HOLY SH@T WHAT HAPPENED? PICS

[Scarface]

I was driving home from work for lunch and I wasn't driving hard any, just like normal and a belt started squeaking every now and then, I didn't think anything....I kept an eye one all my gauges and all was fine, then when I got home when I stopped the car steam was coming out from under the hood, I immediately turned the engine off and popped the hood to find a brown liquid spattered all inside my engine compartment. When looking closer it seems like it comes from beloe the timing cover. Please I hope this isnt serious, I hope it is an easy fix, I only drove about 3 miles! Does anyone know what might have happened??? Thanks

[Scarface]

another

[Scarface]

last one

[2.link]

That looks like oil, and it could be from your oil filter being dirty and the oil pressure grew from the filter being too clogged and shot it out the top of the filter, where the gasket should be, could be a blown oil filter gasket.

[007ben]

dead gasket?

[Scarface]

Originally posted by 2.link@Sep 14 2004, 02:50 PM
That looks like oil, and it could be from your oil filter being dirty and the oil pressure grew from the filter being too clogged and shot it out the top of the filter, where the gasket should be, could be a blown oil filter gasket.

Well after I settled down I looked at it closer and what I think is it either came from the reservoir(empty) and the fan is what splattered it all over the place, or the shot out of the head and into the fan and all over the place. I guess I need to do a pressure test and then I will really know...

[dutchbmw]

cooling fluid i guess, make sure you don't blow the head gasket now!

[bitcore]

Yah, looks like an oil filter gasket.

Coolant would have antifreeze in it (IT SHOULD) and I'm unaware of any antifreeze that's brown...

[e36_m3_Turbo]

Originally posted by bitcore@Sep 14 2004, 04:48 PM

Coolant would have antifreeze in it (IT SHOULD) and I'm unaware of any antifreeze that's brown...

me either. thats kinda weird. yet oil is more of a thicker liquid

[Kevin325i]

Coolant. Probably a pin hole leak in the radiator.

[theogill]

Doods, one simple question-- What does it smell like? Coolant has a pretty distinct smell. Steaming oil would have a pretty distinct oil smell too. If that's coolant it's some nasty ass looking stuff. Good luck. :wink

[BMDub325is]

It could very well be brown coolant (if you have some rust in the cooling system). My last cars coolant would turn brown about 1 month after i flushed it out. I flushed it all the time. Could also be a coolant oil mix if you blew the head gasket or cracked the head. I do not know which one is worse but hopefully it is neither of the above. Check steering and brake systems too (i doubt it is this though). Good luck.

[007ben]

it does look like his power stearing fluid cap is open... i could be wrong its hard to tell for the pics. let us know.

[Scarface]

Well once again I did some more looking and before I didn't look at the radiator fan. There are like 3-4 blades broken off! The shroud somehow came loose of where it sits up top, came down and I guess the fan hit the shroud and then somehow the radiator fluid came out somewhere, it definately smelled like radiator fluid. I was told it was probably rust inside that made it turn brown. When I got home I filled the radiator with water and cranked the car up, the car ran fine and didnt sputter or anything, so I think it is ok, I will just need a new fan and possibly new radiator. I also noticed a pin hole leak on top of the right side of the radiaitor...Thanks for the help guys.

[MrChance]

Check out your waterpump too- if the fan was off balance with the blades broken off, it could have knocked the shaft out of alignment in the waterpump and caused big problems.

E36 water pump reliability is not that hot in the first place, and it will be a lot easier to replace it when they do the fan.