Two things not to do with your new 1 series

[Lester]

I notice there are new members joining the forum, some with brand new (or soon to be receiving) 2009 models. In case you have missed these posts from previous first gen owners:

1. Do not ever open the hood with the wipers up. You will most assuredly crack your windshield. There is no warning, other than the sound of breaking glass. This is not covered under warranty.

2. Do not drive the car in standing water faster than "walking speed". Anything over 12 cm. (4-5") deep will cause the water to scoop right up the air dam and bumper and into the grill area. This is where the air intakes are conveniently located. You can hydrolock your engine (eg. suck water into the intakes) which will cost about $25,000 to repair (ie - new or rebuilt engine), maybe more. There is no warning, your engine will simply shut down. This is not covered under warranty. If you have to cross a pond deeper than the bottom of your front air dam, get out and push it across or call a tow truck. It will be far cheaper.

[BlackjackMulligan]

Good tips!

[GMT II]

4in is too much? Wow, thanks for the tip; I never would have guessed. Sticky this for all the new guys.

[JKAWB]

your drawing is spectacular. are they really that bad to drive through puddles? i'm glad i read this.

[Chewyjr15]

how do you put the wipers down?

[Brady1984]

I remember reading the thread on the hydrolock, wasn't there some debate to the cause and validity of this issue?

[mrgoochio]

To hydrolock you typically have to submerge your intake in water, no?

[Lester]

Originally Posted by Chewyjr15

how do you put the wipers down?

They are normally down. Just leave them where they are if you are going to open your hood. They will prop 'up' for changing blades, cleaning the window etc. One poster on this forum reported that he cracked his window when the wiper arm snapped back into place without the blade in it.

[rocketpop]

1) It's odd to me why you would open the hood with the wipers up. I have see that happen a few times on this board.

[Lester]

Originally Posted by mrgoochio

To hydrolock you typically have to submerge your intake in water, no?

And that is exactly what happens if you are travelling at any speed through water deeper than the bottom of your front dam. I tried this in my bathtub with my 1/18 scale model BMW 135i. A river of water is scooped up by the front dam, travels up the bumper and floods the front grill. If you think about it, BMW would have designed the aerodynamics of the front end in such a way as to direct air to the grill, where the intakes are. Guess what? Water and air are both fluids - so water will also scoop up and be directed right into the grill. Under those conditions, the air intakes will be effectively "under water". This explains what happenend to one poster on this forum. He was travelling slowly in a railway station parking lot that was flooded. An oncoming SUV created waves coming his way that caused the engine to hydrolock. Another poster was doing around 55 mph when he hit standing water about a foot deep in FL. - Hydrolock! Both incidents required engine replacements in the $25k range.

[135i_TT]

Aye with the mods I want Im gona have to be real careful cuz for sum odd reason it hardly rains here in San Antonio but when it rains bad it floods in many areas, even on ramps to get on highways (typically by alamo heights area...)

[1HungryMan]

Good tips, thanks.

[hbiscuit]

Originally Posted by rocketpop

1) It's odd to me why you would open the hood with the wipers up. I have see that happen a few times on this board.

its called an accident/mistake

i guess you never make mistakes.

[Monaco35Dream]

Originally Posted by alpnwhite96

its called an accident/mistake

i guess you never make mistakes.

[CoolToolGuy]

Originally Posted by rocketpop

1) It's odd to me why you would open the hood with the wipers up. I have see that happen a few times on this board.

So let's say you're spending some quality time with your new baby, giving her a thorough wash, and you put up the wipers to clean the windshield and let the wipers dry. While you're consumed with how good she looks you decide to see how clean the engine compartment is. . . Is it making a little more sense now?

Have Fun,
Rick

[zbladejr]

I wonder if the dual cone BMS intake is partly a solution - before it was a closed system - say the water got into the air dam - then it was into closed intake and on it's way to the engine. With the dual cones the water will simply come out of the air dams - the cones take the air in from the engine bay.

[rocketpop]

Originally Posted by alpnwhite96

its called an accident/mistake

i guess you never make mistakes.

I know it was a mistake, I understand things happen but I was speaking for myself. I didn't mean anything by what I said. I can never think of a reason why my wipers would be up and I decided to open the hood. Thats why I find it odd. Im sure there are plenty of people that have reason for doing so but it odd to me.

[amybang]

Originally Posted by Lester

And that is exactly what happens if you are travelling at any speed through water deeper than the bottom of your front dam. I tried this in my bathtub with my 1/18 scale model BMW 135i. A river of water is scooped up by the front dam, travels up the bumper and floods the front grill.

Best use of the model ever! It's like Mythbusters at Home.

amy!

[Lester]

Originally Posted by amybang

Best use of the model ever! It's like Mythbusters at Home.

amy!

It was quite a revelation. If I hadn't have seen it myself, I would still be confused by the Hydrolock horror stories.

[Lester]

Originally Posted by zbladejr

I wonder if the dual cone BMS intake is partly a solution - before it was a closed system - say the water got into the air dam - then it was into closed intake and on it's way to the engine. With the dual cones the water will simply come out of the air dams - the cones take the air in from the engine bay.

That would help. Without getting into the costs, a system that would close the air intakes, and shut down the engine if hydrostatic pressure is sensed at the inputs would seem to be in order. My model test in the bathtub proved to me that water is scooped up into the intakes at enough volume to effectively place them under water. $25k for en engine replacement seems to be a heavy penalty to pay for accidentally driving into 5" of standing water.

[ki__]

OMG i cracked my windshield too, lol thats so funny how u said that, i should of taken pictures, i was soo pissed that day

[Tom K.]

And if you have the convertible, raise the rear windows before the front - see the manual: p. 27 (38 with iDrive).

Tom