So what really happens when engine "overheat"?

lux.sh · 01-15-2008, 11:18 PM

Most people just say "it cooks"...
what really happens when the engine overheat?

would appreciate any answers from highly technical to pure stupidity.

LEDZEP · 01-16-2008, 07:28 AM

many things are possible, depending on how hot it gets, what parts get hot - and for how long.

O rings and gaskets can lose their resiliency and cause leaks, metal parts can warp or become brittle and weaken. One of the most common serious problem in the past was that the heads would warp. Now, we're only talking about warpage measured in thousandths of an inch, but it's enough to ruin them and require new heads. Bad thing is when your heads warp, coolant often gets into the oil and circulates through the engine, which basically ruins everything it touches and you need a new engine.

In short - overheating is bad and can ruin or seriously damage your engine.

Comet · 01-16-2008, 07:49 AM

Danger to Manifold...

but seriously,
things will warp as mentioned above
it can cause leaks and what not...
it is kind of like what happens when ur rotors warp... ur brakes start grinding and it makes that awful noise and ur car wont stop like it used to
continued abuse of them like that will render them useless...

just like melting a bottle cap and trying to cap it back on the bottle.. wont work...

noro · 01-16-2008, 08:29 AM

Note that at oil temp of 300 things that LEDZEP outlines won't happen, you will need another 100F to get there.

Dascamel · 01-16-2008, 03:41 PM

More than likely at 300 degrees your car will enter limp mode preventing you from jacking it up further.... over that all of the above at some point applies.

voltron1011 · 01-16-2008, 04:43 PM

You don't want to overheat an Inline-6 engine, that's for sure... The block is so long that the chances of warping are greater than on a comparable V-6 engine. Once you've warped the block, the cams will get hosed up, the head will be warped, and many other problems will crop up.

thegeneral101 · 01-16-2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voltron1011

You don't want to overheat an Inline-6 engine, that's for sure... The block is so long that the chances of warping are greater than on a comparable V-6 engine. Once you've warped the block, the cams will get hosed up, the head will be warped, and many other problems will crop up.

+1

just hope BMW put in safety features to prevent major overheating (like limp mode)

!Xoible · 01-16-2008, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lux.sh

Most people just say "it cooks"...
what really happens when the engine overheat?

would appreciate any answers from highly technical to pure stupidity.

you put 2 eggs on your hood and fry em, then you have omelette

PaulBailey@ltbmw · 01-16-2008, 07:03 PM

^Made no sense. You don't make omelettes with fried eggs. You also need more ingredients that 2 eggs. . . Were you just board and like pushing the keys?

!Xoible · 01-16-2008, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xPaulBaiLeyx

^Made no sense. You don't make omelettes with fried eggs. You also need more ingredients that 2 eggs. . . Were you just board and like pushing the keys?

lol good point. he gets the idea tho

PaulBailey@ltbmw · 01-16-2008, 09:24 PM

!Xoible · 01-16-2008, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xPaulBaiLeyx

lol let it go already

Year's_End · 01-16-2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comet

Danger to Manifold...

but seriously,
things will warp as mentioned above
it can cause leaks and what not...
it is kind of like what happens when ur rotors warp... ur brakes start grinding and it makes that awful noise and ur car wont stop like it used to
continued abuse of them like that will render them useless...

just like melting a bottle cap and trying to cap it back on the bottle.. wont work...

lol to mechanic kittah

lux.sh · 01-17-2008, 05:25 AM

hahahaha omelette was some funny stuff.

the reason I asked was because my car over-heated last week.
It came out of service now, but they couldn't find anything wrong with the car. as ALWAYS.

It got to the point where I saw smoke coming out of the damn hood.
It was only coming from the right side of the engine compartment(driver's view), so Im assuming it was near the coolant area or something.. sigh. hopefully it didn't make any fried eggs in there.

voltron1011 · 01-17-2008, 10:46 AM

Did the car actually overheat and go into limp-mode, or is there something else cooking inside your engine? You would have gotten a message on your display telling you to park the car immediately had the engine started to overheat...
Many things can start to smoke under the hood that have nothing to do with engine overheating (transmission fluid, powersteering fluid, windshield washer fluid, etc)..
You'll know if you've overheated the engine or not by the dashboard warning system.

