MINI Cooper Forum banner

Coolant Issues Even After a Radiator Change

3K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  EB25 
#1 ·
Hi all,

My misses recently purchased a '05 R53 with about 80k on the clock privately through Autotrader. About a month later and the red warning light comes on with water squirting out the coolant bottle and steam everywhere. Topped it up and the same thing happened again with about 500ml of water being lost again!

Took it to a local garage and the pressure test revealed a leaky radiator. So it got replaced at a cost of £200.

First drive out in it today and the same thing happens again. Water pouring out the cap and needing filled by about 500ml.

My feeling is maybe the head gasket is gone? But I'm coming to you guys in the hope I'm wrong!
 
#7 ·
Once your radiator was replaced, was the system correctly bled of air, if it wasn't you going to continually have issues.

Common leak points on the R53 are:

Radiator.
Thermostat housing.
Expansion tank (cracked or separated seam).
Leaking O-rings in the heat Exchanger (oil cooler on the side of the Oil Filter Housing).
Hoses and or clamps.

Other issues.

Faulty Temp sender switch.
Faulty Thermostat
Faulty cooling fan
Incorrectly bled system after coolant replacement.

Less common.

leaking heater core. (Damp carpet)

If your heater isn't blowing hot air, you more than likely have air in the system and need to bleed it correctly.

Don't top the system off with water, keep a bottle of 50/50 coolant/deionised or distilled water.

Topping up with water unless in an emergency will only cause corrosion in the long run.

When topping up the expansion tank, when the car is cold, the fluid level should be sitting on Min. When the car is at working temp, the coolant should be sitting on Max.

If your fluid level is above Max when the car is cold you have to much coolant in the system and when the coolant expands, it has nowhere to go and will overflow via the filler cap due to pressure and with the resulting coolant loss under pressure.

Read this article to bleed your system and then work back from there (Thermostat? cracked or leaking thermostat housing? etc etc).

MINI Cooper Coolant Change (R50/R52/R53 2001-2006) | Pelican Parts DIY Maintenance Article

MINI Cooper Coolant Expansion Tank Replacement (R50/R52/R53 2001-2006) | Pelican Parts DIY Maintenance Article

MINI Cooper Radiator, Thermostat and Hose Replacement (R50/R52/R53 2001-2006) | Pelican Parts DIY Maintenance Article
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top