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Has this ever happened? I was driving home Saturday night when all of a sudden I noticed a voracious leak coming from that area of the engine. I haven’t jacked it up yet to check it out; just limped it home and will look it over this weekend but I’m wondering can the plug (I assume it’s this since the leak looks like it’s coming from there) fail?
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Most likely failure is radiator neck, generally the upper (wrong side of car in your case)
Second likely failure is the overflow tank/level sensor.
Third likely failure point is Thermostat Housing.
Then any number of hoses, three or four at the firewall, under the intake manifold.
Driving after total loss of coolant spells disaster…you may get lucky.
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Last edited by bluptgm3; 04-09-2019 at 10:44 PM.
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If your talking about the coolant plug on the back of the head. I had the same problem. Take the cowl off and slip a 17mm back there till you catch the 17mm bolt. I gave mine a good half turn to really tighten it and haven’t seen a leak since.
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He has an M52, not likely the back of the engine neck.
ryan, you cannot limp these cars home after finding a massive leak. You most likely warped/cracked the head.
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So before you go ripping the head off your engine, you should fill the cooling system and get a test cap to pressurize it and determine where the leak was. That way when you put it back together you won't have a massive leak again.
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All of these points you referenced I've replaced them within the last 10 years at some point. Those were the first ones I checked.Originally Posted by bluptgm3
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The plug I'm talking about is the one on the passenger side of the engine block. The one people remove to do the engine flush. I don't know of any plug behind the engine cowling. Are you talking about that three piece plastic unit on the driver side?
Last edited by ryanmkincaid; 04-10-2019 at 12:56 AM.
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I agree. I keep gallon of coolant in the trunk. When I saw the smoke coming from the engine I was close enough home to be confident on getting her there. The leak was slow enough that the needle was still in the middle but as soon as it climbed pass the middle I pulled over and parked her near a park which was about 3 blocks from my home. The next morning I walked back over to my car, fill the reservoir back to the top and drove her home. I turned the car off when I hit a light (only once) and i didn't give the car time to warm up. I'm pretty scared about the block cracking but wouldn't that only happened if I drove the car while she's in the red?
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Yeah, I wonder if I can rent one of these from an AutoZone. I don't really want to take the car to the mechanics if it's something simple. Luckily I have a replacement block plug and washer I purchased new years ago. But I'm just wondering if a plug like that could fail. The plastic ones sure, but an iron one? The reason I'm confident it's the block plug is because I saw the coolant dripping onto one of the headers on that side. Only good thing about this is that I can replace the rubber hoses on the top with the silicone ones from Mishimoto
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Wow, you're optimistic. Find the leak and go from there.
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Tens years of heat cycles is a lot, beyond general life expectancy of most plastics.
Kudos for being so.
If it is simply the steel drain plug in the side of your iron block, have you had it out previously? Going to be a bare to get to to chase threads, best of luck!
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Last edited by bluptgm3; 04-16-2019 at 03:09 AM.
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I can say, I have never heard or seen of this drain plug "failing." It is not plastic, it is simply a metal bolt. The only time it would fail is if it was not secured the last time it was removed/installed. So, by fail, if you meant it fell out, then I don't think it would from deterioration, but user error.
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If it’s coming from the back of the engine it’s probably these head drain plugs. I had the problem with mine. Started as a slow leak then more and more. Simply tightened it and fixed my problems. It could be a block freeze plug that cracked as well. One picture is M50 other is M52 both have the drain plug #23 on the back of the head. I was able to reach back there by taking the cabin filter cowl off. It’s just like four small bolts. Then there should be enough room to slip a wrench back there and give it a few good turns. This May be it just letting you know what happened to me could be similar for you.
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Just run the car in your driveway with the hose in the reservoir so it can’t go dry and search for the leak and follow it to the leaking point. Mine was running down the back of the motor then down the side of my transmission and bell housing. I for sure thought it was a head gasket because it looked like it was flowing down the edge of the block and head. But it turned out to be the drain plug on the backside of the engine.
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You leaked coolant out of those or oil?If it’s coming from the back of the engine it’s probably these head drain plugs. I had the problem with mine. Started as a slow leak then more and more. Simply tightened it and fixed my problems. It could be a block freeze plug that cracked as well. One picture is M50 other is M52 both have the drain plug #23 on the back of the head. I was able to reach back there by taking the cabin filter cowl off. It’s just like four small bolts. Then there should be enough room to slip a wrench back there and give it a few good turns. This May be it just letting you know what happened to me could be similar for you.
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So much needless speculation when that needs to be done is for the cooling system to be filled, the engine to be run till it is pressurised, and then shut it down and then simply look carefully with a flashlight.
You can use a running hose left in there because it will spill out and there will be water everywhere which would generally complicate identifying the leak.
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I meant you can't use a hose.
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Coolant leaking out.
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Well ultimately it’s not the coolant plug from the engine block. It’s definitely coming from the back of the engine but can’t seem to identify where. Ultimately I just took it to my mechanic for them to put it on the lift and take a look.
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Could be that head plug on the back of the head.
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Accurate
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I think the ‘plug’ on the back of the head was for an oil galley, no?
Oil galley plug #23
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_6081
The only coolant was in a manifold that attaches to the head left side.
Coolant manifold #3
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_6082
There is a freeze plug on the right side #25
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_6081
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Last edited by bluptgm3; 04-16-2019 at 03:13 AM.
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I’ve had the problem myself. It was coolant leaking out of the plug on the back of the head. I threw a wrench on it and hasn’t leaked since on my track car. I already uploaded pictures. Best of luck mate!
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Final update: the leak is coming from the heater core. Not sure how I missed it as when my previous heater core blew it was apparent.
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Glad you figured it out mate!
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