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Thread: E39 540i 2001 blown upper rad hose

  1. #1
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    E39 540i 2001 blown upper rad hose

    Hi,

    I have done engine rebuild before two months, on my e39 540i 2001. There were everything replaced - timing, vanoses, heads were remanufactured and done pressure test two times on both heads in two comapnies. engine block was sleeved then pressure tested. water pump, thermostat (88C), all gasget, all water hoses, aluminum radiator were new.

    First drive was 200km and upper hose blown in plastic connection on water pump. I have replaced the broken hose and bleed system and after some time i have start drive again. After another 150-200km water hose broke again on the same place. While replacing the water hose again, i touched radiator - Bottom radiator was cold and top of radiator was hot.


    I know, that my auxiliary pump is probably bad (it was difficult to bleed coolig system), because the pump one times works and the don't works. should this be the problem?

    Thermostat works mechanically and is new, expasion tank new, water pump has steel rotor piece and were replaced too.

    temperature gauge is in middle, and temperature of coolant were move between 90-105C

    Don't you know, what i should to check?

  2. #2
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    Did the new hose break in the same place, or did the plastic fitting on the pump break? It seems odd, but odd things can happen,
    '
    About bleeding the system, I usually start the engine from cold and keep adding coolant whenever it drops below full. When just coolant comes out of the bleed screw I'll close it, top off again, put on the cap. And then of course I'll check it and top-off the next time the engine is cold. (So I don't rely on the aux pumps and don't even know that mine work.)

  3. #3
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    How tight is the hose as far as stretch. The one I purchased last was short enough I had to cut it in the middle extend it. The other possible issue is a bad motor mount. The engine torques to the right and with a bad mount can move enough to break the hose connection or crack the upper neck on a OEM radiator.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by R Shaffner View Post
    Did the new hose break in the same place, or did the plastic fitting on the pump break? It seems odd, but odd things can happen,
    '
    About bleeding the system, I usually start the engine from cold and keep adding coolant whenever it drops below full. When just coolant comes out of the bleed screw I'll close it, top off again, put on the cap. And then of course I'll check it and top-off the next time the engine is cold. (So I don't rely on the aux pumps and don't even know that mine work.)
    Here Is where the hose blown
    Https://www.rajce.net/a12668535#IMG_...213558_313.jpg

    IT blown on the same place (the plastic connection from water pump to the hose was blown. Whole hose was good

    - - - Updated - - -

    Both engine mounts are new. And what about that the bottom od radiator Is cold And top Is hot? Is IT ok?

  5. #5
    JimLev's Avatar
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    When the engine is hot do you get heat out of othe cabin heaters on both sides?
    The aux pump does help in the bleeding process.
    I've never seen a plastic hose end connection break like yours.
    I don't see the U piece of wire on the fitting that connects it to the waterpump.
    Did the hose just pop off and get hit by the fan?
    Here's his pic.
    image.jpeg
    Last edited by JimLev; 05-19-2019 at 08:56 AM.

  6. #6
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    Probably what you write Is a true. Hose Is short. I Will extend IT.

    Here Are few pictures of the hose

    https://ibb.co/dWtq6cj
    https://ibb.co/W2HfDkx
    https://ibb.co/CvPxkC0

    - - - Updated - - -

    I have take off the u shape wire. I have electric fan ( fan clutch delete)

  7. #7
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    https://ibb.co/vLcJNJF

    The hose can't touch the fan because there Is Matrix before fan

  8. #8
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    By the way Is it normal, when bottom od radiator Is Cold And top Is hot?

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by thinksonix View Post
    By the way Is it normal, when bottom od radiator Is Cold And top Is hot?
    The bottom of the radiator should be "cooler" than the top, but it should not be cold. If the top is hot and the bottom cool to the touch, I suspect maybe an internal blockage in the radiator?

    BTW, that elbow doesn't look broken, it looks like it exploded from within.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uturn540 View Post
    How tight is the hose as far as stretch. The one I purchased last was short enough I had to cut it in the middle extend it. The other possible issue is a bad motor mount. The engine torques to the right and with a bad mount can move enough to break the hose connection or crack the upper neck on a OEM radiator.
    You got a hose so short that you had to cut it and extend it? Why?

