losing coolant

Hi all I have noted this before in my head, as it seems a common problem, and now i think my car is sufferant from it.

About 150 miles i get the coolant warning on the dash, i could never find a leak, athough for the first time when i was parked i found a puddle of water, i kept checking the oil to see if it was mixing, but no...so i guess its the problem where the radiator and the filler leaks from somwhere.

The car is a 96 525i Auto Touring, done 270000 miles, me doing 6 in a couple of months of that.

I do have a 92 or 94 520i, which im hoping to fix (a tyre blew and pulled me into the kerb just bending the front susp etc) I had thought of swapping them, but then im still in the same boat. I prefer the looks on this one and it handles better than the touring, although the extra bhp and torque makes a big differance.

Can this leak be fixed, thats if its the usual place that people talked about (i dont know where) or can i get a aftermarket item.

any info app cheers

Reply to
Jules
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Follow your nose. Switch off when hot see if you can smeel / see where the steam is coming from..

If you have AC then it is probably condensate.

Reply to
R. Mark Clayton

I'd have the cooling system pressure tested.

Reply to
John Burns

Now i have a rough idea and can take a look, i took a few quick looks but saw nothing...and other times it was empty

Its my first ever car with AC, i was told by the previous owner if needs refilling, i know nothing about AC what so ever...it was something that i never needed or need now

Reply to
Jules

I havent got the cash to do that. bit like i aint got the cash to change the rad at the mo, should it not be fixable

Reply to
Jules

You haven't got the cash to _not_ do it. £20 now or several hundred for a new head etc later? JB

Reply to
JB

It's an expensive way to guess where a leak may be. If normal methods fail to find it, have the system pressurized and dye added. Small leaks often just evaporate away leaving no trace without the dye.

In my case the small leak turned out to be the water pump seal.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Mist - smell of manky kettle - more noticable if you have anti-freeze in.

The AC condenses water as part of its normal operation. When you stop the car some of this drips underneath the car.

Oil in the water - forms a film in the header tank.

Water in the oil - forms an emulsion a bit like mayonaise found around the filler cap.

Water in the combustion chambers - white smoke.

Oil in the combustion chambers - blue or black smoke.

Air in the water - high pressure etc.

All indicate leakage between the various galleries in the head and / or the combustion chamber. This can be caused by cracks, warpage, lost or incorrect head bolt tension, worn rings, burnt valves or failed gaskets etc..

270k - not bad, but bound to be a bit worn by now!

Reply to
R. Mark Clayton

At the mo i havent got 20 quid spare, was laid off from my PT job. Not till next week at least

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Reply to
Jules

I have noticed where many leaks have come from over cars over the past 20 years, apart from the odd one where it comes out in a jet and hits somethings else...i will clean everything up and see if i can notice

Reply to
Jules

will do, i can do it a couple of times on route

Thanks, AC is new to me, cant see the point of it over here and i know when its running is uses more power/fuel

Yep, i havent noticed any at all and kept looking, no loss of power etc

True, doesnt smoke, had a FSH and the week after getting it i toured E Germany and Poland in it without a hitch, never lost a drop of oil or water and just needed topping up a little after 3000 miles when it poppped up on the dash

Reply to
Jules

Summer - keeps car interior cool (& dry).

In winter - keeps car interior dry and prevents windows misting up.

Reply to
R. Mark Clayton

Nedavno R. Mark Clayton pise:

| Water in the combustion chambers - white smoke.

I have white smoke coming out from my exhaust. But coolant level is not changed. Is there any other reason that may be the cause of a white smoke? And since water can get in combustion chamber than you would probably get air in the radiator - high pressure?

Reply to
Yvan

Fuel contaminated with water. Mixture [far] too weak.

Reply to
R. Mark Clayton

Nedavno R. Mark Clayton pise:

| Fuel contaminated with water. | Mixture [far] too weak.

Thank you, I'll check that.

Reply to
Yvan

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