump seal but with apply 15 lb pressure to make sure. Point being if you own an 6L engine good to have a system pressure tester if you going to own one
A Nissens radiator is a quality OE replacment option if you do not want to go with genuine BMW.
Once you know there are no headgasket issues, it would be strongly advised to replace the rest of the cooling system, unless you know for certain it has been serviced recently with quality parts. In particular the expansion tank but also tstat, water pump and radiator hoses should be replace with either genuine bmw or quality OE.
Once you know there are no headgasket issues, it would be strongly advised to replace the rest of the cooling system, unless you know for certain it has been serviced recently with quality parts. In particular the expansion tank but also tstat, water pump and radiator hoses should be replace with either genuine bmw or quality OE.
Since my idea of what was wrong went from one thing to the next, I have literally everything on the way in the mail except for a water pump so hopefully I don't need to replace that
all oe from fcp
Well I have good news and bad news after doing all the work.A Nissens radiator is a quality OE replacment option if you do not want to go with genuine BMW.
Once you know there are no headgasket issues, it would be strongly advised to replace the rest of the cooling system, unless you know for certain it has been serviced recently with quality parts. In particular the expansion tank but also tstat, water pump and radiator hoses should be replace with either genuine bmw or quality OE.
Good news is there is no coolant leak or headgasket damage (seemingly)
Bad news is now the elec. aux fan still will not spin up. Hesitant to try getting the engine even CLOSE to the midpoint without it :\
I think that fan has been pointed out several times and probably had nothing to do with the other busted parts. In fact this was your most likely root cause.
Too early to tell about the head/gasket. Keep checking the coolant level in the cold morning and if the level not drop then you should be very happen. It it dropped, then either external leak or leaked into the combustion and much headache.
Try to run engine with the lower hose sensor connector removed, as this should cause the fan to run at max speed.
as far as the fan goes, the fan itself works because if I put the connector on backwards it goes full speed but otherwise it does nothing. Not even if the AC is on, anything of that nature which we knew to be true before this started. Will keep checking for a head gasket though
Man, we are not mind readers. What connector?
oh. my bad 
I was speaking in terms of the fan connector plug with 3 wires. And as far as the lower coolant temperature sensor, it makes no difference
I was speaking in terms of the fan connector plug with 3 wires. And as far as the lower coolant temperature sensor, it makes no differencelocated at the upper right corner of the radiator? If yes, it is impossible to connect this connector reverse 180 deg around.
I believe you're thinking of the same thing that I am. To clarify it didn't connect properly, just make contact. But I will post a video in the morning, as I am in American time
I’m in Martian time zone though
Just as an update, other than telltale "fan box dead" symptoms, replacing rad and hoses fixed everything. Ive driven her about 300 miles and the oil looks as clean as before, so i think i got off without killing HG
Great its working now.
Just one thing- as some don't really know; AC gauges are no measure of the quantity of refrigerant in the system. The pressure they read is more effected by temperature setting and amount of energy the system is transferring (once a certain amount of refrigerant is present). To ascertain the correct charge, you have to evacuate fully, drop the oil from the compressor, then add the right amount of new oil, as well as right weight of R134a.
If its been 're-filled' moire than a couple of times, which all of them have by now, it will need this. But it will also need new o-rings, a new drier. That's a lot of work, which is why they get neglected to the point of catastrophic failure (usually the compressor, as escaping R134a tends to take some of the oil out with it). But in this case (luckily), it was just the radiator that blew when the condenser started adding heat to the air going through the radiator.
In addition to correct operation of both fans, it would also be worth checking the radiator (it may be too old too) and if there is debris accumulated in front of it (between it and the condenser).
Just one thing- as some don't really know; AC gauges are no measure of the quantity of refrigerant in the system. The pressure they read is more effected by temperature setting and amount of energy the system is transferring (once a certain amount of refrigerant is present). To ascertain the correct charge, you have to evacuate fully, drop the oil from the compressor, then add the right amount of new oil, as well as right weight of R134a.
If its been 're-filled' moire than a couple of times, which all of them have by now, it will need this. But it will also need new o-rings, a new drier. That's a lot of work, which is why they get neglected to the point of catastrophic failure (usually the compressor, as escaping R134a tends to take some of the oil out with it). But in this case (luckily), it was just the radiator that blew when the condenser started adding heat to the air going through the radiator.
In addition to correct operation of both fans, it would also be worth checking the radiator (it may be too old too) and if there is debris accumulated in front of it (between it and the condenser).
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