My 318ti compact is over heating after a few miles, the pipes going to the thermostat are rock hard, and the matrix has blown can anyone offer any advice? im at the end of my tether and the womens not to happy as im scared to drive to far

Do you mean tune-up parts or something else? Is there anything wrong with your 318ti at the moment? If just tune-up parts, I would take a look at your spark plugs and change them if they haven't done in the last 30K miles or so. Also check your ignition coils while you're changing the plugs. Make sure you use the correct plugs and use cooper plugs such as, NGK and make sure they are correctly gaped. I would also change out the air filter, fuel filter as well. As for fluid, I would check the rear differential and flush it out if that haven't been done for the last 30-60K miles or so. I would also take a closer look at the serpentine belts, and all of the vacuum hoses and replace them if you find them hard and cracked.

The last thing is, depending on if you have an automatic or manual transmission, I would flush the fluid if you haven't done that at the last 30K miles or so. I use Redline products for manual and automatic transmission fluid as well as the rear differential.

Best of luck.

Q

sounds like you have blown the internal heater matrix and the thermostat is not working or is blocked. you are going to need a new matrix and thermostat and a bloody good flush out of the system just in case there is something in the system means taking off the rad hoses flush them out from both ends. and doing the same to the engine. replacing the matrix as its not going to be able to fix it if its shooting water out of the vents change the thermostat check pipes for damage.

Firstly before commencing any new work , ensure that you do not have an air lock caused by replacing the previous various parts. Follow the pipe from the thermostat, with engine running and it should heat up when thermostat opens. Follow this pipe towards both the Heater matrix and the carburettor. Both should warm up slowly. Have the heating on inside the car to blow warm. Then feel the exit pipes from the Heater Matrix. The exit pipe should also heat up. If they remain cold the you have an blockage within the Matrix which can either be air or debris. To cure air, let car cool down and remove expansion vessel cap. Then remove exit pipe from heater matrix and hold pipe aas high as possible.....if air is causing the blockage then it will purge itself, when water starts coming out of Matrix, reconnect pipe and top up levels as required. If nothing comes out, the matrix is blocked, may respond to after market flushing treatments or may require removal (pig of a job) Do check before this that oil is not getting into water circuit (dark floating bits if mild, all light brown if bad)or vice a versa (white scum on bottom of dipstick)which would indicate blown head gasket is causing car to overheat!

no the water should bypass thermostat, its is more likly that either your heater matrix has an air traped or is blocked from sediment, i would opt to first try the blocked test . undo both pipes that go to the matrix , using a hose pipe connect to bottom pipe on matrix and turn hose on to flush out matrix, continue running until water runs clear not rusty colored, then connect to top pipe and repeat, repeat several times until your happy it is clean, reattach bottom pipe and fill from expansion bottle until water flows from matrix then re attche the other hose, you can also try this on your main radiater . hand book states it should be flushed every 2 years .

IF ENGINE RUNS AT RIGHT TEMP SOUNDS LIKE YOU MAY HAVE AIR BLOCK, OR BLOCKED HEATER MATRIX, CHECK FIRST CHECK THE HEIGHT OF THE HEATER MATRIX IN THE CAB , IF ITS HIGHER THAN THE FILLER/EXPANSION TANK. THEN COULD BE AN AIR LOCK, LOOK FOR THE HIGHEST PIPE AND SEE IF THERE IS A BLEED VALVE, IF NOT TAKE BOTH PIPES OFF THE MATRIX FEEDS (TWO PIPES GOING FROM ENGINE BAY TO INSIDE OF CAR, AND FLUSH OUT WITH HOSE TO SEE IF IT IS BLOCKED, AND RECONNECT LOWEST PIPE FIRST AND FILL SYSTYM TILL WATER APPEAR FROM TOP AND RECONNECT RUN MOTOR, AND KEEP TOPIN UP, YOU CAN BUY A COOLENT FLUSH SOLUTION TO CLEAN THE SYSTYM OUT

does the fan in the cab work?? if it does SOUNDS LIKE YOU MAY HAVE AIR BLOCK, OR BLOCKED HEATER MATRIX, FIRST CHECK THE HEIGHT OF THE HEATER MATRIX IN THE CAB , IF ITS HIGHER THAN THE FILLER/EXPANSION TANK. THEN COULD BE AN AIR LOCK, LOOK FOR THE HIGHEST PIPE AND SEE IF THERE IS A BLEED VALVE, IF NOT TAKE BOTH PIPES OFF THE MATRIX FEEDS (TWO PIPES GOING FROM ENGINE BAY TO INSIDE OF CAR, AND FLUSH OUT WITH HOSE TO SEE IF IT IS BLOCKED, AND RECONNECT LOWEST PIPE FIRST AND FILL SYSTYM TILL WATER APPEAR FROM TOP AND RECONNECT RUN MOTOR, AND KEEP TOPIN UP, YOU CAN BuY A COOLENT FLUSH SOLUTION TO CLEAN THE SYSTYM OUT

SOUNDS LIKE YOU MAY HAVE AIR BLOCK, OR BLOCKED HEATER MATRIX, CHECK FIRST CHECK THE HEIGHT OF THE HEATER MATRIX IN THE CAB , IF ITS HIGHER THAN THE FILLER/EXPANSION TANK. THEN COULD BE AN AIR LOCK, LOOK FOR THE HIGHEST PIPE AND SEE IF THERE IS A BLEED VALVE, IF NOT TAKE BOTH PIPES OFF THE MATRIX FEEDS (TWO PIPES GOING FROM ENGINE BAY TO INSIDE OF CAR, AND FLUSH OUT WITH HOSE TO SEE IF IT IS BLOCKED, AND RECONNECT LOWEST PIPE FIRST AND FILL SYSTYM TILL WATER APPEAR FROM TOP AND RECONNECT RUN MOTOR, AND KEEP TOPIN UP, YOU CAN BY A COOLENT FLUSH SOLUTION TO CLEAN THE SYSTYM OUT

1st your fan motor may be going or something has fallen in the vents you will need to gain access for that, or it might be YOU MAY HAVE AIR BLOCK, OR BLOCKED HEATER MATRIX, CHECK FIRST CHECK THE HEIGHT OF THE HEATER MATRIX IN THE CAB , IF ITS HIGHER THAN THE FILLER/EXPANSION TANK. THEN COULD BE AN AIR LOCK, LOOK FOR THE HIGHEST PIPE AND SEE IF THERE IS A BLEED VALVE, IF NOT TAKE BOTH PIPES OFF THE MATRIX FEEDS (TWO PIPES GOING FROM ENGINE BAY TO INSIDE OF CAR, AND FLUSH OUT WITH HOSE TO SEE IF IT IS BLOCKED, AND RECONNECT LOWEST PIPE FIRST AND FILL SYSTYM TILL WATER APPEAR FROM TOP AND RECONNECT RUN MOTOR, AND KEEP TOPIN UP, YOU CAN BY A COOLENT FLUSH SOLUTION TO CLEAN THE SYSTYM OUT

i agree water pump , but thermostat can go bad very fast some times they will have a defect when u buy them for that you can do a simple test ,,,put the thermostat in boiling water if it expands that means its working

the first thing you need to do is pressure check the cooling system. then you need to start vehichle with pressure tester on to see if it builds pressure, in this case you a blown head gasket ...and dumb question but are you sure you put the thermostat in the right direction??? i have seen the housing where the thermostat is located cracked before so also check that...hope that helps