Mini coolant leak!!

Mini coolant leak!!

Author
Discussion

Dean783

Original Poster:

7 posts

72 months

Monday 5th November 2018
quotequote all
Hi, my wife’s mini has a major coolant leak. It’s in the garage and the mechanic has phoned and said he’s narrowed the leak down to behind the alternator, but he’s struggling to actually pin point the actual leak. So basically he’s going to have to strip parts out the find where exactly it’s coming from. Has any other Mini owners had a similar problem in a similar place that could shed some light on what’s leaking under there. I’m hoping a split hose or something similar but with the labour cost going to be stacking up I’m getting nervous!! Any info would be highly appreciated.

Defcon5

6,304 posts

198 months

Monday 5th November 2018
quotequote all
Which engine/year

Dean783

Original Poster:

7 posts

72 months

Monday 5th November 2018
quotequote all
1.6, 2003

southendpier

5,542 posts

236 months

Dean783

Original Poster:

7 posts

72 months

Monday 5th November 2018
quotequote all
Cheers! Just hoping he can locate the leak soon!

GiveItSomeWellie

3,040 posts

203 months

Monday 5th November 2018
quotequote all
If it's behind the alternator, then it's likely either the water pump, the rubber hose that runs from the block to the water pump or the 90 degree bend that attaches the hose to the block.

The 90 degree bend failed in my R50 a few years back. This only applies to non-S MINI, the S has a totally different setup.


Emanresu

311 posts

96 months

Monday 5th November 2018
quotequote all
Stick some uv dye in the header tank. Cheap as chips. Like under a tenner for 5 bottles of dye online including a cheapo uv torch. Lift the car with the engine running and go around with the uv torch until you find the leak. It will glow bright green. So so simple. I hate to be a dick but I don’t think your mechanic is up to much if he can’t do a simple thing like this. Sounds like a guy who says oooo I’m a mechanic I know everything, but never does any reading or research to further his skills. I hate guys like that. They give us real mechanics a bad name.

Dean783

Original Poster:

7 posts

72 months

Monday 5th November 2018
quotequote all
Cheers! Just hoping he can locate the leak soon!

Dean783

Original Poster:

7 posts

72 months

Monday 5th November 2018
quotequote all
Ok thanks for the info guys, he mentioned putting some pressure through. The mechanic has been ok in the past, but I knows he’s really busy at the min so might be just saying that to try and buy some time. Hopefully he’ll be in touch tomorrow and have some good news.

Mr2Mike

20,143 posts

262 months

Monday 5th November 2018
quotequote all
Emanresu said:
Sounds like a guy who says oooo I’m a mechanic I know everything, but never does any reading or research to further his skills. I hate guys like that. They give us real mechanics a bad name.
It could be worse, e.g. some ignoramus mechanic could proclaim that the Royal British Legion is funding wars.