Hey all,

So I noticed on my way home that my heater wasn't blowing any hot air. A quick check on the forums tells me that the problem is most likely the thermostat, but (of course) my MINI is just out of the warranty period and my dealer charges a ridiculous amount for any repairs.

If anyone has any recommendations for a reliable independent I would greatly appreciate it. Until then, looks like I'll be layering up...

 

Do you have any coolant in the car?

 

Yup, checked all the fluid levels, everything seems normal

 

Changing the thermostat housing is not difficult, there is just a bunch of things to take off. If you change your own oil and air filter, you can probably handle the thermostat change.

Look with a flashlight on top of the transmission (behind the oil filter). If there is some dark blue/green liquid there, it is from the thermostat.

If you have added some coolant to the resevoir, but there is still no heat, then you may need to bleed the system. There are pictures in the 'replace thermostat' threads in the 'How To' section.

Mike

 

Yes, there are threads , here is a good one that explains where to look for leaks. This will get you more familiar with your MINIs engine. I had the no heat right after the thermostat stared to leak, when the engine was throttled it would come back and then get cool again.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...8-no-heat.html

Make sure you check all those locations again and make sure your expansion tank does not have a leak under it. The level is marked on the expansion tank on the side.

Thanks and good luck, let us know what you find after the inspection.

 

It's probably not likely, but it is possible that there is air in the coolant system. You might try bleeding the air out first before replacing parts just to rule that out.

Find the bleed valve screw on top of the engine near the engine lift point and use a large flat-head screwdriver.....once the engine is fully warmed up with the heat on, shut it down and wait a few minutes.....loosen the bleed screw about three revolutions (but no more than four revolutions...the screw will come out!). Air and/or coolant will come out. If air come out, wait a bit and do it again. Then, repeat the process a time or two. Be sure to top off the coolant if it runs low....but never open the tank when the engine is hot...it's pressurized on these cars.

If air is in there, there's a reason why (i.e. leak, coolant got too low at some point, etc.). At least bleeding it will get you heat til you track down the cause.

If there's no air in the system, then you are probably correct about the faulty thermostat. As others have stated, the thermostat change is not hard, just annoying because you have to remove several things to get to it (i.e. intake tubes, electrical plugs, wiring harness, etc.). If you can do normal car maintenance on your car, you can probably handle it. There are a few good DIY threads here on the forum for the job.

Also, if the water pump has never been changed on your car, it most likely is leaking as they don't seem to last very long. That's another source for leakage....but it's on the other side of the engine from the thermostat and is a whole different job. It's also a DIY but more involved. Something to check, though if you are going through things and will be draining the system to replace a thermostat anyway.

Good luck!