BMW 318i J-plate
Hi, i accidentally put car wash into the radiator instead of anti-freeze. Silly thing really as they were both the same colour but now that the engine started to overheat on the way back from the airport we had to stop every 5 minutes, bleed the drain valve, let out as much gass bubbles as possible, let it cool down then repeat the process 5-10 times before getting home!
It seems to me it was an air lock as one side of the radiator felt hot and the other cold, but when bled both the pipes became the same temperature... is this just a simple \"drain, clean-out with water, then top-up and refill process?\"... is it difficult as replacing a starter motor on the same car just as i did last week?
Any tip/advice would be gratefull, thanks in advance!
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Yes No harm done if it if just frothing up. You cleanly use a lot of water to but that much screenwash in it. Are you sure the reason for the leak in the first place has not just got worse and it is exciting the sreenwash,i.e. a minor head gasket leak into a wayerway. What was the cause of the original leak. Regards Peter
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it seems like its just frothing up, then opening the bleed valve while keeping the top-up point on the radiator closed, you can hear the bubbles "bubbling" away.... before the engine "blew" the engine cut out. I think this was the engine management system switching the whole thing off before it became unusable...
There was no leak except from the overflow pipe from when the bubbles kick-started.... the engine has been well looked after since my brother oqned it 4-5 years ago!... thanks again!
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I would consider checking for head gasket failure, given your description.
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Was this added to coolant, or used instead of it?
Sounds like it was boiling, as the boiling point would be too low, if no ethylene glycol was in there. Just give it a good clean through, and use proper BMW (Febi) atifreeze from Eurocarparts. and if the level remains constant, you probably got away with it.
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i was just topping up on the coolant but used car wash fluid instead.
as eurocarparts is too far away i have many car shops around my area as well as the local Halfords, could i use one of their antifreeze if i pay for the more expensive ones??
thanks again in advance!
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>>Sounds like it was boiling, as the boiling point would be too low, if no ethylene glycol was in there.
Most cars run at about 80-95 degrees - so below boiling point. In addition, the tank is pressurised, so the boiling point of water in a radiator should be a bit over 100.
I suppose if windscreen washer fluid it could have contained alcohol or some other solvent which would depress the boiling point. Alternatively, the bubbling that you get below boiling point may have caused frothing if it was car shampoo.
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