Think it was just the gasket...



or does it look like the seam separated along the casing?





Already have a new gasket in hand. Curious as to what part of the thermostat fails on others that cause them to replace the entire piece.

 

What are the stats of the car? Year, Model (Non-S or S) and Mileage?

Also, is it just me or is there a film/gunk in the housing?

 

"Curious as to what part of the thermostat fails on others that cause them to replace the entire piece."

Me too.

My 09 non-S leaks on occasion, some days its dry everywhere. I also get some seepage around the temperature sensor. I Looked down there with a mirror and the drop of fluid was on the low tip or the elbow of the seam.

I think no one knows and its just easier to replace the whole unit and bill the customer or MINI USA.

 

Have you had the dealer look into that? Curious because my car seems to go from "Maximum" to "Minimum" with the coolant every 6 months. They've done pressure testing on two different occasions and can't find a problem. I've looked at the car and can't find any visual leaks and there aren't any spots on the driveway.

I kind of figure that something will need replacing AFTER the warranty with regards to my coolant magically disappearing.

 

ruabadfish2,

Looking at your thermostat housing makes me wonder if the bolts just needs to be Re-Torqued to spec, you know, after all the heat cycles.

 

No I haven't, I'm still within warranty but I'm making plans to replace the whole unit myself.

 

I replaced mine several months ago and upon inspection and I too suspected that particular seam as the failure point. The coolant residue was localized in that particular region. The side of the cylinder head was clean (aside from dirt and grime) of the white coolant residue. Seeing as the unit is a grade of ABS plastic, heat cycling and vibration could be a huge enemy.

Regardless, after replacement my coolant level remained steady for at least 6 months before requiring a wee top up. My biggest issue with the replacement was removing/reinstalling the coolant running to the turbo. Some of those bends and angles were a real pain!