 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | | | |  |  |  | |  02-02-2009, 05:12 PM | #1 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 157 |  Engine overheated, steering locked up and I had no brakes
It overheated yesterday on the interstate.. I don't think I noticed it right away until I stopped at a stop light and saw steam/smoke.
I turned it off and let it cool for a bit, but since I was only about a mile or two from my mechanic's shop, I tried to get it there. Didn't make it. I lost the ability to steer and the brakes locked up on me, and I think the engine shut off.
Had to have it towed the rest of the way. Waiting to hear back from them now.
How ****ed am I? |  |  | | 02-02-2009, 05:23 PM | #2 | | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oxford, Ohio Posts: 868 |
could be looking at a new head, HG, or complete engine.
What you said didn't make sense, though.
Loss of power steering could be from a stalled engine. Brakes locking up sounds strange. And you don't know if the engine shut off by itself? That's a key piece of info. | | | | | 02-02-2009, 05:24 PM | #3 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 1,625 |
that depends.. if the head is warped, you are kinda F-ed.
generally its just a head gasket or some other aspect of the cooling system (hose/radiator, etc).
the fact that your brakes locked up & that the engine died (seized?) sounds potentially bad... what did your mechanic say? __________________ 
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Metric Mechanic's 2.0 stroker/258' intake cam/42 lb. inj./remap/HD fuel pump
/DASC w.3' pulley @ 15psi/SNOW System/3.45 LSD/Billstein PSS coils
/Stromung Exhaust/DS1's/X-Brace/Front & Rear H&R Sways/OMP 300mm SW
/SAP delete/ASC+T delete/Hayabusa valve springs/MM's LTW flywheel | | | | | 02-02-2009, 05:39 PM | #4 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 157 |
They haven't had a chance to look at it yet, so I'm just trying to get an idea of what to expect them to say.
I was turning a corner and I just lost the ability to steer the car, my brakes didn't work and I had to roll to a stop on the side of the road (luckily I stopped before running into a road sign which was about 5 ft away)
I just assume the engine shut itself off or locked up and stopped working, maybe the heat ate through the hydraulics somehow? | | | | | 02-02-2009, 05:40 PM | #5 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 157 |
In searching similar threads, I'm thinking there was a coolant issue that I should have noticed before.. I stopped being able to get much after I took my car to have its oil changed at a different place than normal (money was tight and they were running a special) unless I really floored it.. like getting on a highway | | | | | 02-02-2009, 05:41 PM | #6 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 157 |
What am I looking at price wise for some of the stuff you mentioned? | | | | | 02-02-2009, 05:55 PM | #7 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 1,625 | 
sounds like the engine just shut off - which shouldnt be a big deal (uless it seized). hoses, thermostats, water pumps are all pretty cheap (less that 50 bucks each)... new radiator (unlikely) is about 100+ head gasket is bout 100+, but the labor & new head bolts will cost you some... it is really hard to guess without knowing what exaclty went bad - so this is all worthless guessing... HOWEVER, if your head is warped OR if there is internal damage due to motor seizing - may as well start looking on the internet for a used motor (u can get them cheap if you spend time looking for one)... let us know what your mechanic saiz... it would help the guessing game. Quote: Originally Posted by Ken  They haven't had a chance to look at it yet, so I'm just trying to get an idea of what to expect them to say.
I was turning a corner and I just lost the ability to steer the car, my brakes didn't work and I had to roll to a stop on the side of the road (luckily I stopped before running into a road sign which was about 5 ft away)
I just assume the engine shut itself off or locked up and stopped working, maybe the heat ate through the hydraulics somehow? | __________________
SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!
Metric Mechanic's 2.0 stroker/258' intake cam/42 lb. inj./remap/HD fuel pump
/DASC w.3' pulley @ 15psi/SNOW System/3.45 LSD/Billstein PSS coils
/Stromung Exhaust/DS1's/X-Brace/Front & Rear H&R Sways/OMP 300mm SW
/SAP delete/ASC+T delete/Hayabusa valve springs/MM's LTW flywheel | | | | | 02-02-2009, 06:49 PM | #8 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 2,525 |
Quote: Originally Posted by marko sounds like the engine just shut off - which shouldnt be a big deal (uless it seized).
hoses, thermostats, water pumps are all pretty cheap (less that 50 bucks each)... new radiator (unlikely) is about 100+
head gasket is bout 100+, but the labor & new head bolts will cost you some...
it is really hard to guess without knowing what exaclty went bad - so this is all worthless guessing...
