Cooling issue

[m3f_techno550]

Radiator cap should vent at 2 bar. If it vents above (or below) that, replace it. They are inexpensive.

If the water pump is pumping, and you are not getting flow through the radiator, make sure the thermostat is installed properly. When it is in the "cold" position, it blocks the flow from the radiator and opens the port in the head to allow coolant to circulate in the block only. When in the "hot" position, it plugs the port from the head and opens the feed from the radiator. If it is installed backwards, or it is installed with the oring on the wrong side, it may not properly block the flow from the head, and will thus run hot (circulating coolant from the engine instead of pulling from the cool side of the radiator).

[m3f_englishtom1596q]

Get a real Mishimoto radiator. The quality and fitment of the current design is awesome. Mine went in perfect and still looks great a year later. There's just a bad rep about them because the old design fit like doo-doo.

put a mishimoto radiator in this summer. Perfect fitment my only gripes were the holes for the top clips are way too large so i had to fill them for it not to move.

[m3f_MOTRSPRT]

I ordered my Mishimoto radiator thru Bavarian Autosport on Wednesday Jan. 22. Was told they were in stock and it would arrive 4-5 days, which would've been Wednesday-ish. I start making phone calls Wednesday and was told the guy would look into it and return call. Never happened. Thursday I make another call only to find that their supplier was backordered. Really??!! So, I asked for a refund and began searching for another one. Friday morning I decided to order from Amazon. And they're in stock! I also noticed they had an option for Saturday delivery…say what?!! With Prime shipping and an additional $16 why would I not? This is one of those circumstances that I will believe it when I see it. At noon today, Saturday, that thing showed up at my front door. Incredible!

-We can't answer your radiator question without knowing how your radiator is mounted. It's aftermarket, so fitment and mounting are unknown to us. That being said, there's no way that a properly installed OE radiator can be twisted to the point of failure by driving the car hard. This is assuming the car does not have any structural damages or deformations.



It's more likely that you bought a cheap radiator which has failed due to defects manifesting themselves after some use. If there are any deformations in the car that cause mechanical stress on the radiator in its mounting position, the heat cycling will eventually cause it to fail. If the mounting or fitment of the radiator subjects it to mechanical stress while installed, the same will be true.





-It is 100% possible for exhaust gasses to enter the cooling system. This happens either due to a failed head gasket, or a crack in the cylinder head. Hot exhaust gasses leak into the cooling system and over-pressurize it.



That being said, unless the radiator is on its way out (or a very poor quality part), the radiator cap should vent the extra pressure long before the radiator sees enough pressure to fail. Additionally, even if the cap was faulty and did not vent, I would think you would see a hose failure before a radiator failure due to over-pressurization. But, truth be told, we don't know for sure without knowing what car that happened in, what mechanical condition it was in, and what kinds of parts were installed on it.

I have rubber mounting on the bottom of the radiator and sorta hard mounting on top. I'll take some pix of the mounting after I'm finished. The radiator is not solid mounted by any means. I could move it a little front to back, but not up and down so I don't see how this would've played a role in the other radiator self-destructing. But, I'll try something different once this one is in place.



My gut tells me that I have a bad HG. If that's the case then I have even more work ahead of me. I won't know anything until I get the entire cooling system professionally inspected.



One other thing is the water pump. There really did not seem like any water was flowing at all. After inspection, the old one didn't seem like there was anything wrong with it. Not only does this baffle me, but it has me worried. The thermostat WAS installed correctly, and the old one went in exactly the same way as the old one--just how the manual says it should go in.

[m3f_MOTRSPRT]

Just got my radiator installed, poured in some coolant, and started it up. To cut to the chase, not a dang thing has changed. Upper hose gets hot as well as that side of the radiator, but lower hose is barely warm as is the radiator on that side. When I crack open the bleeder screw only steam comes out. Never any fluid. The thermostat should slowly be opening prior to the needle reaching halfway creating a hot upper hose and warm lower hose. When fully open and up to temperature, both hoses should be hot to the touch and the radiator, for crying out loud, should be hot everywhere. Not here.



One other thing, too, is the fact that the heater never does blow hot. It's constantly cold.



It just doesn't seem like the coolant is circulating to me. There's nothing but steam coming out of the bleeder screw and there's coolant halfway up the overflow reservoir. Any ideas?? Could the pump be cavitating? I've never had an automotive water pump cavitate before..

[m3f_MOTRSPRT]

So I realized if the pump was cavatating then there wasn't enough coolant in the system. I poured yet an additional gallon of coolant I to the system before it stabilized and circulated. DUH!! I hate to admit it but maybe my lack will help someone else someday.

Took my car to have the cooling system checked out. After testing they concluded there was zero hydro carbons and that the head gasket was not bad. Sweet! That is such a relief.


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[m3f_roarE36M3]

Hope your using BMW coolant at a 50/50 mixture with distilled water...

[m3f_Richardsperry]

So, the moral of the story is you learned how to fill and vent the e36 cooling system

[m3f_MOTRSPRT]

So, the moral of the story is you learned how to fill and vent the e36 cooling system

Admittedly, yes. The way I was doing it was to fill up the overflow and leave it hoping that the coolant would circulate. The difference with these radiators and overflow tanks is that I had to keep pouring coolant into the tank in order to push the fluid into the engine to the water pump so it had something to circulate. If there was an emoticon for a tail between my legs I'd post it here.


I still don't know what caused my other radiator to fail severely like it did, but I'm sorta glad it did as I now have all new components in my cooling system.


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[m3f_bostonaudi]

So I realized if the pump was cavatating then there wasn't enough coolant in the system. I poured yet an additional gallon of coolant I to the system before it stabilized and circulated. DUH!! I hate to admit it but maybe my lack will help someone else someday.

Took my car to have the cooling system checked out. After testing they concluded there was zero hydro carbons and that the head gasket was not bad. Sweet! That is such a relief.


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I did the same thing first time I worked on one of these cars, you have to get enough coolant into it to get things working right. Bentley or your owners manual lists fluid capacities (almost 3 gallons for E36 6 cylinder).

[m3f_UrLuzn]

I have been thinking about getting a Zionsville Fatboy radiator and their shroud with the aluminum expansion tank. It won't be cheap. But I think I will be well protected.



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