Coolant Doesn't hold
 

Hi everyone, new member here. Any help would be useful and appreciated.

So i'm lost as to a solution for this problem. For starters, I don't know where to look to try and find the issue. I'm a new mini owner and the car is foreign to me. I'm used to working on Jetta's. I digress.

Out of no where, I notice a fluid trailing my car and then white smoke from under the hood. I stop and look, notice that the coolant is completely gone.
I was told that the reservoir was recently changed and I'm pretty certain that it is not leaking. I had some spare coolant in the trunk and tried to fill the tank. Only to notice that the fluid would go straight out the bottom of the car, causing a puddle of coolant. Along with white smoke.
So i'm guessing the issue is a hose that has either ruptured or is cut somewhere between the reservoir and the thermostat. But I can't be sure. I had the car towed so as not to warp the header, and there is no milky discharge in the oil.

Does ANYONE have any ideas. Please let me know how I can diagnose this asap.

thanks in advace Tmoz

Pressure test the system with a pressure bleeder and locate the leak, or get the car in the air and find where it is coming from.

The fact you say it goes into the tank and straight to the ground would lead me to look at the tank and hoses connecting to it.

Anywhere the coolant passes will be suspect without more information on where you see the coolant leaking from under the car.

Waterpump
Radiator
Expansion tank
Thermostat
Oil cooler lines (both rubber and steel sections)
Hoses
etc

It would help if I had illustrations of the general locations of everything.
How do I pressure test the car? I'd need an apparatus for that, right?

It's coming from somewhere near the middle of the car, just after the motor. I can't think of what would be back there other than the thermostat. Any ideas with that approximate location?

Sounds like it's either the thermostat, thermostat housing, or someone damaged a hose or didn't make a proper connection when reassembling the tank.

Thermostat is on the driver side of the head just below the valve cover and to the left of the airbox.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...5b6dcc3630.png

I'll take a look and try and see if thats the problem. Thanks for the information. I'll get back to this on Friday

What year and model is your Mini?

Here is a link to see good parts diagrams.
http://www.realoem.com/

Sounds like the hose to the reservoir tank has just come off at one of the ends or has split in two. Just follow the line down to see if it is still connected. If it appears connected pour some water in the reservoir and look to see where it leaks out.

Yeah that seems to be my suspicion but I won't know until I get a ramp or lift on Friday. The mini I have is a '03 Cooper S.

Your 2003 should have a spare tire jack, for fixing a flat tire, even thought you do not have a spare tire (my 2003 had a jack). So you should be able to jack up the car and look underneath without needing a ramp/lift. The tire jack is not great use some type of jack stand (something solid) to support the car when you are under the car.

I tried that earlier today, I don't have anything around that can prop up the car while I'm under there, so to avoid any unfortunate events I decided against going under the car with the small jack. I'm borrowing a set of jack stands on Friday. I might try again tomorrow if I find something.

Glad you're getting a set of jack stands as you'll need to get under the vehicle to inspect where the source of the leak is coming from. Once you track down the source of the leak let us know and be sure to fill up your MINI with the correct 50/50 mixture.

Look next to the head on the driver side right below that thermostat housing for leaks. And let us know what you find.

On a LH Drive car, as in the States, look on the driver's side, not passenger side, for the thermostat housing.