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coolant leaking more towards engine

 
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MJ



Joined: 21 Oct 2001
Posts: 211
Location: CT

PostPosted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 6:36 am    Post subject: coolant leaking more towards engine Reply with quote

1997 328i 212,000. Coolant is dripping down where belts are more on the larger fly wheel where belt is. Not coming from radiator or holding tank Its further in. Any ideas??
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geminiys



Joined: 13 Oct 2004
Posts: 182
Location: SF, California

PostPosted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is it possible that your thermostat housing or water pump is leaking? Check it out as coolant can make itself through into a weird places.
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smithpatrick



Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Posts: 44
Location: Southern New Jersey

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:37 am    Post subject: leaking Reply with quote

Try the thermostat housing first, OEM is composite and may leak replace with metal. If that fails to resolve the leak, major disassemble to get to water pump.
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5 e30's 84, 87, 3 90's
4 Boxer motorcycles R75/5, 2 R60/6, and a R90/6
1995 e36 320i auto euro specs from canada, 98 323i auto
2001 e46 325i manual
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MJ



Joined: 21 Oct 2001
Posts: 211
Location: CT

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pressure test was done they could find no leak? Any ideas
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geminiys



Joined: 13 Oct 2004
Posts: 182
Location: SF, California

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

in that case... What made you think it was a coolant leak? have you checked the windshield plumbing? Is it still leaking?
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MJ



Joined: 21 Oct 2001
Posts: 211
Location: CT

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

oh yes. its coolant. Yellowish and I see it coming down off the fan belt wheel in morning once its cooled down overnight. Very odd
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walshja



Joined: 03 Apr 2001
Posts: 1139
Location: guilford, ct, usa

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 8:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm going to guess it's your water pump, leaking out the pulley shaft. an easy, couple hour job to fix
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joe

1994 325iC, 195k miles
http://home.comcast.net/~walshja/index.html <--- check it out

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MJ



Joined: 21 Oct 2001
Posts: 211
Location: CT

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How come a pressure test showed nothing???
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MJ



Joined: 21 Oct 2001
Posts: 211
Location: CT

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

could bad belts cause it?
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walshja



Joined: 03 Apr 2001
Posts: 1139
Location: guilford, ct, usa

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

not sure why the pressure test isn't showing the leak, but the fact is you do have a leak, you are seeing coolant, right?

maybe the leak seals itself when the car is warmed up?

I'm on my 3rd water pump I think. the cooling system is the weakest point on our cars. the plastic neck on the radiator will eventually crack on you. bad belts won't cause a leak

try drying and cleaning everything up, start the car, and look for the leak. when you had the pressure test done, was the car warmed up?

my car leaks coolant from somewhere, I can see dried coolant on the hoses and engine. I have no idea where it is coming from. it's sporadic and minimal, so I have not worried about it too much.
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joe

1994 325iC, 195k miles
http://home.comcast.net/~walshja/index.html <--- check it out

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mmaldin



Joined: 19 Oct 2001
Posts: 288
Location: Boulder, CO

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 9:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi, hows everyone?
It's really common for the thermostat housing to leak a little even if its been replaced with with an aluminum one due to corrosion. Read this for a picture and solution: http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Thermostat/E36-Thermostat.htm.
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Michael
94 325i, 178K miles, original owner
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