Losing Coolant?
Discussion
I have just bought a mini one 51 plate & noticed that the coolant expansion tank was empty. I filled to the max & a week later it's at the min again without the car being used?
I can't see any obvious leaks anywhere is there anything common this could be?
I'm praying having just bought this car for my daughters 18th it's nothing serious.
The heater still works so hopefully not head gasket?
I can't see any obvious leaks anywhere is there anything common this could be?
I'm praying having just bought this car for my daughters 18th it's nothing serious.
The heater still works so hopefully not head gasket?
Wont be a head gasket it will be the thermostat housing, PTFE around the temp sender or the rad rots on the bottom LH corner. They are the common points on the cooper and one models. Change many of them. normally the loss gets greater. Normally it will only weep so you will only see it when the engine has been left standing, there may be some witness marks around the housing but normally the fluid can track around the cylinder head and come out above the manifold where it is burnt off
RKDE said:
Wont be a head gasket it will be the thermostat housing, PTFE around the temp sender or the rad rots on the bottom LH corner. They are the common points on the cooper and one models. Change many of them. normally the loss gets greater. Normally it will only weep so you will only see it when the engine has been left standing, there may be some witness marks around the housing but normally the fluid can track around the cylinder head and come out above the manifold where it is burnt off
Sounds reassuring. Is this something I could bring to you & wait while sorted ? 
kippax said:
Sounds reassuring. Is this something I could bring to you & wait while sorted ?
You could, I am just a mini enthusiast though and a little busy right now. A local garage would only charge an hour to do the job + coolant(£10) + Part (£50ish)~ I am getting a bigger unit soon I hope and then I could do more help out jobs but for the time being my unit is full of cars and I have a full time job too 
They always fail, I think its caused by the mass of plastic and water in it as the S which is much small does not fail. You can't fit it to the cooper / one engine though
RKDE said:
You could, I am just a mini enthusiast though and a little busy right now. A local garage would only charge an hour to do the job + coolant(£10) + Part (£50ish)~ I am getting a bigger unit soon I hope and then I could do more help out jobs but for the time being my unit is full of cars and I have a full time job too
They always fail, I think its caused by the mass of plastic and water in it as the S which is much small does not fail. You can't fit it to the cooper / one engine though
OK Thanks for the advice i'll ask around.They always fail, I think its caused by the mass of plastic and water in it as the S which is much small does not fail. You can't fit it to the cooper / one engine though
I have a mini one same thing, I think it was just the lid loss on the tank (just not closed properly). I hade to fill and run 4 times befor the water level did not move. I also opend up the fill taps (scrows) that are I think on three of the higher pipes) The only other thing I found was a pipe at the back of the engine (runing to the car heater matrix) was rubing on the heat sheald. I did fix this but never saw any water so think it had not gone throw yet.
Just over a year later still all good.
Just over a year later still all good.
RKDE said:
You could, I am just a mini enthusiast though and a little busy right now. A local garage would only charge an hour to do the job + coolant(£10) + Part (£50ish)~ I am getting a bigger unit soon I hope and then I could do more help out jobs but for the time being my unit is full of cars and I have a full time job too
They always fail, I think its caused by the mass of plastic and water in it as the S which is much small does not fail. You can't fit it to the cooper / one engine though
Been quoted about £160 fitted from local BMW/mini place. They always fail, I think its caused by the mass of plastic and water in it as the S which is much small does not fail. You can't fit it to the cooper / one engine though
DanGT said:
I have a mini one same thing, I think it was just the lid loss on the tank (just not closed properly). I hade to fill and run 4 times befor the water level did not move. I also opend up the fill taps (scrows) that are I think on three of the higher pipes) The only other thing I found was a pipe at the back of the engine (runing to the car heater matrix) was rubing on the heat sheald. I did fix this but never saw any water so think it had not gone throw yet.
Just over a year later still all good.
Thanks for that looks like may have been the same for me. Just over a year later still all good.
I'm having the same problem with my Cooper S,although haven't taken it back to the dealership to ge it checked yet,had it there a few weeks ago as i thought it was an oil leak because we kept finding wet patches on the drive,but the BF recently realised it was a coolant leak.I swear if anything else goes wrong with this car feel like getting rid,but i love it to bits 
Edited by Marcia on Sunday 8th May 09:51
I had this exact problem with a 2002 Mini Cooper 1.6.
They are common for it - and similar to another person whose commented on this thread - Mini claim its not a common problem.
Replacing the thermostat isn't that hard bleeding the air from the system can be a bit of a pain. Other problems that cause coolant loss are the radiators they may look perfectly OK however on closer inspection you'll realise that they are weeping water so much so that it cooks off without visible steam.
They are common for it - and similar to another person whose commented on this thread - Mini claim its not a common problem.
Replacing the thermostat isn't that hard bleeding the air from the system can be a bit of a pain. Other problems that cause coolant loss are the radiators they may look perfectly OK however on closer inspection you'll realise that they are weeping water so much so that it cooks off without visible steam.
Just had my Cooper S back to the dealership as it was losing coolant,turns out it's the thermostat housing,i'm relieved it's still under warranty.They gave me a brand new Mini one D while they are sorting out the S,actually not a bad little car,surprisingly it does have a bit of poke when you need it!
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