engine and drivetrain radiator woes...help needed. (kind of long)

[Hugh]

The other night i was driving home and close to my house I began to hear a tick tick sound coming from the engine compartment. At the next stoplight, steam began coming out of the hood, I made it home and opened the hood to clouds of steam.

Next morning in the daylight I took a look and my radiator has been completely chewed up by the fan. the plastic fan blades have punctured the radiator in multiple places and it pours out water as fast as I can fill it up with the garden hose.

I obviously need a new radiator...I suspect the 320 upgrade is the thing to do...will my local muffler shop have one? will they be able to do the upgrade?

and most importantly...what caused the fan to hit the thing in the first place? it has never happened before. It looks like the space is definitely tight between the radiator and fan but if i spin it with my hand, it doesn't touch. the fan bearing has no play at all either...

any ideas? its my daily driver so i want to get it fixed up as soon as I can.

[BLUNT]

before you put a new radiator in check your motor,tranny mounts as well as your subframe on the drivers side where the motor mount attaches. most likely somethings wrong there. get ahold of curt ingraham (hes a member here) for a radiator. it may be a few bucks more but he makes a nice unit and it looks factory.

[Jon_uk]

Hi there,

I had a similar problem – I didn't get as far as having it knock so hard that the rad became damaged but I did notice that under acceleration etc I could hear a knocking. It turned out to be the engine mounts. I'm still toying with the idea of adding an electric fan and removing the factory one.

The only other thing I'd say is be real careful driving it if there is any sign of steam coming out of the engine bay – a cracked or warped head is the last thing you want.

Good luck with sorting it

Jon

[merlin]

the problem is bad engine and or trans mount. it only takes one to be soft to allow the engine to hit. I serously doubt a muffler should would have a radiator. any independent BMW or parts place should have the 320 unit available the same day unless your realy out in the sticks. there is 1 hose that has to be changed depending on the radator in your car. its the lower right one make sure it matches yours in the pic of the radiator. if it doesnt order that lower rad hose.

sam

[Hugh]

thanks everyone...i've decided to take it to a shop nearby and get it sorted out right...I will have it towed there and inspected thoroughly for the cause of the problem. Normally I would do it myself but summer is here and I want to get it done.

will probably do the 320 conversion and electric fan install while there...

onward and upward!

[DukeRimmer]

The mounts are soft enough to damage the radiator when braking even when the mounts are new. Everyone should know that, shouldn't have to hear it from an old body guy.