01-15-2008, 11:18 PM	#1
lux.sh missing two turbos. 577 Rep 4,859 Posts Drives: fast around corners. Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Curves iTrader: (12) Garage List 2006 BMW E90 330i [0.00]	So what really happens when engine "overheat"? Most people just say "it cooks"... what really happens when the engine overheat? would appreciate any answers from highly technical to pure stupidity. __________________ 06 AW E90 330i ZPP/ZSP/Step/Expired Warranty : Prior Design Front : ACS Rear : ACS Roof : BlackLines : Simota Intake : Carbon Fiber Interior Trim : : MTEC V3 : 24% Charcoal : V1 Hardwired : Solaris Invisibulbs/LED interior :
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01-16-2008, 07:28 AM	#2
LEDZEP Lieutenant General 418 Rep 12,276 Posts Drives: 2009 E70 & 2011 F25 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Area 51 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 X3 35i M Sport [7.62] 2009 X5 M Sport [0.00] 2007 328xi E90 [0.00] 2006 325xiT E91 [0.00]	many things are possible, depending on how hot it gets, what parts get hot - and for how long. O rings and gaskets can lose their resiliency and cause leaks, metal parts can warp or become brittle and weaken. One of the most common serious problem in the past was that the heads would warp. Now, we're only talking about warpage measured in thousandths of an inch, but it's enough to ruin them and require new heads. Bad thing is when your heads warp, coolant often gets into the oil and circulates through the engine, which basically ruins everything it touches and you need a new engine. In short - overheating is bad and can ruin or seriously damage your engine. __________________ I think it is bad luck to be superstitious
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01-16-2008, 07:49 AM	#3
Comet Troll Harder 395 Rep 596 Posts Drives: 997 GT3, 997 4 GTS, X6M Join Date: May 2007 Location: Montreal, Beirut iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 Porsche GT3 [8.00] 2012 Porsche 4 GTS [5.34]	Danger to Manifold... but seriously, things will warp as mentioned above it can cause leaks and what not... it is kind of like what happens when ur rotors warp... ur brakes start grinding and it makes that awful noise and ur car wont stop like it used to continued abuse of them like that will render them useless... just like melting a bottle cap and trying to cap it back on the bottle.. wont work... __________________
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01-16-2008, 08:29 AM	#4
noro Colonel 90 Rep 2,707 Posts Drives: '91 M3, '04 E46 ZHP, '72 2002 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	Note that at oil temp of 300 things that LEDZEP outlines won't happen, you will need another 100F to get there. __________________ zhpregistry.net - ZHP stats and free classifieds.
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01-16-2008, 03:41 PM	#5
Dascamel Lieutenant Colonel 48 Rep 1,664 Posts Drives: 2008 e92 M3, 2010 e91 328i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bakersfield, CA iTrader: (0)	More than likely at 300 degrees your car will enter limp mode preventing you from jacking it up further.... over that all of the above at some point applies. __________________ 2008 E92 M3 Jerez Black,DCT,Fox Red ext,Prem,Tech,19", ipod/usb, CF roof and trim 2010 E91 328i Space Gray,Black int, M sport, most options 2007 Montego Blue 335i (retired)
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01-16-2008, 04:43 PM	#6
voltron1011 Colonel 119 Rep 2,909 Posts Drives: 2011 135i, FJR-1300 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wiesbaden iTrader: (2)	You don't want to overheat an Inline-6 engine, that's for sure... The block is so long that the chances of warping are greater than on a comparable V-6 engine. Once you've warped the block, the cams will get hosed up, the head will be warped, and many other problems will crop up.
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01-16-2008, 07:03 PM	#9
PaulBailey@ltbmw General 663 Rep 26,878 Posts Drives: 2-325 330 2-335 2-Z4 2-135 X5d Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Huntington Beach, CA iTrader: (34) Garage List 2008 BMW 335i E90 [7.00] 2011 BMW 335i E92 [7.96]	^Made no sense. You don't make omelettes with fried eggs. You also need more ingredients that 2 eggs. . . Were you just board and like pushing the keys?
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01-16-2008, 09:24 PM	#11
PaulBailey@ltbmw General 663 Rep 26,878 Posts Drives: 2-325 330 2-335 2-Z4 2-135 X5d Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Huntington Beach, CA iTrader: (34) Garage List 2008 BMW 335i E90 [7.00] 2011 BMW 335i E92 [7.96]
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01-17-2008, 05:25 AM	#14
lux.sh missing two turbos. 577 Rep 4,859 Posts Drives: fast around corners. Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Curves iTrader: (12) Garage List 2006 BMW E90 330i [0.00]	hahahaha omelette was some funny stuff. the reason I asked was because my car over-heated last week. It came out of service now, but they couldn't find anything wrong with the car. as ALWAYS. It got to the point where I saw smoke coming out of the damn hood. It was only coming from the right side of the engine compartment(driver's view), so Im assuming it was near the coolant area or something.. sigh. hopefully it didn't make any fried eggs in there. __________________ 06 AW E90 330i ZPP/ZSP/Step/Expired Warranty : Prior Design Front : ACS Rear : ACS Roof : BlackLines : Simota Intake : Carbon Fiber Interior Trim : : MTEC V3 : 24% Charcoal : V1 Hardwired : Solaris Invisibulbs/LED interior :
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01-17-2008, 10:46 AM	#15
voltron1011 Colonel 119 Rep 2,909 Posts Drives: 2011 135i, FJR-1300 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wiesbaden iTrader: (2)	Did the car actually overheat and go into limp-mode, or is there something else cooking inside your engine? You would have gotten a message on your display telling you to park the car immediately had the engine started to overheat... Many things can start to smoke under the hood that have nothing to do with engine overheating (transmission fluid, powersteering fluid, windshield washer fluid, etc).. You'll know if you've overheated the engine or not by the dashboard warning system.
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