    Good suggestion on checking the motor mounts, esp the one on the driver's side.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by R Shaffner View Post
    You got a hose so short that you had to cut it and extend it? Why?

    Good suggestion on checking the motor mounts, esp the one on the driver's side.
    The hose would fit but was tight enough to worry what any amount of engine torque would do to the upper radiator neck since they are prone to cracking(happened on the original radiator). Even good engine mounts will allow the engine to roll to the right a small amount. I extended the the hose 3/4 of an inch with some brass tubing I had. The replacement radiator has lasted over twice as long as the original but is getting replaced this summer as part of the cooling system routine maintenance.

  12. #12
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    Check your motor mounts. A bad motor mount will allow torque to move the engine enough to cause the problem. The fact that it’s repeated makes me suspect the motor mounts, well that and the fact that it happened to me.
    chiefwej 2003 540i ///m-tech 6-speed Black Sapphire Metallic w/gray
    See: My REGISTRY PICTURES
    Mods:plate delete, debadged, 35% tint,euro console, Evans NPG (zero pressure cooling system), CDV delete, Rogue Octane SSK, RP Symcromax

  13. #13
    JimLev's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thinksonix View Post
    Motor mounts are new (Lemforder).

    The first hose what has been broken, look like this :


    https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XE...E=w501-h667-no
    All I see is the clip is slightly bent.

  14. #14
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    ofcourse. but see the place where is the connection from EPDM hose to the plastic piece. the connection should not look like the picture show -> the hose go away the plastic piece

  15. #15
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    Today I have extended the hose about 1cm and drive the car (approx 60km).. Everything works good. I hope, this was the problem.

    https://img26.rajce.idnes.cz/d2603/1...4204.jpg?ver=0

    https://img26.rajce.idnes.cz/d2603/1...3734.jpg?ver=0

    https://img26.rajce.idnes.cz/d2603/1...2248.jpg?ver=0

    Probably the problem was aluminum radiator - it has little more width then original and the hose is really short. I think, that the hose extension was the solution.

    Now Iam dealing with machinist to build my own aluminum connector hose and aluminum Expasion tank. Then I will use silicon hoses and install all to the car.

  16. #16
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    My upper radiator hose recently started swelling in the middle. Have it getting looked at right now actually plus looking over the rest of the cooling system. Which was replaced within the last couple of years by the previous owner. Love these cars, but why must the cooling systems be such a weak point?
    2002 BMW Titanium Silver 540i/6-speed Sport - ZHP Shift Knob - M5 Clutch/TTV Racing 15.6lb Flywheel - M60 Intake Manifold - N62 84mm TB - Dinan Intake Tube - 4" MAF Tube - DUDMD Tune - Magnaflow Resonator - Eibach 18mm Rear Sway Bar - Powerflex Front Sway Bar Bushings - CDV Delete - UUC SS Brake Lines - Koni Yellow Shocks/Struts - Eibach Springs - Zionsville Radiator & FDM

  17. #17
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    Instead of spending money on re engineering the entire cooling system, years ago I converted to a Zero Pressure System.

    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post19541111
    Last edited by chiefwej; 05-24-2019 at 01:14 AM.
    chiefwej 2003 540i ///m-tech 6-speed Black Sapphire Metallic w/gray
    See: My REGISTRY PICTURES
    Mods:plate delete, debadged, 35% tint,euro console, Evans NPG (zero pressure cooling system), CDV delete, Rogue Octane SSK, RP Symcromax

  18. #18
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    There was problem with size of alumium radiator, which is more wider then OEM radiator. When i used OEM (or OEM equivalent) upper water hose, the plastic hose connection cracked. I had to extend the hose with custom made aluminum extension (which will be used for temperature switch later) and now it works (Time will show, if it was the problem).

    - - - Updated - - -

    Could you please send me link, where to buy waterless coolant?

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