Coolant leak=(. I can't seem to find any one leak.

Jeffrimerman · 01-21-2009, 04:41 PM

I took the plastic cover off the bottom so I can see specifically where the leak is. When I drove the car then jacked it up to look under. It seems to be seeping from a few different points. Maybe I should post a picture to better explain. There is a seam where the radiator put together, and these blue plastic(what looks like philips screws), and a couple other points that are wet. It doesn't seem like coolant would be able to jump across to these different spots. Has anyone else had their radiator start leaking like that? Can I use some anti-leak stuff? Or is that bad for the system?

pbdm4k · 01-21-2009, 05:01 PM

It's hard to tell because it leaks it seeps, visual alone makes it difficult to tell where the leak is coming from.

Ideally you buy the dye and use a black light to see where it glows so you can find the leak.

Never use the stop leak stuff. That stuff is like glue and will plug up the coolant channels.

BAAAAAD!!

Get it fixed right! If you can't do it, let a shop do it.

Jeffrimerman · 01-21-2009, 05:55 PM

Does pepboys have the dye? I imagine all I need is a blacklight bulb to put in my light I use to work on it at night. It seems to come from the radiator so really the only way to fix it is get another radiator most likely. The cars I've owned before had metal radiators there weren't capable of seeping from the side, but these new ones are pressed together and probably glued.

pbdm4k · 01-22-2009, 01:33 PM

Yes, a lot of cars nowadays use plastic end tanks that are clipped to the metal.

I haven't seen any performance ones for a Z4 though.

Give Pep Boys a shot and good luck. But whatever you do, don't use the stop leak stuff.
That'll mess up the engine good.

Brucewonder · 01-23-2009, 01:57 AM

I had a coolant leak about 2 years ago. It was like a SMALL "pin hole" size crack in the expansion tank. Its either that or a small hole in one of the coolant piping. Check the expansion tank first tho

01-21-2009, 04:41 PM	#1
Jeffrimerman Private 6 Rep 82 Posts Drives: BMW R50 Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Mateo iTrader: (0)	Coolant leak=(. I can't seem to find any one leak. I took the plastic cover off the bottom so I can see specifically where the leak is. When I drove the car then jacked it up to look under. It seems to be seeping from a few different points. Maybe I should post a picture to better explain. There is a seam where the radiator put together, and these blue plastic(what looks like philips screws), and a couple other points that are wet. It doesn't seem like coolant would be able to jump across to these different spots. Has anyone else had their radiator start leaking like that? Can I use some anti-leak stuff? Or is that bad for the system?
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01-21-2009, 05:01 PM	#2
pbdm4k Lieutenant Colonel 74 Rep 1,689 Posts Drives: 2010 335d Join Date: May 2007 Location: North of the Border iTrader: (3)	It's hard to tell because it leaks it seeps, visual alone makes it difficult to tell where the leak is coming from. Ideally you buy the dye and use a black light to see where it glows so you can find the leak. Never use the stop leak stuff. That stuff is like glue and will plug up the coolant channels. BAAAAAD!! Get it fixed right! If you can't do it, let a shop do it. __________________ 2010 BMW 335d "Ha! She wants the D." 2006 VW Jetta 2.5 Once upon a time... '03 VW GTI, '99 Audi A4 1.8TQ, '00 VW Jetta 1.85T, '09 BMW 335i xDrive, '04 BMW Z4 3.0i, '01 Audi TT 1.8T, '04 Volvo S80 2.5T
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01-21-2009, 05:55 PM	#3
Jeffrimerman Private 6 Rep 82 Posts Drives: BMW R50 Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Mateo iTrader: (0)	Does pepboys have the dye? I imagine all I need is a blacklight bulb to put in my light I use to work on it at night. It seems to come from the radiator so really the only way to fix it is get another radiator most likely. The cars I've owned before had metal radiators there weren't capable of seeping from the side, but these new ones are pressed together and probably glued.
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01-22-2009, 01:33 PM	#4
pbdm4k Lieutenant Colonel 74 Rep 1,689 Posts Drives: 2010 335d Join Date: May 2007 Location: North of the Border iTrader: (3)	Yes, a lot of cars nowadays use plastic end tanks that are clipped to the metal. I haven't seen any performance ones for a Z4 though. Give Pep Boys a shot and good luck. But whatever you do, don't use the stop leak stuff. That'll mess up the engine good. __________________ 2010 BMW 335d "Ha! She wants the D." 2006 VW Jetta 2.5 Once upon a time... '03 VW GTI, '99 Audi A4 1.8TQ, '00 VW Jetta 1.85T, '09 BMW 335i xDrive, '04 BMW Z4 3.0i, '01 Audi TT 1.8T, '04 Volvo S80 2.5T
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01-23-2009, 01:57 AM	#5
Brucewonder Lieutenant Colonel 33 Rep 1,541 Posts Drives: 2011 E92 M3 yea boi Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Socal iTrader: (4)	I had a coolant leak about 2 years ago. It was like a SMALL "pin hole" size crack in the expansion tank. Its either that or a small hole in one of the coolant piping. Check the expansion tank first tho __________________ 2011.5 E92 ///M3 SSII/FR
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