I'm Going to Torch my Car

"Party-vi" (party-vi) 01/15/2016 at 09:57 • Filed to: None

2

36

Thermostat, expansion tank, and radiator hoses replaced. Donezo. Coolant bled and no more air bubbles. Fantastic. Still no mother fucking heat. The lines going in/out of the heater control valve don’t get hot at all, but it feels like the return line from the heater core to the expansion tank is heating up. Da fuq? At this point I’m thinking someone bypassed the heater control valve and is just running the coolant from the heater pipe off the engine and back into the expansion tank, but the dealership would have hopefully realized this when they inspected it. The HCV sounds like it’s working; I can hear/feel the valve operating when I connect/disconnect it while the ignition is on. I might try letting the car idle up to temperature and then disconnect the HCV wiring to force it open.

Looks like I’ll be dicking around with this all weekend.

TheHondaBro > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 10:03

0

bruh il take the engine $3.71

they-will-know-my-velocity > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 10:10

0

Well, depending how far into the dash you are, might just go ahead and replace the heater core. At a certain point it isn’t worth it.

Party-vi > TheHondaBro 01/15/2016 at 10:11

0

You get outta here!

Party-vi > they-will-know-my-velocity 01/15/2016 at 10:17

0

I’m not into the dash at all yet - just under the hood.

wiffleballtony > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 10:18

0

Torching it is one way to heat it up.

Party-vi > wiffleballtony 01/15/2016 at 10:22

1

It would in-fact fix my heating issues.

they-will-know-my-velocity > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 10:25

0

Just gut it and put an electric heater in your footwell plugged into the cigarette lighter.

-this space for rent- > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 10:29

0

I feel your pain. I replaced the two year old pump in my wife’s 325XiT and then discovered the expansion bottle was leaking too (also two years old). German engineering is bullshit.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 10:30

1

Here is your new heater control valve, desperate times call for desperate measures right?

Party-vi > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 01/15/2016 at 10:36

0

Replacing it isn’t difficult, I would just like to find out if it’s working or not first.

Party-vi > -this space for rent- 01/15/2016 at 10:37

2

Not true. Germans just don’t understand how to properly build water-cooled engines yet.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 10:58

0

If water returning from the core is hot, I’d have to think that problem is not with the core but with the baffles that direct the air to and from the core. Does the air blow cold still?

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > they-will-know-my-velocity 01/15/2016 at 10:59

0

That will torch the thing for sure. Just a matter of time.

Party-vi > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU 01/15/2016 at 11:10

0

The air still blows cold, and I know for a fact that my AC still works quite well.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 11:30

0

Nothing like a nice bon fire

Party-vi > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 01/15/2016 at 11:31

2

‘bahn fire.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 11:37

0

I have heard a rumor that if you run your exhaust pipe in one side of the floorboards, cross under the dash and then down out the other side it will keep your car warm. Just make sure it's welded so that you don't have exhaust leaks in the cabin. Didn't witness firsthand, but reliable sources have told me one if my dads former coworkers did this to his van. He also painted it with some nice latex house paint and a roller.

Party-vi > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 01/15/2016 at 11:55

0

True story - the mufflers in the Willys are just under the floor, so in the winter there’s almost no reason to run the heater when it’s up to temperature.

they-will-know-my-velocity > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU 01/15/2016 at 12:16

0

Ha, wire it directly into the harness, no fuse. Toasty.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 12:31

0

You’re going to paint it yellow with a black stripe?

Shift24 > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 13:21

0

Just had a similar issue with my E39. But the dumb ass before me didn’t properly bleed the system so huge air pockets. But as you said its already been bleed.

The weird thing is both sides of the HCV are cold. The return could just be radiant heat from the expansion tank. And im still learning BMW’s over-engineering corks but by chance is there an aux water pump? I know the E39 is a different beast but I was surprised when I learned it had one. But I have heard they can block up cooling systems

Party-vi > Shift24 01/15/2016 at 13:39

0

I don’t believe the E46 has an auxiliary pump. I think I will get the front end in the air and disconnect the HCV lines to see if there’s anything going through them, and then test the HCV and refill/bleed for the last time.

Shift24 > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 13:52

1

That’s probably the best idea. Heres hoping its just the valve. I did find a link on replacing it (dont know if you need it but it’s below) and the guy seems to answer questions pretty quick when asked so might be worth a shot to ask and see if he has an idea.

And i was looking around and did find that the E46 M3 has an aux but I think that’s it.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticl…

Party-vi > Shift24 01/15/2016 at 14:34

1

Good call - I submitted a comment. Hopefully I’ll get some clue. If I can’t figure it out by Sunday I might have to bite the bullet and have BMW fix it for me.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 15:23

0

Then I’d say it’s quite possible that whatever controls those baffles behind the dash has failed. In either case, your repair will likely involve disassembling the dash.

Party-vi > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU 01/15/2016 at 15:23

0

Fak.

-this space for rent- > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 15:28

1

It’s not the engine, it’s all the plastic bits they insist on using to contain the coolant.

Shift24 > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 16:40

0

And I’ll ask my buddy who was a bmw tech for MAG (main reason I bought my E39) and see if he has any idea. He can be a “has to see it” kind of mechanic but he is damn good.

Shift24 > Party-vi 01/15/2016 at 18:44

0

Buddy is saying to try that see if you get fluid moving. If not might be a weak water pump. He doubts its the heater core. He’s more worried about why both inlet and outlet of HVC are cold. He says to follow the inlet line to and keep trying to see whats ahead of it and see if you can find the blockage

Party-vi > Shift24 01/17/2016 at 18:48

0

I just got done dicking around with it - tested the HCV, back flushed the heater core, and now it appears there is heat on both HCV hoses. There was some pretty strong heat in the cabin, but now it’s luke-warm. I’m going to try to bleed the system over the next couple days and see if that fixes the issue.

Nibby > Party-vi 01/20/2016 at 10:59

1

All it needs is new blinker fluid bro

Shift24 > Party-vi 01/22/2016 at 00:07

0

Nice saw you got it fixed. What was it? Just needed extra bleeding it or was the valve sticking?

Party-vi > Shift24 01/22/2016 at 07:32

0

It think it was the heater core clogged with gunk. I back flushed it and bled the system again and I’ve got heat now. The valve may have been sticking, but after taking it apart and testing it I didn’t see any reason for it not to work. I can feel it pulsing when the heat is on so I know it’s good now.

Xyl0c41n3 > Party-vi 02/02/2016 at 11:46

0

I have issue with that Valentine’s Day cards post you commented on (my issue is with the post, not with your comment). This is me, letting you — a mod — know that. I’ve also emailed the moderator account.

Party-vi > Xyl0c41n3 02/02/2016 at 12:14

0

I see a lot of them are in bad taste (Cinderella) but I don’t see a reason to pull any of them. After discussing with the Mods they have the same thought - bad taste. I can’t pull any down; if I did that I would have to pull down all those damn “woe is me” posts.

ETA: I’m asking OP to add a NSFW tag and in-title, since I don’t think most bosses would appreciate the content on their employees’ screens.

Xyl0c41n3 > Party-vi 02/02/2016 at 12:23

1

Thank you for considering the matter. Hope you have a great day, Party-vi. :)