I have a 1997 528i. Last night I finished replacing the radiator, thermostat and housing, all hoses for the coolant system, and of course replaced the fluid. I'm seeing some white smoke from the exhaust. I think it may be the head gaket. I wanted to know how long I can run on it if indeed it is blown? Will it do a lot of damage to my car if I do not fix it right away?
So do I. Did the fluid blow out or the engine overheat because of radiator failure? If so and you ran on then the head may be warped.
Probably too late, you will need to skim the heads and rebuild the engine...
Before you jump to any conclusions, are there any other symptoms?
A rough idle for example,is usually one of the first signs, loss of power when driving or lots of white gunge on the inside of the oil filler cap?
The rads on the M50/M52 engines failing is not that uncommon. The black plastic section that runs down the side of the water reservoir probably swelled up and then started pissing water out....right?
It's bloody cold outside at the moment, so if the engines cold it may appear to be chuffing out white smoke, but it's only until the car warms up.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.