318i overheated

I have a 96' 318i. I overheated a few weeks ago and blew a hole in the radiator. So I replaced it and then discovered my spark plugs caked in oil. So I replaced the valve cover gasket and tube seals(and plugs). Then I replaced the thermostat and it still overheated(even without the thermostat!). Then I figured it was the coolant pump, so I replaced that(the turbine was in the block). Now it is still overheating. The fan does work. So my next step is the head gasket set. I was just wanting to know if I'm right about the head gasket set. Or if it could be something else? Or if I'm right is there anything else that is mandatory to replace?

In article >,
Laurak4 > wrote:
>
>I have a 96' 318i. I overheated a few weeks ago and blew a hole in the
>radiator. So I replaced it and then discovered my spark plugs caked in
>oil. So I replaced the valve cover gasket and tube seals(and plugs).
>Then I replaced the thermostat and it still overheated(even without the
>thermostat!). Then I figured it was the coolant pump, so I replaced
>that(the turbine was in the block). Now it is still overheating. The
>fan does work. So my next step is the head gasket set. I was just
>wanting to know if I'm right about the head gasket set. Or if it could
>be something else? Or if I'm right is there anything else that is
>mandatory to replace?

What is the flow through the system like? If the turbine fragmented,
and your block is now clogged with bits off the pump, you have a more
serious problem.

You could well have damaged the gasket and/or warped the block by overheating
the engine so severely. But if the coolant can't get through the block and
you have to replace the block as a result, it'll take care of all that stuff
too.

How did you manage to overheat the thing so severely? If your temperature
gauge was screwed up, it may still be screwed up and you may be running cooler
than you think.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"Laurak4" > wrote
> I have a 96' 318i. I overheated a few weeks ago and blew a hole in the
> radiator. So I replaced it and then discovered my spark plugs caked in
> oil. So I replaced the valve cover gasket and tube seals(and plugs).
> Then I replaced the thermostat and it still overheated(even without the
> thermostat!). Then I figured it was the coolant pump, so I replaced
> that(the turbine was in the block). Now it is still overheating. The
> fan does work. So my next step is the head gasket set. I was just
> wanting to know if I'm right about the head gasket set. Or if it could
> be something else? Or if I'm right is there anything else that is
> mandatory to replace?

Before doing the head gasket, perform a cooling system pressure test.
This will tell you if you have a leak - since you don't mention loss of
coolant, you may not have a leak that can be fixed by replacing the
head gasket.

You don't mention the fan clutch; does it overheat while driving
(at 30-40 mph), or while sitting still.

Another thing to check -- or replace - is the hoses. The bottom
hose to the radiator can collapse when old, stopping the coolant
flow.

And lastly, many BMWs have tricky fill procedures. It's easy
to get an air bubble in the system. You may just need to bleed
the system.

FloydR

Originally Posted by Scott Dorsey

In article >,
Laurak4 > wrote:
>
>I have a 96' 318i. I overheated a few weeks ago and blew a hole in the
>radiator. So I replaced it and then discovered my spark plugs caked in
>oil. So I replaced the valve cover gasket and tube seals(and plugs).
>Then I replaced the thermostat and it still overheated(even without the
>thermostat!). Then I figured it was the coolant pump, so I replaced
>that(the turbine was in the block). Now it is still overheating. The
>fan does work. So my next step is the head gasket set. I was just
>wanting to know if I'm right about the head gasket set. Or if it could
>be something else? Or if I'm right is there anything else that is
>mandatory to replace?

What is the flow through the system like? If the turbine fragmented,
and your block is now clogged with bits off the pump, you have a more
serious problem.

You could well have damaged the gasket and/or warped the block by overheating
the engine so severely. But if the coolant can't get through the block and
you have to replace the block as a result, it'll take care of all that stuff
too.

How did you manage to overheat the thing so severely? If your temperature
gauge was screwed up, it may still be screwed up and you may be running cooler
than you think.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

I did a compression test and I believe the 1st cyl was 100 and kept going down each cyl the last cyl was 20.

The turbine was in one piece. It didn't look chopped up at all.

I bought the car in November. I had to heat it up for at least 12 minutes for it to be warm when it was winter and it would go back to cold when I turned the heat on. Maybe the temperature gauge is screwed up.

I never dog it out or anything.