Hey guys, I think I have a coolant leak from the plastic/rubber fitting into the bottom of the coolant degas/expansion bottle.

Anyone know where or if I can get this piece as opposed to having to spend $82 on the entire metal and rubber section?

 

This is a good inquiry. I've had to buy 3 of these so far, two from ECS and one from Pelican, all similar in price as you described. I, too, would like to know where to get a cheaper solution next time around. Subscribed.

 

isnt there an o ring than can be replaced?

 

You've had them leak as well???? (please say yes)

I know that the BMW 540 and 740 have a similar looking connector as part of a line for the trans cooler that's $38, half the price. But I'm not sure its it the same dimensions.

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-6...0i-e38-740iil/


This is the Mini part into the bottom of the expansion bottle. $83-100

This is the BMW part...$38

 

I've had the leak when the thermostat failed causing an overheating situation and the expansion tank just really couldn't take the burst pressure and it blew several weaker joints in the coolant piping, that elbow being one of them.

 

I would love if that were true. I can jiggle that coupler/fitting so much, I just dont see how the hell it could make a seal. And I have a new coolant expansion bottle to boot. I though it was the bottle, so I put the old bottle back on and the coupler/fitting jiggles like crazy in the bottom of the old bottle as well. Ive had a coolant loss issue with the old bottle as well so Im tracking the leak.

Ive pressurized the system and it drops slowly, maybe 2 PSI over 15 minutes. I cannot hear it hissing anywhere. My next step is UV dye into the cooling system, but I'm not thrilled with having the coolant change to some bizarre color nor having UV dye spill everywhere when I drain the system. The coolant is brand new.

 

We found out here the 2011+ hose works as a mod, did you see this? Its like $43 right now.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ant-leaks.html

 

I love you! My next option, a section of hose and a hose clamp. Not sure why Mini uses this plastic connection to begin with.

 

lol...to increase horse power lol

 

You are welcome. Just call out hey ECS Tuning Mike when needed and I should see it when you guys need help and dig up one of my old threads.

 

Mike at ECS Tuning, thanks. Not sure how we call out to you on this forum, but many thanks.

Here is the cheaper aftermarket part from ECS Tuning for $25: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-elaplast...537600674~ela/

OEM part # is 11537600674 for $43.

 

Duuuude, I'm gonna get mine in RED. Like those idiotic colored silicon hose kits.

 

I have that tagged so i get alerts. Yep, we have an aftermarket also.

 

The aftermarket unit from Elaplast is on back order until February 2019.

 

Aw. yeah, I also just noticed drips on the ground most days now and I know its this shoddy connection.

I guess I have wondered but never actually checked why I couldnt just get a new piece of hose and just clamp it right to the tank bottom? Change in size is surmountable.

edit: I guess those plastic ridges dont help matters :(

https://cdn4.pelicanparts.com/techar...arge/pic07.jpg

edit again: This, however looks like a candidate: https://www.car-lab.com/ecommerce/al...s-r56-mk2.html

 

There isnt much surface area on that nub under the tank to get a hose onto.




I do believe mine sprayed all over the place after a 250 mile trip. Turned off the engine and suddenly steam coming from engine and I was buggin. But I have a temp gauge so I knew it wasn't an overheating issue. Some hose, I assume this elbow, had squirted coolant onto the hot engine and it was turning to steam. It was night so I couldn't pinpoint the location nor get under the car to check.

When I pressurize the system and move this elbow I can force the system to lose pressure more quickly.

I dont trust those aluminum cans. The OEM unit has a bunch of chambers which I doubt those aluminum cans do.

 

Yeah, that is fair. All-in-all the simple new hose will probably fix it for another good while. I just hate dealing with it seeping ect during oil changes.

I'd love to just buy the little elbow and use a longer hose for ease of access when the tank is moved

 

Oh wouldn't we all, the problem is can we find the elbow? In the meantime I'm gonna see if I can make a longer section of just hose work.

Does anyone know the inner diameter of the hose off hand? Mike at ECS Tuning?

 

I would have to pull and measure it. Give me a little bit of time.

 

If you had one on hand and could measure it, inner diameter and even length, that would be awesome.

 

Looks like a 19mm inner ID, 26mm outter ID hose

That short hose is like 140mm long

 

Your'e the most righteous Mike. That's 3/4 inch inner diameter and 5.5 inches length.

 

Welcome.

 

ok I have some info for you ladies.

Mike at ECS, ya got the diameter incorrect. I bought a foot of it and tried and while 3/4 inch I.D. (inner diameter) will fit around the nipple on the bottom of the expansion bottle, its WAY too big for the metal tube that goes into the thermostat. So forget about 3/4 inch I.D. hose. It wont work. Thanks for trying Mike.

3/4 I.D. next to OEM


The good news is that you can simply take that plastic elbow off completely, and simple push the OEM hose onto the nipple on the bottom of the bottle and use a band clamp and it fits perfect. See my pics below.

That's what I did and I finally got my freaking cooling system to hold pressure. That elbow has been abused too much to hold pressure at his point.

My only concern is that there isn't much surface area on the nipple, so I suppose it could slip off, but it doesn't seem likely if you really tighten down the band clamp.

Also when you install the hose without the plastic elbow, the bottle's nipple can no longer rotate freely (the point of the elbow), and because the OEM hose is pre-bent to sit in a particular way, you need to leave both hose ends loose and get the bottle mocked up before you tighten it down otherwise you'll pinch the hose and put too much pressure on the fittings.

Here is my low cost solution. You just need a small band clamp. Ignore the OEM clamp, I just left it on the hose.



I also used a band clamp on the other end for the hell of it.



Lastly, this elbow has a part # on it.:PA66-GF-30. Something similar can be found on Alibaba but minimum order is 100. (https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...496366847.html)



Diameter of the lip/very end of the elbow

Diameter of the inner ribbed section is 17.4 mm = 5/8ths = inner diameter of hose needed.

Inner diameter of the elbow. It has multiple surfaces so this measurement isn't of much value.

 

I measured the hose itself on the mod part, sorry i thought thats what you wanted not the connection to tank itself and not the original part. Thanks for posting the eblow itself. Sorry about that.