Hello guys. I have a low mile 2010 R56 - N14, Cooper S. We just did an oil change last week on it at 30,000 miles. We also changed the vacuum pump just to be safe. My dad works on our cars at home as he is a retired mechanic. I help where I can.

I noticed after the oil change that and vac pump install there is some coolant dripping. Prior to the oil and pump change, i did not notice any coolant dripping and i did not notice low coolant in the reservoir as i check regularly.

Does anyone know where are common spots for coolant to leak from the n14? Do you think It was something that got messed up doing the oil and pump change or just coincidence?

I had 2 minis before this one and I swear everytime we would fix something, another issue would pop up immediately. My dad is a very intelligent and experienced mechanic of 30 years but he's also 65 now and it's possible for him to make a mistake. It's also possible for a 12 year old car to have issues with so much rubber and plastic everywhere.

What are some areas we can focus on to check for coolant leaks that are common for this car? If we can't find it then we'll have to do a pressure test and I'd rather save that as a last resort.

Thank you.

 

Possibly just a hose got bumped loose while you were in there. More probable that it's a cracked t'stat housing or loose oil filter / cooler housing. If you're chasing a puddle on the floor, look directly above it for a better idea of the source --- look for drip lines / marks. The pipe between t'stat and pump is also a high-failure component. Had my '07 for ten + years and have not yet had a radiator or coolant hose leak.

Here's a link to some BMW repair procedures that will help you and your dad --- torque specs, etc. --- https://bmwrepairguide.com/category/mini-r56/ There's also an illustrated parts list available --- https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select invaluable for getting part numbers.

Be careful about bad-mouthing us old-timers. I'm well beyond the 65 age group and make fewer mistakes than most other DIY'rs --- I'm not a retired pro. Most mistakes are made from lack of knowledge or being in too big a hurry, not age.

 

If you have a pressure bleeder for your brakes then you are in luck on coolant. I have used my motiv pressure bleeder to check for coolant leaks. Clean it out and attached to coolant reservoir, and try to pump to 15 lbs.

 

I've had all sorts of coolant leaks from pipes on my '08 MCS. The pipes that have leaked were all the pipes connecting to the thermostat and also the radiator return pipe.

 

Thanks for the information everyone. We put everything together and we did not make any mistakes. Based upon the drip location we believe it is the water pipe. Leak Is running down the backside of the transmission. We had the exact same thing happen on my last N18 2011 mini. We fixed a completely unrelated part and then water pipe started leaking. Super strange.

I took a video for you guys. (sound warning, it's loud, car is being reved).


my dad really is an automotive genius and overall a brilliant guy. Im not knocking him. He is my best friend. He got a heart transplant few years ago and the immunosuppressants have slightly altered his memory. He is aware of this. Sometimes he might forget to reconnect a clip, hose, or connector. It's ocassiinal and it's always minor. This was not the case here. The work done was correct.

He wants to pressure test anyways. Luckily it's a cheap fix parts wise. It's just a little annoying to reach the pipe.

Thanks guys.

 

Update: we ended up pressure testing. There is a significant leak in the thermostat housing. Going to replace that and the water pipe. This was such a pain to find. Had to use a mirror to see it.

 

Thermostat fix here with all the info: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...8-no-heat.html

 

Cool thanks dude. Just waiting for the parts to come by mail now.

 

I found a small pair of vice grips helped a lot to get the clamps off the hoses going into the thermostat. My hose pliers were just a bit too big.

You have the intake manifold off so that should make getting the crossover-water pipe in and out much easier. The old one is likely to break at the water pump end so be sure to get all the debris out. Greasing the O-ring is essential for getting the new one in. Project Mini's Youtube video on this was a great help for me.

Good luck.
MacMini34

 

Thanks I will keep that in mind

 

I just did the same job. I used a flexible hose clamp tool to get into tight spots and used a little coolant on the crossover pipe o-ring. I also got rid of the noisemaker and used a delete hose. I simply used metal tape to cover the opening at the firewall. Good luck.