Seems every time I check the bottle on my son's mini, I have to add coolant. Not much, but, it concerns me.

Oil level stays put, nothing on the garage floor, no white smoke.

I'm confused. I check it before we start it in the morning.

Running great. What the heck?

 

Look for white crusty residue...
The r53 coolant tank and thermostat are most common...
The side tanks on the radiator less common...

 

I will but, I can tell you, it's really clean under the hood.

Am I checking the level at the right time, in the morning, before she's run?

 

Yup...when cold...and to eleborate...
When the tank leaks, a fine pinhole of steam normally comes out along the seam...it worsens overtime...
The gasket (integrated with the thermostat) and or thermostat housing can leak...again...tiny abounts...can be blown back or disappear...
And after 10+ years, the plastic which is heat set to the center core of the radiator can crack and leak...common on all makes/models using this newer style radiator....
Sounds like it is minor enough to keep an eye on it for a bit...wait for it to worsen...

 

Thanks zippy. I guess I'll just keep watching and adding......

 

They make coolant dye that lights up really well with a blacklight. Get a bottle from a local auto parts store or Amazon. Add it and wait a few days. Get under the car with a blacklight and you should be able to spot the leak pretty easily.

 

Coolant itself has a good bit of fluorescein dye in it that shows up on a black light.

 

Thanks all.

I took a look at the bottle and it does indeed have a white ring around it.

It also looks like some has leaked from the cap.

I added some again last night and will check again this evening.

 

As stated the tank and thermostat housing are the most common leak areas. The thermostat housing/gasket leak is sometimes hard to spot. I only noticed mine thermostat leak when I saw small puddles on the garage floor in the morning. Use a flashlight to look around the thermostat housing. Look for coolant puddling in low spots or white residue from dried coolant.

 

Also check the bottom of the trans bell-housing. That's where the coolant will likely run down from thermo housing. I may pick up dirt and residue on the way and look like motor oil instead.

 

Mine is peeing out of my thermostat housing, too

I just order a replacement thermostat and gasket. I'm hoping the housing isn't cracked too

 

Mine was recently losing coolant too. I couldn't tell where it was going, and the dash gauge didn't indicate it was overheating. A couple weekends ago (after driving and then sitting idling in the driveway) I heard a boiling sound...popped the hood and noticed it was boiling over and coming out of the reservoir. I did a lot of trouble shooting trying to figure it out. Long story short; it was a bad radiator cap. It was ~$5 from the local auto parts store. Maybe not a common problem, but probably one of the cheapest/easiest fixed.

 

For the time it takes to change and bleed the thermostat I would change the housing at the same time. I've had them warp and be about ready to crumple the two times I changed mine.

 

Traildog,

Mine did the same thing and turned out initially to need only a new cap. I'd try that and see what happens.

Greg

 

My '05 MCS does the same thing too! No drips or over heating. The cap seems to be on nice and tight.

 

My cap appeared fine and was tight also (06 MCS) but slowly noticed some faint white residue forming atop of the nearest heat shield. Replaced the cap for under $20 and that fixed it.

Greg

 

OK. I do get some white residue on the plastic container. I guess I'm stopping at Advanced Auto Parts this afternoon! Thanks!

 

I'm getting a new cap too! Thanks.

 

Well, it finally showed up in the oil, so, I guess its a head gasket......


I'm fairly mechanical, so, I guess I'm going to give replacing it myself a go.


Any help/guidance is greatly appreciated...........

 

Trail dog
Sorry to hear that but search this forum for 'head gasket' and you'll find several postings that will help.
Greg

 

Boy, you're not kidding..... head gaskets must be kind of normal on high mileage MINIs.


We love the car, so, we're gonna fix it. 170K and many more to go we hope!

 

Don't blame you. Still regretting selling my 06 S bought new.
Looking for another one even if it needs serious work.
Greg

 

Well, the son and I tore into her today. Man, that's a lot of stuff to remove!


I'm a bit leery of the next step. Putting a jack under the oil pan and removing the engine mount....... then....... the cam gear........