Please Help!!

[deedee47]

I have a 97 523i
Today after driving 100miles, leaving the motorway and slowing at lights the engine overheated....!
Temp went up and lite the warning light.
Turned the engine off and took a look under the bonnet to find steam and coolant pouring onto the road but could not locate where it was comming from.
Car has been allowed to cool and then i started to fill the coolant back up, i believe i have removed the air from the system by using the two air release plugs at the top (1 by the filler cap and the other on the top feed pipe).I started the engine and allowed it to heat and then in course to pump the water round.... the water level dropped and i then topped it back up.
The problem is that it continues to over heat but it does not leak now and there is no steam.
Also now the heating within the car is cold even when set to max 32 degrees.
Being cold in the car may suggest a airlock and cause it to continously over heat?
Does anyone have any ideas where it may have poured it's coolant out from? When i looked the whole of the front of the engine was wet from the condensation of the steam, the coolant was pouring from the front left of the engine bay but from no obvious location.

I know it could be coming from anywhere and this post is a bit vauge but i will try and give as much info as possible.

I had wondered if there was a possibility if a faulty thermostate... not allowing the water to circulate and therefore overheat...? But then how did the coolant get out...Is there a kind of pressure valve that will dump it in this kind of emergency?? I really dont know and am just scratching at ideas.....

Any advise is greatly appreciated!!

Dee

[Bunta]

Hmm, sounds like your thermostat is not opening. How much coolant did you pour into the car? Look in your owners manual, it might tell you how much coolant the system holds.

I really don't know much either, but since there isn't hot water getting to the heater core, I'd say its path is blocked by a dead thermostat... Just a guess.

[deedee47]

The engine holds 10.5 I think i put around 5.5 back into it. It cant be sure if i have cleared all airlocks though. The thermostat was new around 1000 miles ago... is there a possibility new parts can fail that quick...? Hmmmm.

Thanks for your update.... Dee

[Bunta]

Don't wait around for the forum to fix your car. Call somebody who knows. Could be faulty work, could be the planets are aligned, could be gremlins...

[deedee47]

Agreed.. The car is going tomorrow ready for monday morning.... I was trying to get a rough idea of what damage may have been done and of course the repair bill...

Thanks again..

[Bunta]

Happy! Excellent. Peace.

[Tuna Woods]

As others replied, it could be the thermostat not opening or maybe the water pump impeller shaft is internally broken.