Coolent leak 2008 Mini Cooper 1.6.

1571 Views 19 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Bennyjeck, Feb 25, 2020

Bennyjeck

Discussion Starter · Feb 18, 2020

Hi all, I'm very new to this site and need some help. I've recently got the car and drove to Bournemouth at the weekend without any issues, no warning lights on for over heating or milky residue in oil cap or dipstick, but noticed no coolent this morning.
Topped it up to min mark but it was making a gurgling noise for a bit. Not noticed anything leaking from underneath the car but I do have like (white/yellowish limescale looking) stuff around the bonnet and on a few other areas. Also noticed that the coolent bottle isn't attached well to the radiator... and the rubber seal looks like it's seen better days. Anyone know if this would make me have coolent loss or have I got other things bigger to think about...
Any help would be greatly appreciated

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

big 'g'

· #2 · Feb 18, 2020

Oh dear sounds like the dreaded head gasket has blown, do your car interior heaters still work and blow hot air?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Bennyjeck

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 18, 2020

Yes, it's takes a little while to heat up and I wouldn't say it's very warm.

Bennyjeck

Discussion Starter · #4 · Feb 18, 2020

I've managed to take a picture...(sorry it's not great). But would this be the cause of it?

See less See more

big 'g'

· #5 · Feb 19, 2020

Bennyjeck said:
Yes, it's takes a little while to heat up and I wouldn't say it's very warm.

Classic sign of head gasket blown I'm afraid, take it to a garage and get their advice, yes the picture supplied would certainly loose coolant however would be the cause for no heat from heaters

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Bennyjeck

Discussion Starter · #6 · Feb 19, 2020

Aww ok. It's booked in this morning ?. Thanks for your response, much appreciated.

mike1967

· #7 · Feb 19, 2020

its common for thermostat housing to leak the plastic goes brittle and fails also common for the internals to stop working and over heating the engine mini have updated this part recently due to these issues so worth fitting a latest spec genuine housing

Bennyjeck

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 19, 2020

Hi, yes I was told it could be this. Not seen anything leaking from underneath and no other issues, like smoke or white residue in oil cap, also I am getting some heat from heater but not for long as it's not retaining the coolant. It's in garage at this present moment.. just waiting for a call to let me know what!! Thanks for the reply ?

Reactions: 1

Bennyjeck

Discussion Starter · #9 · Feb 19, 2020

It was the Thermostat housing, Mark1967 Being fixed tomorrow ?.

mike1967

· #10 · Feb 20, 2020

Bennyjeck said:
It was the Thermostat housing, Mark1967 Being fixed tomorrow ?.

yep very common problem with them i believe on some cars there is a recall on the housings i believe might just be US cars

Bennyjeck

Discussion Starter · #11 · Feb 20, 2020

Yes I think it's a common issue. Again want to thank you. I've only had it a few weeks too so I'm very happy to be back behind the wheel ?.

mike1967

· #12 · Feb 20, 2020

your welcome another heads up those engines need timing chain replacement i say around 60.000 miles is safe bet as it hurt them to keep driving on a retarded timed engine, do that and they are fairly good

Bennyjeck

Discussion Starter · #13 · Feb 20, 2020

I'll check the service history see if it's been done at all, if not then I'll look into getting it changed. Thanks

mike1967

· #14 · Feb 20, 2020

i would for sure i have seen a lot of slipped timing chains on them over the years and bent valves a really big job to repair as well,,

Bennyjeck

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 20, 2020

Ok thanks I'll look into it.

Reactions: 1

crazyforcooper

· #16 · Feb 25, 2020

Bennyjeck said:
Hi all, I'm very new to this site and need some help. I've recently got the car and drove to Bournemouth at the weekend without any issues, no warning lights on for over heating or milky residue in oil cap or dipstick, but noticed no coolent this morning.
Topped it up to min mark but it was making a gurgling noise for a bit. Not noticed anything leaking from underneath the car but I do have like (white/yellowish limescale looking) stuff around the bonnet and on a few other areas. Also noticed that the coolent bottle isn't attached well to the radiator... and the rubber seal looks like it's seen better days. Anyone know if this would make me have coolent loss or have I got other things bigger to think about...
Any help would be greatly appreciated

crazyforcooper

· #17 · Feb 25, 2020

Put a peice of cardboard underneath the car engine bay,overnight.
Look underneath the car at the cardboard. The next morning before starting the car. And if there is coolant on it . It will give you a general idea of where the leak is. It could need a new coolant tank cap,if it wears out it will cause all the problems that a radiater cap will cause when it wears out. They have to maintain a certain amount of pressure on the coolant reservoir and system
Like a car radiator cap. measured in lbs. Like 12lbs, 15lbs.etc.But if it wears out you get a leak from the overflow line.Or any where else in the coolant system.Open the bonnet locate the water pump and see if coolant is coming from the weep hole.( All water pumps have them as an early warning system that the water pump needs to be raplaced.
Pretty easy stuff unless your mini is a turbo model. You can look at the car splash plate underneath the front of the car to see if there is any coolant trapped there. . (could be a lower radiator hose) Always start with the easy stuff first. Like the coolant reservoir cap.they don't last forever and if that is what is causing the problem wall I guess you would have to get through mini/bmw there is all kinds of hoses in the coolant system. And one that is often overlooked is the coolant line to the throttle body ( there are 2 small hoses 1 is coolant to and the other is the return. Look at your firewall and locate your heater hoses 2 one small and 1 a little larger. Again 1 too the firewall and 1 back to the coolant resivoir. ( these are your heater core lines) .The card board left under the engine bay overnight will give you a great starting point.
I hope this helps and I hope its only the cap.

