Mechanic says can’t find coolant leak

[brenda]

Mechanic wants $1,000 to find leak (blonde female here, feeling vulnerable); as needs to take apart engine to find coolant leak.  2017 330i.  Excellent condition (was?).  Reasonable exercise to find leak? Thanks!!

 

[Silky6cyl]

3 hours ago, brenda said:

Mechanic wants $1,000 to find leak (blonde female here, feeling vulnerable); as needs to take apart engine to find coolant leak.  2017 330i.  Excellent condition (was?).  Reasonable exercise to find leak? Thanks!!

 

Hi Brenda, who noticed the leak? Is it losing a lot of coolant or just A trickle? $1,000 sounds excessive just to find where it's coming from! 

[brenda]

Thank you for responding!    Re quote I agree!  Coolant light came on and a couple miles later it said engine was overheating.  Added coolant but warning came on again so had car towed.    We’d had extremely cold weather (14 f) for this area.   But from how many places can coolant leak, that they’d need to take apart the engine (driver’s side).  Wish I’d found this site before giving the go ahead yesterday.  
Replacing a hose, gasket, etc., is one thing, but dinking around with the engine makes me nervous since I don’t know how competent they are.         Again, thank you so much!

[Greydog]

Morning Brenda

Take a look at www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin number into the search box and it will call up your model then search the sections you need. You will find small exploded drawings that will let you see where stuff is and how it connects, it worries a mechanic when a lady not only knows what it is but where it is and what it does 🤣 Also look at www.pelicanparts.com their articles section has how to's with pictures and time estimates for jobs.

Now for your leak, most BMW hoses have quick release ends and over time as they are Plastic seals and plastic deteriorate and can leak. Same applies to the seals for the trans cooler, water pumps have a life and so do thermostats and temperature senders, and header tank caps.

If your mechanic removes the engine covers (simple job) and pressure tests the cooling system he will find the leak quite quickly. Then replace the leaking part refill with new Correct coolant 

Good Luck

Dave

[Silky6cyl]

27 minutes ago, brenda said:

Thank you for responding!    Re quote I agree!  Coolant light came on and a couple miles later it said engine was overheating.  Added coolant but warning came on again so had car towed.    We’d had extremely cold weather (14 f) for this area.   But from how many places can coolant leak, that they’d need to take apart the engine (driver’s side).  Wish I’d found this site before giving the go ahead yesterday.  
Replacing a hose, gasket, etc., is one thing, but dinking around with the engine makes me nervous since I don’t know how competent they are.         Again, thank you so much!

10 hours ago, Silky6cyl said:

Hi Brenda, who noticed the leak? Is it losing a lot of coolant or just A trickle? $1,000 sounds excessive just to find where it's coming from! 

Have you actually seen coolant around the engine or on the floor? And when you topped it up had it used a lot of coolant (was it below min level?) just check the oil filler and dipstick to make sure there's no white sludge, if there is it could be head gasket problems. Does car drive OK? 

[brenda]

Silky, all the warning lights were going off: coolant low; engine overheating, safely stop the car.  There was no early warning to add coolant.  And same warnings returned after adding coolant and driving a few hundred feet.  Hence, had it towed.  I appreciate your tip about using the dipstick in the future.  The coolant reservoir had visible level indicators I believe. (It was dark/raining and was using phone light.)

I enjoy this car and its  responsiveness and will endeavor to be kinder to it using the good advice (and a better mechanic 😄).   Thank you! 

[brenda]

Dave, I responded to your kind, generous post and I don’t see it🤷‍♀️.

It was extremely helpful!!  And I am very grateful.

update:  just received VM that “unfortunately” it was the oil cooler that failed. He’d said he saw a puddle of the blue coolant after car delivered to them.  So oil cooler failure causes coolant leakage, I guess?  And that is what justified taking apart engine to find leak problem?

He said it will take several weeks to get the part from Germany.  Am seriously regretting not taking it to dealer, at least I wouldn’t be spending hundreds renting a car for that long.

considering paying for tow to the dealer.

Thank you!!!

[Greydog]

Hi Brenda 

The transmission Oil cooler uses the cars main radiator coolant to keep things in check it depends on which part of it has failed often it is just an "O" ring or two sounds like he may be ordering a new Trans cooler ?

Sorry your having such grief

Dave