Had to TOW her today...(pics)

[SEVEN40iL]

Well I was driving along today, maybe a bit too spirited, and at a stop light, the battery sign appears on my dash, and my steering gets heavy. Yet all my electronics still work, I thought the car shut down, but I revved my engine, and it was still running. So I shut the car off, and turned her on again, started up fine, but the battery light was still there, and the steering wheel had lost its power steering.

THEN 2 minutes later, I get the 'Coolant Tempreture' warning and look over at the temp gauge and its RED HOT, and then of course it was followed by smoke billowing out from under the hood

Pulled her over, turned her off. Poped open the hood, grabbed my flashlight from the glove compartment and took a look-see. I look down and I see what appears to be a massive coolant leak, and a LOOSE belt that shouldnt be loose.

Here is what I am talking about...







So obviously there was no more driving her. Called my dad, called the tow truck and had her picked up and sent to my mech. He is going to have a look tomorrow morning and see what the culprit is. Maybe some of you guys have some ideas..

A few more pics...





and there she goes...

[TheBigGreen740]

Dag, sorry to hear i hope nothing is too messed up

[Chief Jimbo]

Either your belt broke, the tensioner was not tight causing the belt to walk off the pulley, or the tensioner is bad. Alt. might have froze up taking the belt out.. ect.. Did you have any smell of burnt rubber after you shut it off? I would be more worried about the car over heating. These cars do not respond well at all to over heating. I hope it is something very minor like the belt..

[Broox]

Your belt failed for some reason or another. The same belt runs your power steering, water pump, and alternator.

[SEVEN40iL]

Dag, sorry to hear i hope nothing is too messed up

Yeah, hope so

Your belt failed for some reason or another. The same belt runs your power steering, water pump, and alternator.

Ok, that explains the power loss in the steering wheel

Either your belt broke, the tensioner was not tight causing the belt to walk off the pulley, or the tensioner is bad. Alt. might have froze up taking the belt out.. ect.. Did you have any smell of burnt rubber after you shut it off? I would be more worried about the car over heating. These cars do not respond well at all to over heating. I hope it is something very minor like the belt..

The belt didnt break, it was still intact throughout. No smell of any burning rubber when I opened the hood and let the smoke clear. Luckily enough, I pulled over and shut her down as soon as it happened. If not the belt, then could be a broken pulley aswell. Lets see, will find out in the morning once my mech has a one over with it

[dophineh]

damn sorry to see that man.

[mojocoggo]

Typical M62 cooling system failure... Hopefully the damage is minimal.

[Cheyne]

It's never a pretty sight seeing your 7 get loaded onto a flat bed. Hopefully it's nothing too serious and you'll be back on the road quickly.

[mojocoggo]

It's never a pretty sight seeing your 7 get loaded onto a flat bed.

Yeah, it's prettier than seeing it on some ghetto tow dolly though.

[Jayccel]

Yeah, it's prettier than seeing it on some ghetto tow dolly though.

This is true. Surprised you didn't have it on a flatbed, Mojo.

Hope the damage doesn't end up being too costly.

[crewdog843]

Take a close look at the first pic...you may have to replace that fan as well, looks like a chunk taken out of it as well.

jake

[AwesomeIsLuke]

I'm gonna say that the impeller inside the waterpump failed. When that happens, it takes out a lot that surrounds it.

Sorry to hear about it man, hope everything goes okay.

[seven40]

I'm gonna say that the impeller inside the waterpump failed. When that happens, it takes out a lot that surrounds it.

Sorry to hear about it man, hope everything goes okay.

Yeah, I was going to suggest waterpump as well, given that the coolant leak seemed to have happened in conjunction with the belt slip. Whatever it was though, sucks man! Are you taking it to Charlie? He'll have it figured out within 5 minutes tops. ... and hopefully there is no next time, but if there is ... flat bed man!

[AwesomeIsLuke]

Yeah, I was going to suggest waterpump as well, given that the coolant leak seemed to have happened in conjunction with the belt slip. Whatever it was though, sucks man! Are you taking it to Charlie? He'll have it figured out within 5 minutes tops. ... and hopefully there is no next time, but if there is ... flat bed man!

oh yah, +1

Flat bed is the way to go.

