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      10-27-2020, 08:23 PM   #1
spencerbrowningb
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128i coolant leak/water pump failure issues

I was sitting in a drive-thru in my 128i when all (or at least most of it) coolant spilled out onto the concrete and my engine started steaming. I know the water pumps go out often on this car, especially since it's at 70,000 miles, but I'm not completely sure that's it as all the coolant came out. I have a basic knowledge of car mechanics, but what should I look for when I jack my car up to look underneath it?
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      10-28-2020, 07:22 PM   #2
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Don't think you're going to see anything. Plastic belly pan covers most. You'll need professional mechanic. Hopefully you'll use someone who knows these cars well; valve cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket should be checked too.
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      11-13-2020, 04:07 PM   #3
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With basic knowledge, you should be able to repair most of what could go wrong with the cooling system. I would guess that you either had a hose burst or a fitting let go. A failed water pump wouldn't spill any fluid, but it could cause the engine to overheat and burst a hose. Did you get any warning lights?

BMW hoses are actually pretty easy to replace. Just be patient separating the quick couplers and you can probably do the work yourself. Somewhere there is either a loose hose or one with a big gash in it.
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      11-13-2020, 05:15 PM   #4
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Happened Oct. 27th-hopefully fixed by now. Would have been nice to get a follow up.
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      12-14-2020, 02:49 AM   #5
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I'd like an update as well.

I'm having a similar issue with my 2012 135i. She's at 77k miles. She had a coolant light come on and went into limp mode; I took her into the shop the next day. They replaced the water pump and the thermostat. Two days later, the coolant light came on again; the tank coolant reservoir was nearly empty. I took her to the shop again a couple days later and they replaced the water pump and the thermostat....and checked to BDS line and the power box. Turned out the power box had a faulty weld during manufacturing. Mechanic replaced the power box.

Well, two days later same thing again: coolant light turned on, coolant reservoir nearly empty.

The mechanic (who has been taking care of my car since I got it at 15K miles) suggests to change the alternator. She's scheduled to go in this week.

Has anyone experienced something like this?
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Last edited by siguenm; 12-14-2020 at 02:50 AM.. Reason: clarification
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      12-14-2020, 11:04 AM   #6
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Well I have read here and there that there is a medium size plastic coolant fitting on the front of the engine that can crack and leak coolant. Some companies sell a replacement in aluminum {I think}. See here:
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-part...it/004481la01/
Note that this ECS part is 2 pieces whereas original is 1 piece, I believe this:
https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3...8i-e85-z4-30i/
If you can still run the engine, I'd stuff tightly a few kleenex around this fitting, idle engine for 10-15 minutes. TURN ENGINE OFF. Then I'd carefully move this hose up & down, left and right and see if any coolant leaks onto kleenex. The serpentine belt is just below so don't go in there with engine running.
I just had a look at my car (N52 128) and the area is very easy to find and see. If I was 30 or 40 years younger, I could probably post a picture.
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      12-14-2020, 11:34 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by siguenm View Post
I'd like an update as well.

I'm having a similar issue with my 2012 135i. She's at 77k miles. She had a coolant light come on and went into limp mode; I took her into the shop the next day. They replaced the water pump and the thermostat. Two days later, the coolant light came on again; the tank coolant reservoir was nearly empty. I took her to the shop again a couple days later and they replaced the water pump and the thermostat....and checked to BDS line and the power box. Turned out the power box had a faulty weld during manufacturing. Mechanic replaced the power box.

Well, two days later same thing again: coolant light turned on, coolant reservoir nearly empty.

The mechanic (who has been taking care of my car since I got it at 15K miles) suggests to change the alternator. She's scheduled to go in this week.

Has anyone experienced something like this?
Alternator? Why?

If you continue to lose coolant, I'd be worried that the first episode overheated your engine and warped the head or cracked the gasket. Either that or the tech didn't perform the proper bleed procedure when he refilled it. Then again, I bled my system twice and I definitely didn't need to refill the entire overflow tank to replace the small bit of air that bled out. Maybe he didn't fit one of the hoses on all the way. Bottom line: that coolant is going somewhere. If it's not on the ground, it's going through your engine and that's bad news.
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      12-17-2020, 11:49 PM   #8
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His initial reasoning was because the alternator is a connection point to the BDS line. It turned out he didn't have to change it after running diagnostics (to both our relief...he says my car is the best maintained out of the cars he works on).

The codes were wonky- they didn't match the warning indicators on my dash. The water pump and thermostat were working just fine. The mechanic reprogrammed the car. Day two of driving and it's not giving me any issues. Cross your fingers it was just in need of a re-sync.
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      12-18-2020, 11:58 AM   #9
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Wow, lucky. Thanks for the feedback.
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