i believe my coolant is beginning to change colors. right now it looks purple. i'll keep you posted. oh, 1800 miles. temperature gauge is still reading right in the middle.


craig

_________________
Jet black 2003 MCS
<IMG SRC="https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ot;><img src="http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c3/mir....gif">

 

My coolant tank is being replaced Friday. My coolant has turned black
again and they will probably change it again.. no response from MINIUSA
on this issue.

 

>>My husband was checking all of the fluid
>>levels on Mrs. Peel today and discovered
>>that the reservoir for the coolant was
>>completely empty! He filled the tank according
>>to the directions in the MINI manual but now
>>I'm concerned after reading these posts.
>>I knew that there had been a problem with
>>the coolant but since I just got my
>>MINI (not an S) on Jan. 7th (Dec. '02 build)
>>I thought I was out of danger.
>>
>>Any thoughts? :smile:
lhowlett
(Owner of Mrs. Peel)

 

As long as it isn't leaking I wouldn't worry about it. I'd keep an eye
on the level and add as necessary. It sounds like it may have been
underfilled(is that a word) at the factory and may just need topping off
until it is completely filled.
If you notice it continues to need fluid at that rate you may want to get
your dealer to do a pressure check to make sure there isn't a small leak
somewhere.

 

I can send anyone a Oil Analysis kit if you need. One of the tests is for Glycol if you want to make sure there are no internal leaks. These kits are $20.00 each.

 

I just had my coolent tested and although it's brown/clear it is still at the 60% mixture and a PH of 8 which is good. I'm gonna leave it be!
The new coolants are Propylene Glycol which is purple and non toxic so I know color is not generally always a good indicator. Have your fluid tested for mixture and PH. Use distilled water to top off.

 

I left mine until I went in for the first service and mentioned it then. They "sent a sample to New Jersey and sent me on my way. They also tested the freeze point and that was okay. A week later they called me up and made an appointment to do a couple of tests. They tested the water pump and the head gasket for leaks and checked the week old oil to see if there were any indications that there was coolant in it (which there wasen't). They flushed the system and sent me on my way saying if anything new came from MINI NA they would inform me and I should monitor the new coolant to see if it changes. The Coolant level was right at the top of the max line on the resevoir when I took it home and the coolant was a dark blue green colour. One week later the coolant is down below the MIN line when the engine is warm and the colour, though still blue green, has started to lighten up a bit. The level dosen't bug me too much as the original batch of coolent seemed to level off to about where it is now and stayed there for months. I think that is the natural level of the coolant and not what the resevior indicates. Though the lightening of the coolent again bugs me. I remember some posts earlier on last year that mentioned the possibility that it was just bad dye in the coolent and seeing as they just replaced the old BMW coolant with new BMW coolant, and it appears to be doing the same thing, I'm starting to wonder if this isn't the case. If the coolant discolours as bad as it did the last time I may just get them to replace it with some high quality, longlife, coolant that I would provide them. I don't think this is signs of a major problem but, just to be safe, I want MINI to be involved every step of the way.
Cheers

 

****UPDATE****

Hey folks, just here to give you all a brief update and show you an article I read today in The Star. My Coolent, since I've topped it up after the flush, has remained the same in level and colour. The flushing hopefully did the trick. I also found this article today in the Toronto Star, and I think this may be an answer to the coolant colour change mystery. It is also something no manufacturer would admit to (doing a half-a$$ job at flushing the casting sand out) and would explain why we keep hearing a plethora of different excuses as to why the coolant has changed colour. Have a read and Cheers!

 

Many Thanks to MCO and all the folks who make up this happy community. I've recently looked in the coolant tank. Sure enough level low and brownish. I have <2K miles. Damn, I hope casting sediment isn't the problem. Has anyone heard any info directly from MINIUSA and had the problem fixed permanently?


His, Chile Red all over / Hers, EB UJ on top

 

As I think I mentioned, I received emial from MINIUSA asking me to take my MCS to the dealer where ultimately a sample of the coolant was drawn and was to be sent off for further analysis. That was last October. I checked with my dealer about a month ago and was told they haven't heard anything and neither have I.

 

Thats an interesting article I am wondering if MiniUSA already knows this or is still studying it.
At any rate it is surely going to be an expensive TSB or recall so they it will be interetsting to see what MiniUSA's ultimate decision is. Had a leaky coolant tank and the coolant is not mud but not green/blue either.

 

Update from MINIUSA

In reply to a posting about no feedback from MINI concerning the sample of discolored coolant taken from my MCS last October, yesterday I received a call from MINIUSA with an update. According to what I was told, BMW/MINI has collected samples from a great number of MINIs with discolored coolant. It appears to be the result of an interaction with the engine internals, but nothing has been found to indicate that this is anything but a cosmetic problem (my words, not theirs). The matter of why this interaction isn't occuring in all vehicles seems not to be an issue to them. Coolant replacement is neither recommended nor will be performed under warranty.