See less See more

Rich B.

· #18 · Feb 25, 2020

Bennyjeck said:
Hi all, I'm very new to this site and need some help. I've recently got the car and drove to Bournemouth at the weekend without any issues, no warning lights on for over heating or milky residue in oil cap or dipstick, but noticed no coolent this morning.
Topped it up to min mark but it was making a gurgling noise for a bit. Not noticed anything leaking from underneath the car but I do have like (white/yellowish limescale looking) stuff around the bonnet and on a few other areas. Also noticed that the coolent bottle isn't attached well to the radiator... and the rubber seal looks like it's seen better days. Anyone know if this would make me have coolent loss or have I got other things bigger to think about...
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Congrats on your "new" MINI! Even though these little cars may need a little more maintenance than your average Ford or Chevy of the same age, they more than make up for it by offering the owner a most exhilarating and brilliant "fun-to-drive" experience. Do yourself a favor and also go over to the NAM website and look up your model. You will find there a wealth of information there about your MINI, in all respects, including things that fail and the tell-tale signs to look for.

In regard to your timing chain, it is not the chain that is the cause of this identified failure, it is the follower/guide that fails in turn causing the chain to reek havoc in the engine. Yes, it is a common failure and will need to be addressed if it hasn't been already. Here in the USA, MINI repaired these for free....but only for a designated period of time. After that....owners were on their own.You will find several repair "kits" available on the market to do this job if necessary. Do yourself a favor and purchase a quality repair kit from a reputable source.

Good luck with your Mini....and enjoy the drive!

See less See more

mike1967

· #19 · Feb 25, 2020

Rich B. said:
Congrats on your "new" MINI! Even though these little cars may need a little more maintenance than your average Ford or Chevy of the same age, they more than make up for it by offering the owner a most exhilarating and brilliant "fun-to-drive" experience. Do yourself a favor and also go over to the NAM website and look up your model. You will find there a wealth of information there about your MINI, in all respects, including things that fail and the tell-tale signs to look for.

In regard to your timing chain, it is not the chain that is the cause of this identified failure, it is the follower/guide that fails in turn causing the chain to reek havoc in the engine. Yes, it is a common failure and will need to be addressed if it hasn't been already. Here in the USA, MINI repaired these for free....but only for a designated period of time. After that....owners were on their own.You will find several repair "kits" available on the market to do this job if necessary. Do yourself a favor and purchase a quality repair kit from a reputable source.

Good luck with your Mini....and enjoy the drive!

so you think its just the tensioner that fails on r56 mini petrol engines,, or i should say thats bmw stance from 10 years ago ie they updated the tensioner a few times latest spec one had a lighter spring and long travel as to try and easy the real problem ie timing chain is made of thin chain links and fairly long and they wear and stretch that is the issue with the timing chains on prince engines,, have seen many people foolishly or ill informed fit new chain tensioner on a worn out chain to find the extra tension on the chain system and top guide snaps it off within a few miles and destroys all the valves, there is only one way to safely protect form chain failures and thats a 60,000 miles change the timing chain and guides and tensioner ie latest genuine tensioner better,,, its not if they fail its when they fail all do without treating them as a end of life system at around 60.000 miles,,

Bennyjeck

Discussion Starter · #20 · Feb 25, 2020

crazyforcooper said:
Put a peice of cardboard underneath the car engine bay,overnight.
Look underneath the car at the cardboard. The next morning before starting the car. And if there is coolant on it . It will give you a general idea of where the leak is. It could need a new coolant tank cap,if it wears out it will cause all the problems that a radiater cap will cause when it wears out. They have to maintain a certain amount of pressure on the coolant reservoir and system
Like a car radiator cap. measured in lbs. Like 12lbs, 15lbs.etc.But if it wears out you get a leak from the overflow line.Or any where else in the coolant system.Open the bonnet locate the water pump and see if coolant is coming from the weep hole.( All water pumps have them as an early warning system that the water pump needs to be raplaced.
Pretty easy stuff unless your mini is a turbo model. You can look at the car splash plate underneath the front of the car to see if there is any coolant trapped there. . (could be a lower radiator hose) Always start with the easy stuff first. Like the coolant reservoir cap.they don't last forever and if that is what is causing the problem wall I guess you would have to get through mini/bmw there is all kinds of hoses in the coolant system. And one that is often overlooked is the coolant line to the throttle body ( there are 2 small hoses 1 is coolant to and the other is the return. Look at your firewall and locate your heater hoses 2 one small and 1 a little larger. Again 1 too the firewall and 1 back to the coolant resivoir. ( these are your heater core lines) .The card board left under the engine bay overnight will give you a great starting point.
I hope this helps and I hope its only the cap.

Thanks for this but I have now got it fixed. It was the Thurmostat housing.

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.