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11-03-2010, 03:06 PM
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#1
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2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Mississauga
Posts: 103
Car: E34 540i
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BMW E34 Coolant Smell in Cabin...
Hi guys,
I have a problem. My 95' BMW 540i blows coolant smell from the vents. I cant use the heat anymore now since all you smell coolant and its quite poisonous. What do i do? I know it must be the heatercore. Also my car gives off alot of white smoke/vapour, even when engine was warm and head gasket was changed a year ago.
Any help? Thanks
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11-03-2010, 03:47 PM
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#2
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3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: The boonies
Posts: 386
Car: 1995 525
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I would guess at the heater core. Not an easy job. Done that once. Never again.
__________________
'07 335i/6 - Addicted to boost
'95 525 - money pit/daily driver
'90 525 S52, ERT Powerdyne Stage 2 Supercharger - parts car
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11-03-2010, 04:18 PM
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#3
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2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Mississauga
Posts: 103
Car: E34 540i
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Did you replace the heater core yourself? How much money did it end up costing you? Thank you
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11-03-2010, 04:18 PM
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#4
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16/F/Cali
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: OJ Didn't Do it.
Posts: 1,301
Car: E34 530i/5
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Do you know if they replaced the head gasket on both banks?
__________________
95 530i|Modifications - Work.
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11-03-2010, 04:33 PM
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#5
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2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Mississauga
Posts: 103
Car: E34 540i
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Ummm im pretty sure both banks were changed. I know the heater core is probably flooded with coolant, even though the coolant level stays the same...
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11-03-2010, 04:48 PM
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#6
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3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: The boonies
Posts: 386
Car: 1995 525
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I changed the heater core myself. If I remember right, the part was around $300. Shops will charge over $1000 to do the job since it's such a pain in the butt.
__________________
'07 335i/6 - Addicted to boost
'95 525 - money pit/daily driver
'90 525 S52, ERT Powerdyne Stage 2 Supercharger - parts car
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11-04-2010, 03:42 PM
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#7
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5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Jewtown
Posts: 1,060
Car: E34 M5 Euro
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It's not always the heater core, it could be the heater valve or the axillary water pump near the heater valve. Some times those two could leak, and the blower motor just sucks in the coolant smell from the engine bay. I smell the coolant too sometimes inside the car when i turn on the heat. but the smell goes away after 5 seconds.
__________________
1990 M5 Euro
You wash your car like it was your firstborn child, you tend to its needs like it was your own body, you protect it like it's your family, then you drive it like you stole it 
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11-04-2010, 06:12 PM
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#8
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2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Mississauga
Posts: 103
Car: E34 540i
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The difference is, no matter how long i leave the heat on, i smell coolant, therefore i believe it would be the heater core...but would be glad to find out its otherwise.
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11-09-2010, 01:37 PM
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#9
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Go Topless
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Under my e30
Posts: 795
Car: 740i, 335ic, 325
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Sounds like you are right - it sure sounds like the heater core. Crappy job but not impossible. There's a writeup on the interweb. Make sure you change the pipes and o-rings while you're in there. Not a job you want to do twice.
__________________
Join BMW Club of Canada! Click HERE
Best Engine, Bimmercruise '10 / 2nd - e30 Wild, Bimmercruise '10 / 1st - Best Cabrio, Trillium @ Tedfest '11 / 1st - e30 Wild, Bimmercruise '11 / 1st - e30 Wild, Bimmercruise '12 www.vertnation.com
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11-14-2010, 03:59 PM
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#10
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Happy Happy Joy Joy
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Lawrencetown, NS
Posts: 165
Car: 89 535iA; 93 M5
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done it. Not hard but lots to disassemble to get at it. In a lot of cases it's just the "O" rings that are leaking.
__________________
89 535iA ; 93 M5
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11-15-2010, 08:55 PM
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#11
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2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Mississauga
Posts: 103
Car: E34 540i
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Actually, after leaving the heater running for a period of time, the smell of coolant disappears and heat blows nice and hot...
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11-15-2010, 09:42 PM
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#12
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Parts hoarding partner...
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,012
Car: 325IS 87-325IC 89-IC
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in my experience with e34 the heater taps were faulty. I don't recall cars coming in to get the heater core serviced. Cores usually don't go but may find the o-rings do. As mentioned the heater tap or aux waterpump could be leaking or bad and fan is sucking it into the cabin from the engine bay.
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11-15-2010, 09:50 PM
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#13
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2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Mississauga
Posts: 103
Car: E34 540i
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I hope its not the heater core itself and something minor. I'm gonna need to bring it in somewhere and check it out, but I don't know where to bring it to
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