HOWEVER, if your head is warped OR if there is internal damage due to motor seizing - may as well start looking on the internet for a used motor (u can get them cheap if you spend time looking for one)...
let us know what your mechanic saiz... it would help the guessing game. | Probably just the engine shutting off and the brake booster no longer have pressure is what you felt in the brakes... You are best off to buy a radiator on the internet. From your mechanic or the local dealer a radiator will be 270+... The list price is pretty high, but you can get them at wholesale price on the internet for at least 100$ less. | | | | | 02-02-2009, 10:55 PM | #9 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 157 |
They didn't have a chance to look at the car in depth today, but he said they didn't see any oil in the coolant or any water in the oil.. I'm not sure it was "water in the oil" .. but essentially, they didn't notice any fluids where they shouldn't be on first glance.
They are pretty sure the radiator is completely busted though, there's some kind of crack I guess.. they'll be looking at it first thing tomorrow morning.
Do you have a link on where to get one of the radiator?
He doesn't charge mark up on parts, so what he pays from the dealership is what I pay him | | | | | 02-02-2009, 11:39 PM | #10 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: state college, pa Posts: 3,431 |
The steering locked or was difficult to turn?
If you lose vacuum pressure, the power steering and brake booster pneumatic circuits fail. You can steer and use the brakes, but it's like turning a full dump truck and trying to push a pallet of bricks with your foot.
I don't know how old you are to know the difference, but driving a car used to be work. Even in a tiny car like a Ford Fiesta, you had to crank the crap out of the steering wheel to get it to turn. __________________
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ZOMBIES. | | | | | 02-02-2009, 11:42 PM | #11 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 157 |
Well, it turned a little bit because I was able to get it on the side of the road after crossing the freeway (Road had curved and I had to go with it since my brakes weren't stopping me)
So I guess it was just extremely difficult to turn.. it wasn't locked like when you lock the steering wheel when getting out of the car, it just didn't respond | | | | | 02-02-2009, 11:42 PM | #12 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norcal - 94590 Posts: 3,186 |
Also, have your mechanic replace the coolant block fittings, which are bound to fail... see write-up here; http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthrea...hlight=coolant Good luck! __________________ James 95 active w/leather interior and sport interior conversion, Vaders, full M-Tech exterior conversion. Now m50 swapped* Eibach sway bars, D2 Coilovers, Depo's w/AE's, blacked-out sides and grills, LeatherZ console and door armrests, 1 series starter button mod, and custom finished Style 5's <--- in this color! Named "Roddy":  *M50 6 cyl. swap with fan delete, S50 cams and chip, AFE stage 2 intake, M3 clutch and 11.5 lb Fidanza flywheel, 3.15LSD, battery relocated to rear and complete custom exhaust. Sweet!  97 318ti sport, Alaska Blue, Contours, coilovers, Dove Vaders and custom black/grey interior named "Max" 95 318ti Active in Cosmos, S50 swap in progress... named "Pit" SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | | | 02-03-2009, 05:49 AM | #14 | | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 231 |
That's a good radiator. It comes with nothing, make sure you take EVERYTHING off the old radiator before recycling it. Buy a new cap though. | | | | | 02-03-2009, 01:56 PM | #15 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 1,625 |
that radiator is just fine.. look no further. Quote: Originally Posted by Ken Would that be something standard he'd look at replacing on account of the fact that it overheated, etc? I found this on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-...3A1|240%3A1318 $148 shipped Is there a better price for something comparable out there for either of those? | __________________
SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!
Metric Mechanic's 2.0 stroker/258' intake cam/42 lb. inj./remap/HD fuel pump
/DASC w.3' pulley @ 15psi/SNOW System/3.45 LSD/Billstein PSS coils
/Stromung Exhaust/DS1's/X-Brace/Front & Rear H&R Sways/OMP 300mm SW
/SAP delete/ASC+T delete/Hayabusa valve springs/MM's LTW flywheel | | | | | |
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