The Random E46/ZHP Question Thread

[az3579]

Oh... Is that easily reset?

Don't people have non-OEM seats in their street cars? Do they just ignore the light?

Easily reset with PA Soft or INPA.

I imagine those with aftermarket seats would code them off or use some kind of device to fool it... I don't remember.

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[stephenkirsh]

Ok. I don't have either of those, but I'll keep that in mind.

Don't we have a member here who sells the USB cable for PA Soft? I finally got Windows via VMware for my MacBook.

[ecrabb]

OK, so I went to take the ZHP to C&C this morning, and figured out the puddle in front of the car that I thought was water yesterday isn't water. It's coolant. I checked the overflow tank and sure enough, it's empty.

I drove the car to work Friday, and on Friday night, and there was no puddle. The puddle appeared Saturday morning, I believe. I thought it was water from the irrigation system early Saturday morning, and didn't think anything of it until it was still there Sunday morning, and then I found a couple of dots on the hood that dripped from the garage door. Not suspecting anything wrong yet, I drove the car a little Saturday night and everything appeared fine; no lights or temp that I know of.

The part that really has me baffled is the puddle under the door is two feet from the front end of the car... There's no trailer or runner from under the car, I can't see a single drop anywhere on the belly pan or front fascia, and not a drop on the floor under the car. It's like it puked out a quart on the floor when I drove by the door on Friday night, then stopped. The only place I can see anything are some drips on top of the expansion tank, and what might be something wet down on the rail behind the radiator on the passenger side.

The car only has 45k miles on it, but is an '04. Judging by appearance, I think the hoses may have been replaced at some point, but probably not the expansion tank or water pump as the car wasn't enthusiast-owned for the least 4-5 years, nor would anybody probably think it was necessary given the mileage.

Should I drop the belly cover and try to see where it's leaking from? Fill the expansion tank and start it in the garage and let it idle and see if I can find the leak? Thoughts?

Thanks, guys!

SC

[Sockethead]

I'd refill it and see what happens. Make sure you bring it up to temperature if you are going to just leave in the garage and see what leaks. Take off the plastic belly pan before starting so if it does leak you can get an accurate location. If it leaked on the belly pan then it may run to the back of the pan and drip out.
Also, if it's the water pump seal, it could be leaking out the weep hole for the seal. That would still leak onto the pan, I believe...

[stephenkirsh]

Coolant there is usually heater core, right?

[ecrabb]

I'd refill it and see what happens. Make sure you bring it up to temperature if you are going to just leave in the garage and see what leaks. Take off the plastic belly pan before starting so if it does leak you can get an accurate location. If it leaked on the belly pan then it may run to the back of the pan and drip out.
Also, if it's the water pump seal, it could be leaking out the weep hole for the seal. That would still leak onto the pan, I believe...

Thanks! I'll try to tear into it tonight and see what I can find out and report back.

SC

[ecrabb]

Coolant there is usually heater core, right?

I think my post might have been confusing... The puddle of coolant I found was two feet in front of the car, i.e. two feet *away* from the car. I don't see anything at all under the car, but I need to put the front end on stands and take the belly pan off and see what I can see from underneath.

SC

[danewilson77]

I'd refill it and see what happens. Make sure you bring it up to temperature if you are going to just leave in the garage and see what leaks. Take off the plastic belly pan before starting so if it does leak you can get an accurate location. If it leaked on the belly pan then it may run to the back of the pan and drip out.
Also, if it's the water pump seal, it could be leaking out the weep hole for the seal. That would still leak onto the pan, I believe...

This, and remove the belly pan for diagnosis.

S7 Edge, out

[stephenkirsh]

I think my post might have been confusing... The puddle of coolant I found was two feet in front of the car, i.e. two feet *away* from the car. I don't see anything at all under the car, but I need to put the front end on stands and take the belly pan off and see what I can see from underneath.

SC

Oh my bad.

Ya remove the belly pan so you can get a more accurate idea of where it's leaking from.

On my family's 3 E46s, the two most common spots are from the expansion tank, and the aux fan temp sensor o ring that plugs into the lowest hose near the AC compressor.

[san]

the two most common spots are from the expansion tank, and the aux fan temp sensor o ring that plugs into the lowest hose near the AC compressor.

+1

I had the same 2 parts go bad on mine



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