Overheat! Coolant Leak! Help!

[brucet]

Hi

My 92 325i ran for about 2 minutes in the red, no coolant, on the parkway the other night. She still starts and sounds ok and I found a heater hose broken off the plastic inlet at the firewall. Fixed that and still have a leak but can't find it! Looking under the car it's dripping from the front transmission crossmember so its definately on or near the back of the head or block. Feeling the hoses under the intake manifold there is nothing wet. Do you think this is a cracked head or blown head gasket? I just ordered all new heater hoses but now I've got my doubts. Any opinions or experience is much appreciated!

Thanks

Bruce

[PhilipWOT]

umm thats wierd. Whats the status of your water pump?

[buster318is]

Tough 1, I think u shud get the old girl up on blocks and have a good look with a torch* on the underside of the car between the engine and transmission for 'wet patches'

It COULD be a hose, but u'd b pretty miserable if u changed 'em all and it wasn't.

The fact that ur engine is runnin' ok doesn't sound like it's a cracked block - u'd lose compression on 1 or more of ur cylinders if it had and ur engine would be misfiring

If it is a gasket, thats a BIG leak to dump the entire contents of ur coolant

U can check if ur head gasket has gone by looking on the underside of ur oil filler cap. If u hav a white residue that looks like mayonnaise, then ur head gasket is prob gone

U need to find the source of the leak

*flashlight

[rwg]

Coolant runs like water (obviously) and the leak could be coming from a lot of places. Based on that description I would guess thermostat or thermostat housing, but that's nothing but a guess.

[PhilipWOT]

My money's on water pump, but it's just a hunch.

[E36FewInNumber]

hmmm... I'm guessing Radiator hose, because I was in a parking lot one day and I had it running and left the car to talk to a friend, came back and my car was smoking and a puddle of coolant was underneath my car. I took it to the dealer and they replaced the radiator hose, and runs fine now.

[brucet]

HI

Well.. I replaced the broken heater flange, reconnected the heater hose and still have a coolant leak and I've also got the chocolate milk looking stuff on the inside of the oil filler cap! I can hear a "gurglling sound in the CAI when its running so it looks like a blown head gasket (92 325i non-vanos 225k). Here's my rationalization..

1. If I pull the head and replace gasket I'd better get the head checked, milled, valves, guides, clean the injectors, etc. done. $600 to $800 machine shop work, parts etc. Although she ran strong, good oil pressure, etc, I don't know the condition of the bottom end so some risk there.

2. It looks like on a cost/time basis I could just as easily pull the engine and replace it. (by the way I've had a 5 speed conversion sitting in the garage for a year waiting for time to do that swap).

3. Some have recommended a straight m50 non vanos swap (cheaper). WHere do you guys get used engines from? I found a 92 40k miles drop in for $2500 but at that price I might wand to find an upgrade engine.

4. Searching the threads seems to indicate that an M50 to S50 swap is common and fairly straight forward. What about 2.5 to 2.8? Some indication that it's not really worth it.

5. What is the best source for used engines?

Any help mucho appreciated!

Thanks

Bruce