 

anybody have info on how to flush the coolant oneself? A link to a DIY perhaps? I've looked a couple of places (here, bridger.us/mini, MINI2 and google) but haven't found info. TIY.

 

I haven't seen it mentioned (but may have missed it), has anyone done a survey of production dates for this problem? My '03 has about 2100 on it and the coolant looks fine. Could this be another early production teething problem, or is it more widespread?

 

>>anybody have info on how to flush the coolant oneself? A link to a DIY perhaps? I've looked a couple of places (here, bridger.us/mini, MINI2 and google) but haven't found info. TIY.

I too would like to see a coolant flushing procedure. If anybody can assist?

 

>>I haven't seen it mentioned (but may have missed it), has anyone done a survey of production dates for this problem? My '03 has about 2100 on it and the coolant looks fine. Could this be another early production teething problem, or is it more widespread?


Nope, not a teething problem. Peanut has about 2350 miles on her; build date 1/31/03. I've had her for one month exactly.

check your coolant often, Moorlockx. You could be next!

 

Well.......

Went out and checked the coolant this morning after reading the thread, and you guessed it, the coolant was the color of a strong cup of tea. Now what. I guess I will call the Mini dealer and see what they will do, but unlike others on this forum I have seen this in almost every car I have ever owned.

I have a Ford Explorer with 170K on it. I take very good care of the vehicle and every time I change the coolant (every 25,000 or so) it is always kind of a muddy color. I checked the coolant in my finace's Subaru today and it is greener, but definitely dark. I will say that the MCS's coolant is darker than the others, but I am not sure that it is anything. That being said, I will have it checked right away. Better to be safe as they say.

 

That Toronto Star article is scary...

 

Hey guys, I'm new here and I don't have a Mini (though I really, really want to get an MCS when I get rid of my old car).

Anyway, I've had the same problem with my old VW Passat. The green coolant has now turned completely brown and murky.

However, from what I've learned from a VW board I belong to is that the car is not designed to run with the green stuff and if you use it the result is brown murky coolant. The car is meant to use something VW calls G-12 or G-11 (can't remember which) but basically it's supposed to be pink stuff (non-silica, non-phosphate based coolant). Several guys there have gotten rid of the green stuff (or brown stuff), flushed the system well a couple times, and refilled with the correct coolant. Since then, they have had no problems. I'll be doing the same thing in the next week or so.

Could it be that Mini's have the same problem???

I'm probably completely wrong but it's something to consider, I guess.

Robyn

 

The problem persists - My April build MCS coolant is now brown and bordering on low @ 4000 miles. Never has run "hot". I'm not concerned enough to take the car out of service for it - yet.

 

>>Hey guys, I'm new here and I don't have a Mini (though I really, really want to get an MCS when I get rid of my old car).
>>
>>Anyway, I've had the same problem with my old VW Passat. The green coolant has now turned completely brown and murky.
>>
>>However, from what I've learned from a VW board I belong to is that the car is not designed to run with the green stuff and if you use it the result is brown murky coolant. The car is meant to use something VW calls G-12 or G-11 (can't remember which) but basically it's supposed to be pink stuff (non-silica, non-phosphate based coolant). Several guys there have gotten rid of the green stuff (or brown stuff), flushed the system well a couple times, and refilled with the correct coolant. Since then, they have had no problems. I'll be doing the same thing in the next week or so.
>>
>>Could it be that Mini's have the same problem???
>>
>>I'm probably completely wrong but it's something to consider, I guess.
>>
>>Robyn


My wife's car is a 2001 VW Cabrio; it needs G12 spec coolant (pink). This is an
ethylene glycol base with diethelene glycol, sebacic acid, sodium hydroxide, water,
corrosion inhibitors, defoamer, and dyes added. If mixed with non g12 spec, it
turns brown and gunky.

The MINI coolant is not g12, but needs to be to be free of silica, phosphate, nitrate
and amines. One brand said to be compatible is zerex extreme life.
Prestone says their 5/150 extended life meets the criteria, but the low toxicity
propylene glycol formulation does not. I asked them and they replied:


Thanks very much for your inquiry. The Prestone Extended Life Antifreeze is amine, nitrate, phophate and silicate free.
The Prestone Low Tox, however, is not silicate and phosphate free.

 

Well my MC just turned 2700 miles and the Anti-freeze has turned brown. This is the first time any of the cars that I've owned have had this issue. I think Mini
needs to give us a better reason for this. I have talked to my dealer and they indicated that something in the cooling system is reacting with the Anti-freeze.

 

well, my MC has 5100 miles on it now and the coolant is starting to
turn brown. I'm not going to do anything about it yet, but I'll keep
a close eye on the level and color for a while.