slow coolant leak

[roarf]

I've had this slow coolant leak for a while now. It's drips off of the rad. drain plug, and when I looked under the car I thought for sure that's where it was leaking from since the seal on the old plug was cut and sorta bunched up. So I replaced that but it still leaks slowly. I looked at the upper radiator hose and it was not wet at all, I'm pretty sure it's not leaking from there. I know this is kind of dumb to ask when you guys can't look at the car yourself but, any ideas as to where else it could be leaking? My dad thinks I should just put some sort of leak stop stuff in the coolant that will fill in wherever it's leaking from but I don't like the sound of that, my car already has at least 3 different kinds of coolant in it (bad, I know). Thanks.

[1996Ken328IS]

I would not use the leak stop stuff either. Didja check the hoses? Also, the necks on our radiators are plastic and fail often.

[onetrillionrpm]

I know most of the time the mechanic in a can stop leak shit does work, but it doesn't properly fix the issue, could work for a quick fix

[roarf]

I will try to get a better look at the neck. Could it possibly be leaking from the radiator header thing on the side where all the tubes go in and out? I'm guessing if the neck is cracked I would need a whole new radiator, yes?

[SHAHAB323IS]

I will try to get a better look at the neck. Could it possibly be leaking from the radiator header thing on the side where all the tubes go in and out? I'm guessing if the neck is cracked I would need a whole new radiator, yes?

yes you would, and i would def check the radiator neck, if you haven't replaced your radiator it should def be something to think about, i had had a slight leak from my radiator neck but i wasn't sure where it was coming from until the neck blew up in my driveway, not a fun time for me, i'd fix it now before the same happens to you, hopefully you don't need a new one now, but you eventually will

[OH377NO]

yes you would, and i would def check the radiator neck, if you haven't replaced your radiator it should def be something to think about, i had had a slight leak from my radiator neck but i wasn't sure where it was coming from until the neck blew up in my driveway, not a fun time for me, i'd fix it now before the same happens to you, hopefully you don't need a new one now, but you eventually will


The same thing just happened to me last week. I had a slow leak from the radiator. About every 200 miles the coolant would drop to about half and I'd fill it back up. Well I was on the freeway the other day and my car started smoking :( and when I popped the hood the neck was broken. Now my baby is sitting until January ::tears:: I should have just replaced it in October! The sad part is I had the money to fix it then and didn't. I thought I could make it last. Don't get stuck! Fix it ASAP!!

[beskhu3epnm]

Same thing happened here, roarf. Plastic rad neck disintegrated causing the leak you mention.

Best way to find out is to pull the upper rad hose off and inspect. Mine liked to leak when hot especially, and I could get the coolant to boil with the lack of pressure. The sooner, the better...

If it's the plastic neck, the rad can be a DIY job, and you can get the rad cheap in the aftermarket... don't be too alarmed.

[Headnsouth]

Just fixed a slow leak on my 92. I was the upper rad hose that would only leak after it sat a few minutes. A real slow couple of drop kinda leak but after a couple of weeks I'd get the low fluid error.

[darthE36]

I've had a leak for the past few weeks coming from the same area, the drain plug. When I got a m50 mani installed, the good guys at Project Mspec showed me where it was coming from. It would leak from behind the black plastic piece that is on the left side of the radiator, directly above the drain plug. He applied pressure to the system and it just started oozing out. I just plan to get a whole new radiator.

[amancuso]

Mine has the same damn leak, but I'm not sure if it's coming from the drain plug or the side of the radiator... to be sure I've put coolant hoses, a radiator and a reservoir on my X-mas list :) (Car's been garaged for like 2 weeks now, racking up the miles on the 540i)

[roarf]

Thanks for all the input so far guys. I probably ought to have the cooling system overhauled anyways. I've only had the car for about 4 months and I know the PO had the thermostat replaced as well as the housing (now alum.), but I don't know what the PO before him did (I'm the 3rd owner). Just to check, 98's and newer came with a water pump that had a metal impeller right?

[amancuso]

I believe so, mine is a 97 9/96 prod that had a metal WP, but mine failed around 80K it also took out the fan, fan clutch and radiator with it.

[bandit177]

'95 325i. Just had the thermostat replaced and system flushed. Btw, my shop guy told me NEVER to use the stop leak stuff. He says it doesn't attach to aluminum and although it MAY stop a small leak, it could gum up something more important (and expensive!) like the water pump.

About the coolant smell,,,,when I turn on the heater, I get a coolant smell. It seems to be worse when I turn the defrost on and the air comes out the top vents below the windshield. It's gone after a while, but it has me wondering. Anybody got any ideas?

[Engineer3D]

Same here with the smell of coolant when turning on the heat or AC.
Also, is it possible to get air out of the system (if thats the problem) by disconnecting the hoses by the drivers side firewall, and slowly filling it there???

Just a thought I had on the way from work last night. ;(

[Hess]

Coolant smell for me too! I'm pretty sure it's a leaky heater core. Researching heater core replacement has me living with it for now.

[roarf]

Welp, had the mechanic pressure test it today. Turned out it was leaking from the left side of the radiator and running down and dripping off the drain plug. They will be replacing the radiator tomorrow. It will be nice to know I only have one kind of coolant in my car. :):shifty I asked how much it would cost to replace the upper and lower hose too and they told me it would be another 90 some dollars....WTF? I don't know how they came up with that, but they said the hoses I have now are still in great shape and don't need replaced, so screw that. :nono

[deserteagle]

yea the hoses are dear, I got mine from dealer for 70 euro.

you might as well get a new expansion tank while you at it, they do give trouble over time.

[roarf]

Yeah, I wasn't expecting the hoses to be near that much, seeing as they're only about $10 each at Pelican Parts. :dunno I forgot to ask but I think they may be replacing the expansion tank as well.

[darthE36]

So do you know what exactly is causing the leak, it looks like me and you have the same exact problem.

[roarf]

I couldn't say for sure, all they said was that it was leaking about halfway up the side of the radiator. If I was to guess I would say it probably was leaking from where one of the tubes goes into the header on the side of the radiator, or whatever you call it. Not much you can do to fix that other than replace the radiator. :dunno

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb82/roarf/cars/e36rad.jpg