It is an incredibly hot ecosystem-roughly 195-220 degrees Fahrenheit under ordinary conditions, and even hotter for short periods of time. Additionally, mechanical parts are moving at hundreds of miles an hour against each other continuously. Sparks are igniting fuel and air and creating hundreds of explosions every minute inside it. The engine of your car or truck is an inhospitable place for just about anything. Let’s take a look at the critical role coolant plays in an automobile engine and then determine how low coolant can occur without a leak. It is possible for levels to drop without a visible leak, or any leak at all. He said that they're designed to leak a small amount of fluid to completely lubricate the seals on rotating shafts, but that ideally that leakage evaporates and isn't seen as a visible leak.How can it be that the level of coolant in your car is low but you don’t seem to have a leak? Aren’t low coolant levels an indication of a leak? And what is the big deal about coolant in the first place? He was a nuclear engineer, and nuclear reactors have lots of water pumps. That increased air volume results in a slightly lower pressure in the cooling system.Įvery once and a while, Uncle Dougie (Doug Hoffman) posts some extremely useful information. That allows more volume for the expansion of the fluid and more volume for the compression of the air above the coolant in the expansion tank. But, it's holding steady so it should be good for another 40k miles or so (to 80k miles).Īnother useful tid-bit from Uncle Dougie is that he maintains his coolant level at MIN. Since then, 100ml loss every 1k miles is the norm. The water pump went out on Frau Putzer's 2018 X3 at about 5k miles.
So, it's time to do a mid-life PM of the cooling system. The loss rate on my 535i has had a marked increase, from 100ml about every 5k miles to 100ml about every 1k miles. The first sign of trouble with cooling systems is a marked increase in coolant loss. So, I've recorded the date, mileage, and volume of coolant added since my cars were new. My engineering education taught me to always collect as much data as possible, even data you don't have an immediate use for. He said that they're designed to leak a small amount of fluid to completely lubricate the seals on rotating shafts, but that ideally that leakage evaporates and isn't seen as a visible leak. Potable tap water usually fulfils these requirementsĬlick to expand.Every once and a while, Uncle Dougie (Doug Hoffman) posts some extremely useful information. Total hardness, max.: 3.6 mmol Ca 2+/ltr. Total hardness, max.: 20° dH (German hardness grade) or in new measuring unit: Minimum requirements concerning water quality: In many of our countries the tap water is sufficient see this from BMW (So long as it is mixed with the right antifreeze): It isn't a given that distilled water must be used. If the engine does consume coolant due to a leaking head gasket, the sealed system will be further pressurised by the combustion gases and could cause failure elsewhere in the coolant system where coolant will escape. I have a 530d that hasn't consumed a drop over the 7 years of ownership. Unless there is a leak, or the engine is consuming coolant via the head gasket or other failed water-cooled component connected to the engine intake/exhaust systems, the level should not drop. If yours is losing coolant, get it checked out by someone with the right tools to diagnose either a pressure drop (all coolant removed method) or for the presence of combustion gases in the coolant (with the engine running). These are sealed, pressurised systems that should remain that way (there is a pressure relief valve in the expansion tank cap).
(Unless your car has had its coolant replaced with non-BMW specific coolant over time- use the appropriate one for the situation)Ĭoolant systems should not lose coolant as a general rule of thumb. BMW's is longlife so rather than save a few dollars, buy the right stuff from BMW. (Coolant has antifreeze and anti corrosive properties that Water alone does not provide)ĭon't mix coolants. If you must top up have a quantity of ready mixed 50:50 of the appropriate coolant with water handy. My twopence worth on cooling systems and coolant (A number of these points have been made before in this thread):
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