Same coolant leak after replacing water pump and thermostat

[fedisrico]

Well, here's what it looks like under the spark plug cover... oil in the spark plug well, and I'm guessing the freeze plugs? So should I go ahead with that blue devil or try and fix it myself. Would the head and valve cover gaskets only cost around $150 together? Any tips or links you guys can provide would be great, I'm going to proably put off the leak for now seeing as this is gonna be a lengthy repair now.

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Sorry, forgot the pictures, didn't actually remove the spark plug but what's the point, I already know there's oil in there

IMG_3709.jpgIMG_3708.jpgIMG_3706.jpg

[jicaino]

Man, I suggest you calm down and realize there's several thigns wrong at once here. The oil in the spark plugs it's the valve cover gasket. The blue devil won't fix that. You have a major coolant leak, a valve cover oil leak which is common and you don't know how long's been that way. You need to focus on ONE thing now: find your coolant leak.

[mattmar1]

cant really see down in to the spark plug wells in the pics, but if you have any oil in the plug wells, thats the VCG leaking, the gaskets around the plug holes.

[fedisrico]

Man, I suggest you calm down and realize there's several thigns wrong at once here. The oil in the spark plugs it's the valve cover gasket. The blue devil won't fix that. You have a major coolant leak, a valve cover oil leak which is common and you don't know how long's been that way. You need to focus on ONE thing now: find your coolant leak.

Yeah I was just freaking out because it's a lot of things going wrong at once, I'm going to order the valve cover gaskets since I obviously need to fix that, as for the leak I'll pour some distilled water in and see if it does come from that voltage regulator. Although, does anyone else have a radiator with a hose in place of a drain plug? How would I drain the water out afterwards, the hose seems like it would turn and disconnect but it just turns and won't pop off

[jicaino]

Yeah I was just freaking out because it's a lot of things going wrong at once, I'm going to order the valve cover gaskets since I obviously need to fix that, as for the leak I'll pour some distilled water in and see if it does come from that voltage regulator. Although, does anyone else have a radiator with a hose in place of a drain plug? How would I drain the water out afterwards, the hose seems like it would turn and disconnect but it just turns and won't pop off

All post 9/98 540i has that hose in lieu of the radiator plug. It's what feeds one end of the heat exchanger (coolant part of the exchanger).

You've got to disconect it from the exchanger (pull the clip, it's a quick connect hose like the radiator's) and then turn it and yank. It won't be super loose, you may have to wiggle it for a while.

Wait for the valve cover gaskets, it's not a major issue now. Solve the coolant leak then reward the car with the valve cover reseal.

[fedisrico]

Well, I went and poured an entire gallon of distilled water in, the voltage regulator area was completely dry, turns out I misremembered, because what was actually leaking, and has been for months was the oil pan. My first thought was that it must have been coming from above, but from where I could shine my light, i didn't see anything else dripping, I just replaced the water pump and t stat and gaskets a few days ago, and the car wasn't on when I poured the water in. It was a fast drip and then another drip formed on the pan, any ideas where I should check for leaks? There's been a small drip there for a while and I never had any white smoke or rough idle before, however the leak this time was very quick

[jicaino]

Are you shure it isn't coming from the coolant manifold in the back of the engine? or dripping from the heater core hoses and finding its way down the block and making it look like it's the oil pan? Also, the "regulator" has a side connection that mates to the steel/rubber line in front of the engine behind the water pump pulley, that would spit and gurgle right ontop of the upper oilpan casting.

[fedisrico]

Are you shure it isn't coming from the coolant manifold in the back of the engine? or dripping from the heater core hoses and finding its way down the block and making it look like it's the oil pan? Also, the "regulator" has a side connection that mates to the steel/rubber line in front of the engine behind the water pump pulley, that would spit and gurgle right ontop of the upper oilpan casting.

Would all of these be possible leaks with the engine off? And could someone provide a link to how to check the heater core hoses? Realoem isn't too clear on where they are/ I'm not sure what I'm looking at. The side connection is #6 in this diagram I'm assuming http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_2267

I'll check all of these tomorrow when it's at least above 0 and I don't freeze in my leaky garage

[jicaino]

yes, all possible leaks just with filling up the system.

My money is on the transmission heat exchanger since day zero. You'd have checked it by now, it takes 4 8mm hex head bolts, undo the porkchop, remove 3 13mm hex nuts and drop the exchanger.

[mattmar1]

i think it was previously suggested to pressure test the system , pump it up to pressure and see where its coming from.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Would all of these be possible leaks with the engine off? And could someone provide a link to how to check the heater core hoses? Realoem isn't too clear on where they are/ I'm not sure what I'm looking at. The side connection is #6 in this diagram I'm assuming http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_2267

I'll check all of these tomorrow when it's at least above 0 and I don't freeze in my leaky garage

Figures.... your garage is just as leaky as your BMW.

[jicaino]

Figures.... your garage is just as leaky as your BMW.

Enviado desde mi SM-N920G mediante Tapatalk

[fedisrico]

Still a small leak going this morning, but it didn't lose the entire gallon of water I poured yesterday, I got under and the hose you said that runs over the oil pan did seem wet, but so was everything else. I'll wait until tomorrow when it's warmer and I have help to take everything off in order to see the hose properly and get under the car while someone pours the water in. On a side note, the car has been covered in road salt and grime for 2.5 weeks now, how long till rust starts...

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

So..... it’s freezing cold where you’re at, you are filling the cooling system up with straight H2O?

[fedisrico]

So..... it’s freezing cold where you’re at, you are filling the cooling system up with straight H2O?

At least ice won't leak

[mattmar1]

does expand though due to crystallization

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Ding Ding Ding!!! We have a winner!

[jicaino]

Ding Ding Ding!!! We have a winner!

more like ding ding crack!

[sienayr]

might get a pressure tester (loaner or cheap rental from a local parts house), pressurize the system and see where its coming from.

'nuff said

i think it was previously suggested to pressure test the system , pump it up to pressure and see where its coming from.

wtf man what part of this don't you understand?? are there no parts stores near you where you can get a pressure tester?? Seriously distilled water? Good luck.

[MotorMouth93]

Pressure tester rental is free (well, you front the cost of the tool as a deposit and get it all back when you return it) at pretty much every big name parts store.

[Santaclaus4]

At least ice won't leak

OK, this car is not for you. Just back away and gimme the keys...

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

He’s still scratching his head....

[jicaino]

He’s still scratching his head....

Judging by his ability to follow instructions, he might be sratching elsewhere.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

I’m scratching my head as to how anyone could ever have as many issues as he has had in the past with his car, based on his past threads.

[fedisrico]

It's called a joke guys, nothing froze. Anyways...I'm pretty sure I found the leak, I didn't connect hose #9 to the water pump properly, it jiggled around very easily and there was still a sliver of the water pump end visible, as well as some coolant around the rim of the connection. I'm going to put everything back together and pour in some more coolant, I'm sure the leak will be gone.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_2267

If all leaks are gone I'm going to go ahead and flush the system, I'm going to take off the engine block coolant screw from the right (passenger) side, I can't get enough leverage at the moment to get it loose, does anyone have a diagram of the heat shield mounting points? I can't get a good look around