heater core problem ds only?

[tim eh?]

BRAND NEW PROBLEM (sorry :) )

i have a heater core leak i think.
i get coolant haze on the inside of the windshield but only on the driver's side.

bad weather must have triggered it, it didn't happen until two days ago. you should have seen some of the other guys cars in need of antifreeze LOL the whole parking lot was full of cars pissing white smoke at canadian tire. i was lucky to get some, the shelves were nearly empty. man, you see some funny things at canadian tire in winter. funny when it's not you that is.

i forgot to pick up laundry detergent oh well, i'm sure i will be back there soon enough.

[Tiger]

LOL... using laundry detergent humor... maybe you just might get laundry detergent for Christmas... not just any laundry detergent but Nature Clean's Laundry detergent.

Do a pressure test on your cooling system... a hot car is enough for a test... just try to squeeze the radiator hose... if stiff, then it is pressurized and then ook for leaks.

[Rus]

Tim,

There are two sections to the heater core for the dual climate control. You might have a leak in the driver's side heater core section and not in the passenger side.

[tim eh?]

thanks guys, the pipes are nice and stiff and there are no leaks in the engine bay... i'm losing very little coolant but it's ending up on the windshield right above the ds defrost vents. carpets are dry as far as i can tell (kinda hard to tell in -15')

so i guess it's either the heater core itself or more optimistically the ds intake gasket which is #5 on the realoem chart.

edit - oops maybe #8.. whatever, somewhere around there.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6384&stc=1&d=1229201320

so before i tear the car apart tomorrow, can i access the top of the heater core through the top of the dashboard? it's right there isn't it? there are some plastic airpipes i think but the top of the heater core sits directly behind the stereo no?

[tim eh?]

can i access the top of the heater core through the top of the dashboard? it's right there isn't it? there are some plastic airpipes i think but the top of the heater core sits directly behind the stereo no?

...no, there is no access from above. (d'oh!) ask me how i know...

[Claude]

...no, there is no access from above. (d'oh!) ask me how i know...
You perhaps tried to look at that through the large center vent grid over the dash... but everything (heater core and pipes) being located inside a plastic box so no way to see and touch... too bad :( Should be easier to have the whole thing on the bench like this :) :
http://img372.imageshack.us/img_viewer_framed.php?loc=img372&image=DSCF4274.jpg&gal=img372/7979/DSCF4274.jpg

Don't see what could be a short cut to solve that problem, sorry Tim, but keep your courage !

[tim eh?]

You perhaps tried to look at that through the large center vent grid over the dash... but everything (heater core and pipes) being located inside a plastic box so no way to see and touch... too bad :( Should be easier to have the whole thing on the bench like this :) :

Don't see what could be a short cut to solve that problem, sorry Tim, but keep your courage !

that's exactly what i did, the tabs on the center vents are an absolute bitch to get at! couldn't even peek with a flashlight :(

those photos are cool and massively helpful - thanks!

i will go for a dig when i have a spare whole day (:(), hoping i can get away with tightening the pipes and saving the o-ring replacement for warmer times. the core in the realoem diagram doesn't match the one in the photos, but i'll find out pretty soon which design is in mine, and how bad the damage is (shudder).

[RockJock]

Mine just started doing the same thing. It's been a tad nippley out so I'm hoping she doesn't let loose for another 3-4 months. The cold temps also caused a couple of fuel leaks. I was able to fix one by tightening a hose clamp. The other leak is coming from the 40mm rubber hose at the back of the fuel rail against the firewall. The rubber and plastic gets stiff n' brittle at -28 ... :( yay!

oh yeah, also picked up a set of Nokian Hakka RSi's :) ,,,,, the roads are getting nasty slippery, lots of black ice...

[tim eh?]

Mine just started doing the same thing. It's been a tad nippley out so I'm hoping she doesn't let loose for another 3-4 months. The cold temps also caused a couple of fuel leaks. I was able to fix one by tightening a hose clamp. The other leak is coming from the 40mm rubber hose at the back of the fuel rail against the firewall. The rubber and plastic gets stiff n' brittle at -28 ... :( yay!

oh yeah, also picked up a set of Nokian Hakka RSi's :) ,,,,, the roads are getting nasty slippery, lots of black ice...

nice, i'm sure you will love them and never use anything else.

i had fuel leaks last winter around the regulator.

i noticed the weather, my folks live out there so i keep an eye out. we get nasty weather here, and in a lot of ways it's worse (the ice is brutal) but we very rarely get as cold as it is there (i've lived it as you know... i think -90 ****with the wind or something in '88 or '89 was the worst i experienced. my only advice is to stay indoors, i'm sure that is very helpful)

i am not losing that much coolant. if i have a spare day that isn't too cold i might give it a go... not a full replacement but i'll try to get in there enough to tighten those pipes up.

[Claude]

[QUOTE=tim eh?;if i have a spare day that isn't too cold i might give it a go... not a full replacement but i'll try to get in there enough to tighten those pipes up.[/QUOTE]

Will be tough to reach those pipes Tim and perhaps impossible without dismantling the dash (at least front of it) , this other ref (for E32 but very close to E34 setup) if haven't already see it may help you to figure out how to do that http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/ihka/ihka.html Best of luck.

[tim eh?]

Will be tough to reach those pipes Tim and perhaps impossible without dismantling the dash (at least front of it) , this other ref (for E32 but very close to E34 setup) if haven't already see it may help you to figure out how to do that http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/ihka/ihka.html Best of luck.

thanks again claude, i think i can take the dash apart alright i just don't want to deal with antifreeze...

[tim eh?]

i'm still psyching myself up for this... ordered some o-rings....

have to do it fast on a day where weather and my schedule permits...

i think i have the old model that is on the realoem diag.

i'm hoping most of the wiring in this pic is not factory, but regardless, once i get this far, how close am i?

http://www.bilder-speicher.de/image_org.php?id=07101818892505

[Claude]

Don't know how close you are, BUT Tim : courage = 150/100 !

Don't give up.