[SEVEN40iL]

damn sorry to see that man.

Yeah, really sucks

Typical M62 cooling system failure... Hopefully the damage is minimal.

It's never a pretty sight seeing your 7 get loaded onto a flat bed. Hopefully it's nothing too serious and you'll be back on the road quickly.

Yeah, it's prettier than seeing it on some ghetto tow dolly though.

This is true. Surprised you didn't have it on a flatbed, Mojo.

Hope the damage doesn't end up being too costly.

Yeah, called for a flat bed, but they sent me a regular tow truck. Its ok though, the driver was extra careful as I was on his back the whole time.

Take a close look at the first pic...you may have to replace that fan as well, looks like a chunk taken out of it as well.

jake

Pic is really zoomed in, its actually just a scrape.

I'm gonna say that the impeller inside the waterpump failed. When that happens, it takes out a lot that surrounds it.

Sorry to hear about it man, hope everything goes okay.

Yeah, I was going to suggest waterpump as well, given that the coolant leak seemed to have happened in conjunction with the belt slip. Whatever it was though, sucks man! Are you taking it to Charlie? He'll have it figured out within 5 minutes tops. ... and hopefully there is no next time, but if there is ... flat bed man!

I spoke with my mech and it is the waterpump. trying to find some prices on waterpumps right now. been quoted 150-200 from one guy, and about 250-300 from another.

oh yah, +1

Flat bed is the way to go.

Definitely is, but I had no other choice

[GimmieSumMo72]

hey good luck with it!

that same thing happened to my 3 series last month! had to replace most of the cooling system!

www.bimmerzone.com usually has good deals on cooling system parts! they're also a forum sponsor

[AwesomeIsLuke]

Even though it looks like your fan is just scraped, please don't take any chances. The slightest imbalance in weight can cause fan explosion, which means the cooling system will need to be replaced again, along with your hood and any other parts that are in its path. The fan is relatively cheap anyway.

[04SSHD]

That looks and sounds, so familiar




That's where the idler pulley used to be







I wouldn't let a regular tow truck pickup my car like that, it would rip the front bumper right off. Flatbed only for my baby

[mojocoggo]

Oh hell, while we're at it:

[SEVEN40iL]

hey good luck with it!

Thanks man, shes pulling through it

Even though it looks like your fan is just scraped, please don't take any chances. The slightest imbalance in weight can cause fan explosion, which means the cooling system will need to be replaced again, along with your hood and any other parts that are in its path. The fan is relatively cheap anyway.

I will check that out, thanks.

I wouldn't let a regular tow truck pickup my car like that, it would rip the front bumper right off. Flatbed only for my baby

Yeah, I wouldnt either, but I had no other choice at the moment.

She's at Bimmersport Automotive here, and they do great work and only trust them to do the job.

New Water Pump - $260
New Belt - $30
Labour - $120

Total - $410

[ProStreetDriver]

really sorry to hear man...

when i had the truck i was driving to school for a test. its an hour drive to school for me. i was doing about 100km and heard a ping... didn't think much of it. then i heard another noise and pulled over. popped the hood and theres the alternator belt hanging and just the bushing left on the bolt from where the plastic pulley used to be. drove it up the road to my buddy's place and he gave me a ride to school.

[mojocoggo]

New Water Pump - $260
New Belt - $30
Labour - $120

Total - $410

Those are very good prices. Definitely replace the fan, though.

[SEVEN40iL]

She is home, safe and sound.

My mech looked over the fan, and so did I. It does not wobble at all, and is pretty firm. Gonna leave it at that for now.

Thanks for the help, and the best wishes from all of you.

[AwesomeIsLuke]

Wow, that was quick!

Glad everything was smooth and sound.

[Cheyne]

She is home, safe and sound.

My mech looked over the fan, and so did I. It does not wobble at all, and is pretty firm. Gonna leave it at that for now.

Thanks for the help, and the best wishes from all of you.

Congratulations! It's always great to see them up and running again. I'd be nervous about that fan though....

Oh hell, while we're at it:

That looks and sounds, so familiar

Can I play too?