Water noise behind dashboard

[p0jy]

Hello Peeps

Everytime I take of from stand still it sounds like there is a bottle of water in the car, but there is'nt !!!....it sounds like there is a puddle of water behind the dashboard anywhere....

I have looked towards the back of the engine bay to take a look but can't find anything...I did find that my radiator has a small leak !!...but I have done a seperate post for that..

Anyone experienced this....the car is not wet or damp anywhere, it's coming from behind the glove box. I took a look where the fusebox is and can't find a trace of water ???....any ideas

Thanks in advance

[MINIAC]

Faults & Fixes forum titles for water sound showing threads

Faults & Fixes forum titles for water noise showing threads

[ladylaura.23]

Happened with me and i ignored it thanks to my very noligable boyfriend saying it was probs nothing but i ended up breaking down and it turned out to be a hole in the radiator

Maybe there was more than the one hole and you missed it? i checked my engine when it first started happening and found nothing - no water

Was the same thing as you describe, whenever i pulled away it sounded like gushing water towards the front left of the dash... also after a while it started to do it when i turned tight corners. I had it for a good month or so before i ended up breaking down and in the end there was no water my car, it started over heating really bad!!

Get it checked just to be sure!

[TimCS]

Yep I reiterate the idea of getting this swooshing checked out. For a few weeks my S was being particularly watery until last Friday night when I was up in Central London and the car overheated. Up until hitting the town traffic I hadn't been in a situation that would cause the car to get so hot.

Typically the warranty ran out 2 weeks previously and I got my trusted Audi mechanic to sort it out which he did superbly. As has been many the case with the R53s it was the thermostat housing. The replacement part had a substantially bigger seal on it - wonder why this hasn't been the subject of a recall...

If you are around the Guildford region I can highly recommend ahauto.co.uk as a good place to take your MINI for work. I've been using this team for 11 years now and have no qualms about taking my S there for work that isn't covered by the TLC. When that runs out it'll be going to Ashley's for everything.

[p0jy]

the coolant was very very low the other day...are you suggesting that due to a leak in the coolant system the water is moving around more freely in the system and hence the swooshing noise...?

to be honest I've stopped using it for the last few days since I noticed the radiator leak and it's going into the garage for further inspection.....

[TimCS]

The space that the coolant normally takes up in the system is being replaced by air and hence you notice (by noise) the movement of that liquid more. You're being wise not to drive the car. I could see drips coming from just right of centre underneath the engine bay. This worsened if the car was running. If in doubt - don't take it out

[p0jy]

It's just had a family mechanic look at it. He bled the system refilled it and nothing. So he applied a pressure test and took it to around 10 bar and the pressure is dropping slightly but no leaks. He is not sure whether he has a faulty instrument or there is a leak we cant see.

The gurgling noise is back though and I am not using the car anymore....could it be thermostat or head gasket. There are no mayo like type deposits on oil cap ?....

Where do you think the problem lies ?

[p0jy]

anyone....

[TimCS]

Hey,

Is it possible to put a newspaper or similar under the car at night? That way you can check if you've got a leak. Now my thermostat and housing's been replaced I have lost the watery noise from behind the dash completely. I have a bit of carpet on the floor in my garage and realised there was a slight blue patch - after the car had actually overheated of course!

Good luck.

[p0jy]

problem I have is the weather and i'm not risking using it. I would have thought if there was a leak then there would be some sort of pink residue deposit from the coolant as since the system has been bled a pink coolant has been used. I've not driven it much. I'm going to have to try that once the snow clears. It's booked in at the garage next week. Just hoping it's not a head gasket issue but I see no mayo type deposit on the inside of the oil cap or dip stick...Thanks

[Keano]

Not sure if its the same noise but the watery noise I hear goes when I turn the air con off....

[ScottyBoy]

You's have nothing to worry about at all.

If it was a problem then all these threads that are about this water sound would have an outcome with something like "it's this part" or you need to get this checked.

Ive had my MCS for 2 year and 2 month and its been there since day 1.

Its not a problem and your car will be fine.

If you had a dodgy cylinder head then you would no about that from the way the car drives.

if you water temp needle does not go above the center line then the temp off the car is fine and running normal.

Just do you normal checks that every driver should do which is oil and cooland levels etc etc and if everything is ok then you have nothing to worry about.

Even if your coolant is slightly low then its not unusual for a car to be low sometimes its when i drastcially gets low quickly that you will have a problem.

Scotty

[p0jy]

really....Coolant should'nt really be lost I think. I've never had this in any of my other cars (coolant loss)

[ScottyBoy]

Like i said its not uncommon as many people have had to top things up once in a while.

[p0jy]

it turned out to be the radiator leaking, I have had it replaced and now need to keep an eye on the coolant....it's still making the swooshing noise behind the dash for the first couple of bends in the road and then once warmed up it goes away. Mechanic has bled the system etc etc and doesnt know why its come back?