Coolant gets empty more often than before...

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WK2 - 30 Dec 2008 02:05 GMT

Hello BMW owners,

I have an old BMW 323i, 1999 4 door sedan, but low mileage of 47K. I
just added more coolant after the dash board light was on some times
for coolant (but most of times it briefly lights up and turns off
after a few minutes later), and I just checked the coolant, found it
was below "minimum" level.

I have fully changed coolant about a year ago, and never had to even
add coolant before. For many years (since 1999 'til last year), I
always checked all the fluids, but the coolant was always up to the
right level, but since the last year, it gets lower every year. Is
this normal? My driving habit hasn't changed - I drive about the same
distance as before.

I wonder in what case the coolant gets lower. Does it dry up? How
often do you add coolant to your car?

Thanks.

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Scott Dorsey - 30 Dec 2008 03:10 GMT

>I have an old BMW 323i, 1999 4 door sedan, but low mileage of 47K. I
>just added more coolant after the dash board light was on some times
>for coolant (but most of times it briefly lights up and turns off
>after a few minutes later), and I just checked the coolant, found it
>was below "minimum" level.

You have a coolant leak.

>I have fully changed coolant about a year ago, and never had to even
>add coolant before. For many years (since 1999 'til last year), I
>always checked all the fluids, but the coolant was always up to the
>right level, but since the last year, it gets lower every year. Is
>this normal? My driving habit hasn't changed - I drive about the same
>distance as before.

Before you didn't have a coolant leak, now you do.

>I wonder in what case the coolant gets lower. Does it dry up? How
>often do you add coolant to your car?

I have one car where when I do the annual coolant change, I don't find
the level down a bit. I have another car where there is a slight leak
through the water pump that I need to deal with one of these days, but
which I am putting off until it gets worse.

I would first of all check the oil and make sure it looks good and not
brown and creamy. If the coolant is leaking into the oil, you have a
severe problem you need to deal with. Then I'd check all the hoses and
I'd check for corrosion around the water pump and the thermostat assembly.
I would also check the plastic parts of the radiator for signs of cracking.

If all of these things look good, it may be leaking through the radiator
cap.

If you have the system pressure tested, it will make it easier to find
small leaks. Some kinds of small leak will turn into bigger ones very
quickly, some will take a good bit longer to become a problem.
--scott

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"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

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Dave Plowman (News) - 30 Dec 2008 08:35 GMT

In article
<4e165ce5-126c-4f8f-adbc-1660f5a9bed8@v13g2000yqm.googlegroups.com>,

> I have fully changed coolant about a year ago, and never had to even
> add coolant before. For many years (since 1999 'til last year), I
> always checked all the fluids, but the coolant was always up to the
> right level, but since the last year, it gets lower every year. Is
> this normal? My driving habit hasn't changed - I drive about the same
> distance as before.

> I wonder in what case the coolant gets lower. Does it dry up? How
> often do you add coolant to your car?

If something like this changes it's not normal. You have a leak somewhere.
A very slight one can be difficult to find as the coolant can evaporate
off a hot engine - and it may only leak when hot.
One way round this is to add a dye to the coolant and pressurize the
system using compressed air so you can examine things easily with the
engine stopped. A likely cause is a weeping seal on the waterpump.

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*Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

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hsg@h-gee.co.uk - 30 Dec 2008 21:25 GMT

>Hello BMW owners,
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
>Thanks.

As others have said - you have a leak.

Now the difficult part is WHERE?

Water with additives is coloured blue, green and sometimes pink depending on
what colour the makers dye the glycol.

Have a look around the front of the engine for whitish or coloured stains.
Usually this can be the water pump bearing seals going or is could be the
thermostat housing - some models have this made from a phenol plastic (melamine)
that can crack under pressure and leak - no leak when cold.

Next look on the sides of the engine where the Core plugs are 9 Round discs let
into the castings where they knock the sand out from when its made. These are
usually steel and can rust through or can be pushed out if the water coolant
ever freezes.

Then check all the hoses and inside the car for wet carpets!

Next is the radiator - front of the car not near the fan as damage can occur
from kamikaze water ouzels or flying stones hitting the rad. If you have air con
then that's a maybe as the air con gets it first.

DO NOT MESS ABOUT WITH LEAK SEALERS........ you have been warned....

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Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen
hsg@h-gee.co.uk
Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

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