There is also a tool out there to check for combustion gases in your cooling system which would be a signs of a blown head gasket. A Torx screw on the top driver side of the radiator needed to come out before the radiator was free. Runs fine at idle, but if I drive it for 5 miles or so and then stop and it quickly overheats. My mechanic says my radiator is leaking I saw some chalky gray stuff by it, and he says I need to replace the radiator, water pump for good measure and the thermostat. Thanks September 12, 2015 Followup from the Pelican Staff: Which bleeder screw? If not, you have ruled out a costly repair. May 23, 2017 Followup from the Pelican Staff: You should be able to drop them in the same orientation they came out.
I also filled it with plain water after draining the coolant and ran it until it got hot with the heater controls on hot and then drained it again. This block testing liquid is cheap, and will verify a suspected leaking head gasket without lengthy diagnosis. Surely I couldn't have been unlucky enough to get a bad thermostat. Draining and filling your cooling system is not only a maintenance requirement but also a prerequisite of many repairs. Will this be a major problem? Maybe it wasn't secured all the way.
Do you think it could just be a bad radiator? Your leak looks to be the side tank on the radiator. March 24, 2016 Followup from the Pelican Staff: It's up to you. Allow the coolant to drain into the bucket. No nearly as big as the one I had but there still is one. Min and Max levels are embossed on the coolant expansion tank for reference yellow arrow.
Need to buy parts for this project? You can also only replace the one that is faulty. Put the heat on high when bleeding. Is there a possibility that e46 may or may not have the stream flowing in expansion tank hole located on top? The engine will warm up to operating temp for a few minutes and then shoot up to the red very quickly. Does it take a special flushing fluid to be used to actually flush the system? They can figure out what part or repair kit you need. This is what I believe is broke.
They can figure out what part or repair kit you need. When you accelerate, the engine temperature will rise. I guess I've been had. I would try to flush using water or an approved flushing agent. The engine could run hot at slower speeds or at stops. If it keeps happening, you have a leak.
All Replacement brand items are backed by 1-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. Thanks Adam March 27, 2016 Followup from the Pelican Staff: No, that is not necessary. July 29, 2015 Followup from the Pelican Staff: What do you mean the difference? We pulled vacuum on the system and all air is out now but still gets hot. Make sure when you fill up the cooling system, that you fill it cold, and that the vent screw in the radiator is loose. . By entering this site, you agree to hold Pelican Parts free from any liability arising out of the use of any information contained within. I installed new radiator and expansion tank this weekend.
March 13, 2018 Followup from the Pelican Staff: I would buy pre-mixed, it is easier to deal with. I have also had a world of trouble since my entire cooling system was replaced. However, I now have no heat coming from my vents when I turn the heater on. Most radiators also have a separate cooling system built in for transmission fluid. I would suggest replacing coolant at 60k and hoses at 100k. Possible defective thermostat or faulty wiring to it.
If the system will not hold pressure and there are no external leaks the head gasket or trans cooler may be faulty. When leaving a comment, please leave your vehicle information. Keep in mind that when your car was serviced before, parts may have been replaced with different size fasteners used in the replacement. One technique that worked well on my Porsche 944 was to get the car up to operating temp after following all the directions for refilling the cooling system found on this page, then open the bleed screw on top of the expansion tank so that hot coolant and any remaining air can escape. No need to drain it. Is the thermostat installed with the crown up? Is this sealed by an oring and what is this hole for? This fixed my overheating problem. Car ran great for 2 days, now I'm over heating again.