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02 BMW overheating at idle and service light comes on sometimes

Tiny
BMWMAN123
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 BMW 330CI
  • 153,000 MILES
I had the fan Change/radiator/cap still over heats at idle also last night while driving it started to overheat again as I slow down to come to a complete stop I notice there was a trail of water with a big puddle under the car it look like the water was coming from the cap but by the time I pop the hood there no signs of a leak so I poored some more water(mechanic told me to use water until I can find the problem) also notice it overheats faster when the A/C is on
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Saturday, July 21st, 2012 AT 1:51 PM

12 Replies

Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
You changed all 3 components? What about the thermostat?
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Saturday, July 21st, 2012 AT 1:54 PM
Tiny
BMWMAN123
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  • 8 POSTS
No I didn't but I didn't think it was the thermostat since it starts to shake a liltle when the temp gauge starts to creep up and the the engine starts to act up not very noticeable though
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Saturday, July 21st, 2012 AT 2:03 PM
Tiny
BMWMAN123
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  • 8 POSTS
It's also throwing misfire codes when I went to advance auto parts they said it was cylinder 5 and 4 and when I got it check with the mechanic it read out 1 and 3 and not the others(5 and 4) when it's not overheating it drives smooth with no codes
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Saturday, July 21st, 2012 AT 2:09 PM
Tiny
BMWMAN123
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  • 8 POSTS
And I would think the thermostat works because when I look in the expansion tank I notice the water getting swallowed up and gets squirted back
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Saturday, July 21st, 2012 AT 2:23 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Thermostat could be working but it can open partially whereby restrictions occurs in the coolant flow.
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Saturday, July 21st, 2012 AT 2:51 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
"I had the fan Change/radiator/cap"

What was changed?
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Saturday, July 21st, 2012 AT 2:52 PM
Tiny
BMWMAN123
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Ok I'll have my mechanic change that on Monday. All three of them were changed
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Saturday, July 21st, 2012 AT 2:58 PM
Tiny
BMWMAN123
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
After changing the thermostat it went two days without over heating except on the second day coolant light kept coming on and off and then on the third day it started to over heat again.I keep having to top off with water again. One thing I notice before they change the thermostat to the new one was that it was shooting the water and after they change the thermostat it was flowing evenly now it's back to shooting the water again.
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 7:29 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Have a pressutre test done to check for a bad head gasket and/or leakage in the cooling system.
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 1:11 PM
Tiny
BMWMAN123
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Sorry when I said shooting water I meant from the little small whole within the the expansion tank not the actual expansion tank it self. That small liltle hole that pours back the coolant into the expansion tank. **Update I bled it last night and screwed on the top tight since last time I didnt tighten it and it started to leak out out from the cap and got overheated so after doing that I drove it this morning for about 15 miles never got overheated but the coolant light kept coming on.I don't wanna open it again since last time I opened up the cap it was filled with coolant and left the cap a liltle loose and that's when it got overheated
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 3:22 PM
Tiny
BMWMAN123
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It goes down easily its just when the water is coming back to the tank it's having some difficulty as if the thermostat is stuck can the thermostat I just bought be defective
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 3:31 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
The cap must be closed tightly other wise overheating would occur. System works under pressure and that should be the reason you are having overheating problem.
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 6:46 PM

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