coolant!!!

[naufal.stab]

Hi everyone.

just ask very simple question. I just top up water to the coolant reservoir. after two weeks the car is just sitting in my garage, I take a short drive with it around the city area. then when i check back the coolant, they are gone!!! but the weird thing is, my engine didnt overheat at all. but where does the water I topped up has gone??? is it so fast that only few miles the coolant will disappear. please help me guys. cheers

[Craig]

Check the coolant bottle as they are prone to splitting around the middle.

Also if just a short drive then the engine prob didn't get time to heat up... ;)

[naufal.stab]

Thanks craig for that. I did went to the garage just now to have my inspection 1. the mechanic said that its difficult to detect the source of leakage of my coolant. He said perhaps water pump problem can cause that but it's lots of work to do just to replace the water pump and cost alot! he did mention that maybe the coolant tank cap is no good anymore. he suggested to buy new cap from bmw. is that possible?

and one more thing, the mechanics just did my inspection 1 in a blink of eyes (less than 30 minutes). I did saw him changing the oil and plug in the computer reading on my car. and voila my inspection 1 completed just like that. I just feel ripped off now as he told me last week that inspection 1 would require 2 hours roughly. any opinion??

[Craig]

A pressure test of water system is easy to do for a garage and I feel you've not been given the full story. Looks to me like they are not the best garage your using :(

Inspection 1 is just an oil and filter change so it's possible to do it that quick... Was this a mini dealer ?

[Mon the fish]

The expansion tank is a weak point on the R53, check for signs of leaks there first, and the tank cap. Should see coolant down the back of the block or on the mani.

Water pump leaks aren't that common, however if it is that you might be as well looking for a secondhand supercharger depending on your mileage - the supercharger drives the water pump

[naufal.stab]

What I am sure they didnt do MINI mods like lohen etc.

but they did mention they are independent MINI specialist as the mechanic own a MINI as well. I sent my car to them cause its difficult to find good garage at reasonable price near my area. Lohen is the nearest which is about 1 hour+ drive away and they are fully booked whenever I call them. I cant book them two weeks earlier cause I travel to and fro Manchester area at random times. thats the best and cheapest garage I can get near my place. Two weeks ago, I had them fitted my front brake discs and pads plus brake fluid change for 50 quids. Is that reasonable price?? Assuming that is cheap, I asked them for an inspection 1 and they quoted me 80 quids for that. Today, I came again to their garage since their last job was quite good. But somehow, I was not really satisfied with today's job cause its just a half an hour job!!! I still feel ripped off a bit. I knew they did change the oil and filter but that would be an oil service not an inspection 1!!! fellas, just in case what they did was indeed an oil change (not an inspection 1 as being claimed), is 80 quids worth what they did??

just as extra info, they did use castrol edge 5w-30 as the oil. they said pollen filter is not necessary to be replaced. I just believed them and now when I google up, I found that pollen filter should be changed every year if possible. I feel ripped off and regret not just asked them to at least replace my pollen filter as they seem not done anything. just plug in the computer reader stuff and said my car is all okay. didnt even checked the engine bay thoroughly!!! is this normal and modern tech as they claimed??

[Colin]

As Craig said earlier an inspection 1 is the same as an oil service, that's all that gets done.