e34 coolant warning

Just managed to sort a thermostat replacement problem (long story but
basic symptoms were heater blowing cold, temp needle cold etc).
Everything seems fine now with new t'stat and circulation. however,
now the only niggle i have is that the coolant level warning light on
the dash flashes and bongs. The header tank is full with coolant, the
heater works perfect, the temp needle is nicely sitting in the middle
of the guage and the bleed screw on top of the t'stat housing lets out
only coolant when opened... so i'm wondering what's with the warning?
do i have to reset it somehow or is there something else i'm missing.

tia

mojo

It sucks to be you.

You have to pull the sensor from the bottom of the radiator tank and clean
it, or maybe replace it.

You could try unplugging it and cleaning the connector pins just in case
there is a poor connection that makes the car think the radiator is empty.

The reason it sucks to be you is that you have to drain the radiator again
....




"mojo" > wrote in message
om...
> Just managed to sort a thermostat replacement problem (long story but
> basic symptoms were heater blowing cold, temp needle cold etc).
> Everything seems fine now with new t'stat and circulation. however,
> now the only niggle i have is that the coolant level warning light on
> the dash flashes and bongs. The header tank is full with coolant, the
> heater works perfect, the temp needle is nicely sitting in the middle
> of the guage and the bleed screw on top of the t'stat housing lets out
> only coolant when opened... so i'm wondering what's with the warning?
> do i have to reset it somehow or is there something else i'm missing.
>
> tia
>
> mojo

Thanks for this but for crying out loud!!!!!!!!!!


do you mean there's a sense at the bottom of the actual radiator or
somewhere near/in/on/at/under the header/filler tank by the bulk head? in
other words, where exactly do i find this sensor doodah?

scuse the ignorance... but how come i have to drain the rad again?

thanks Mr Strickland...

mojo


"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
> It sucks to be you.
>
> You have to pull the sensor from the bottom of the radiator tank and clean
> it, or maybe replace it.
>
> You could try unplugging it and cleaning the connector pins just in case
> there is a poor connection that makes the car think the radiator is empty.
>
> The reason it sucks to be you is that you have to drain the radiator again
> ...
>
>
>
>
> "mojo" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Just managed to sort a thermostat replacement problem (long story but
> > basic symptoms were heater blowing cold, temp needle cold etc).
> > Everything seems fine now with new t'stat and circulation. however,
> > now the only niggle i have is that the coolant level warning light on
> > the dash flashes and bongs. The header tank is full with coolant, the
> > heater works perfect, the temp needle is nicely sitting in the middle
> > of the guage and the bleed screw on top of the t'stat housing lets out
> > only coolant when opened... so i'm wondering what's with the warning?
> > do i have to reset it somehow or is there something else i'm missing.
> >
> > tia
> >
> > mojo
>
>

You don't. I don't know what the previous poster was thinking, but the
coolant level sensor is in the reservoir tank, not the rad.
--
"mojohotmail" > wrote in message
. uk...
| Thanks for this but for crying out loud!!!!!!!!!!
|
|
| do you mean there's a sense at the bottom of the actual radiator or
| somewhere near/in/on/at/under the header/filler tank by the bulk head?
in
| other words, where exactly do i find this sensor doodah?
|
| scuse the ignorance... but how come i have to drain the rad again?
|
| thanks Mr Strickland...
|
| mojo
|
|
| "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
| ...
| > It sucks to be you.
| >
| > You have to pull the sensor from the bottom of the radiator tank and
clean
| > it, or maybe replace it.
| >
| > You could try unplugging it and cleaning the connector pins just in
case
| > there is a poor connection that makes the car think the radiator is
empty.
| >
| > The reason it sucks to be you is that you have to drain the radiator
again
| > ...
| >
| >
| >
| >
| > "mojo" > wrote in message
| > om...
| > > Just managed to sort a thermostat replacement problem (long story
but
| > > basic symptoms were heater blowing cold, temp needle cold etc).
| > > Everything seems fine now with new t'stat and circulation.
however,
| > > now the only niggle i have is that the coolant level warning light
on
| > > the dash flashes and bongs. The header tank is full with coolant,
the
| > > heater works perfect, the temp needle is nicely sitting in the
middle
| > > of the guage and the bleed screw on top of the t'stat housing lets
out
| > > only coolant when opened... so i'm wondering what's with the
warning?
| > > do i have to reset it somehow or is there something else i'm
missing.
| > >
| > > tia
| > >
| > > mojo
| >
| >
|
|

Just checked the header/res tank and the sensor's in there. a black plastic
hex nut holds it in. terminals and white plastic float thingy look okay but
will replace and see what happens.

