Expert: Sean Halliday - 6/29/2007

Question
i have currently got a BMW 316 e36 p reg. It has 140,000 miles on the clock and recently has been showing that it is overheating. i have been to local garages and have had the water pump changed, thermostat checked which is basically brand new. The garage has said it could be my radiator leaking and i bought a product called K seal which was recommended by the garage yet it hasn't worked, the car is still over heating. do you have any idea of what it could be, also if it is the head gasket is there any cheaper ways to fix it

Answer
Theres no cheap fix for a leaky head gasket.The only way is to replace it.Your fan clutch may need replaced also.Make sure there is no air in the system as i have seen BMWS do this after having work done on the coolant system.Sometimes it needs to be bled several times to remove all the air.So,with the mileage i would replace the head gasket and the heating problem should be ok.If your radiator is leaking,get it pressure tested to see and replace that also ,if it gives out you may cause major damage to the engine because of overheating.I think this car may have already overheated once or twice(red zone),hence the problem with the head gasket.