thanks again
mojo

"spare-me-spam" > wrote in message
...
> You don't. I don't know what the previous poster was thinking, but the
> coolant level sensor is in the reservoir tank, not the rad.
> --
> "mojohotmail" > wrote in message
> . uk...
> | Thanks for this but for crying out loud!!!!!!!!!!
> |
> |
> | do you mean there's a sense at the bottom of the actual radiator or
> | somewhere near/in/on/at/under the header/filler tank by the bulk head?
> in
> | other words, where exactly do i find this sensor doodah?
> |
> | scuse the ignorance... but how come i have to drain the rad again?
> |
> | thanks Mr Strickland...
> |
> | mojo
> |
> |
> | "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> | ...
> | > It sucks to be you.
> | >
> | > You have to pull the sensor from the bottom of the radiator tank and
> clean
> | > it, or maybe replace it.
> | >
> | > You could try unplugging it and cleaning the connector pins just in
> case
> | > there is a poor connection that makes the car think the radiator is
> empty.
> | >
> | > The reason it sucks to be you is that you have to drain the radiator
> again
> | > ...
> | >
> | >
> | >
> | >
> | > "mojo" > wrote in message
> | > om...
> | > > Just managed to sort a thermostat replacement problem (long story
> but
> | > > basic symptoms were heater blowing cold, temp needle cold etc).
> | > > Everything seems fine now with new t'stat and circulation.
> however,
> | > > now the only niggle i have is that the coolant level warning light
> on
> | > > the dash flashes and bongs. The header tank is full with coolant,
> the
> | > > heater works perfect, the temp needle is nicely sitting in the
> middle
> | > > of the guage and the bleed screw on top of the t'stat housing lets
> out
> | > > only coolant when opened... so i'm wondering what's with the
> warning?
> | > > do i have to reset it somehow or is there something else i'm
> missing.
> | > >
> | > > tia
> | > >
> | > > mojo
> | >
> | >
> |
> |
>
>

"spare-me-spam" > wrote in message
...
> You don't. I don't know what the previous poster was thinking, but the
> coolant level sensor is in the reservoir tank, not the rad.
> --

Right. It's on the bottom of the expansion tank. If you don't drain the
coolant before you remove it, everything in the tank and in the system above
the hoses leading into it will drain all over your garage floor. I'm sure
Jeff just mis-spoke when he said radiator.

Kyle.

Hi

thanks for this but... it's not. on my model, it's in the top of the
expansion tank, right next to the filler cap thing. btw, the exp. tank
itself is situated at the bulkhead/beaneath the windscreen. i guess there
are maybe the same models out with some different design ideas or mods.

thanks

mojo

"Kyle and Lori Greene" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "spare-me-spam" > wrote in message
> ...
> > You don't. I don't know what the previous poster was thinking, but the
> > coolant level sensor is in the reservoir tank, not the rad.
> > --
>
> Right. It's on the bottom of the expansion tank. If you don't drain the
> coolant before you remove it, everything in the tank and in the system
above
> the hoses leading into it will drain all over your garage floor. I'm sure
> Jeff just mis-spoke when he said radiator.
>
> Kyle.
>
>

>hanks for this but... it's not. on my model, it's in the top of the
>expansion tank, right next to the filler cap thing. btw, the exp. tank
>itself is situated at the bulkhead/beaneath the windscreen. i guess there
>are maybe the same models out with some different design ideas or mods.

Yes, because they have different engines in them. There are several different
engines used on E34's and they all will have different designs. The E34 525i
has two different engines, M20 for 1989 and 1990 and M50 for 1991 to 1995.

sorry - thought i'd mentioned what mine is at some point. obviously
haven't - a big six 3.0 fwiw

thanks

mojo

"Dick Schneiders" > wrote in message
...
> >hanks for this but... it's not. on my model, it's in the top of the
> >expansion tank, right next to the filler cap thing. btw, the exp. tank
> >itself is situated at the bulkhead/beaneath the windscreen. i guess there
> >are maybe the same models out with some different design ideas or mods.
>
> Yes, because they have different engines in them. There are several
different
> engines used on E34's and they all will have different designs. The E34
525i
> has two different engines, M20 for 1989 and 1990 and M50 for 1991 to 1995.

Firstly, my car is the E36, and it could be different than yours, but I
don't think it is different.

Yes, there is a sensor about 1/3 of the way up the side of the tank.



"mojohotmail" > wrote in message
. uk...
> Thanks for this but for crying out loud!!!!!!!!!!
>
>
> do you mean there's a sense at the bottom of the actual radiator or
> somewhere near/in/on/at/under the header/filler tank by the bulk head? in
> other words, where exactly do i find this sensor doodah?
>
> scuse the ignorance... but how come i have to drain the rad again?
>
> thanks Mr Strickland...
>
> mojo
>
>
> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> ...
> > It sucks to be you.
> >
> > You have to pull the sensor from the bottom of the radiator tank and
clean
> > it, or maybe replace it.
> >
> > You could try unplugging it and cleaning the connector pins just in case
> > there is a poor connection that makes the car think the radiator is
empty.
> >
> > The reason it sucks to be you is that you have to drain the radiator
again
> > ...
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "mojo" > wrote in message
> > om...
> > > Just managed to sort a thermostat replacement problem (long story but
> > > basic symptoms were heater blowing cold, temp needle cold etc).
> > > Everything seems fine now with new t'stat and circulation. however,
> > > now the only niggle i have is that the coolant level warning light on
> > > the dash flashes and bongs. The header tank is full with coolant, the
> > > heater works perfect, the temp needle is nicely sitting in the middle
> > > of the guage and the bleed screw on top of the t'stat housing lets out
> > > only coolant when opened... so i'm wondering what's with the warning?
> > > do i have to reset it somehow or is there something else i'm missing.
> > >
> > > tia
> > >
> > > mojo
> >
> >
>
>