The antifreeze gnomes are back.
Rest assured that the anitfreeze gnomes are probably not the cause of the missing fluid. There is a logical explanation.
Quick thought: has the expansion tank been replaced? I think it would be cheaper than a new radiator and it may be half the problem.
I'll give you some possibilities but I'm hoping the experts here will have better info:
1. It is leaking into the pistons: your exhaust should be white and fluffy. Everyone driving behind you should notice depending on the severity of the leak, and your sparkplugs should manifest the leak as well. They are quite easy to remove with the BMW tools in your trunk.
2. It is leaking into your oil: your oil is now bubbly and milky brown like a great big chocolate milkshake.
3. (I've never seen this happen) You are getting too much pressure into your water system and it is blowing by the exansion tank. It *might* be possible for oil or expanding gases to force their way into the water jacket and over pressurize your antifreeze system. It might leak past the exansion tank and onto the ground but you would be driving and wouldn't notice. [Your antifreeze would be bubbly or dirty??]
4. You have a random leak when your car is all heated up. It's leaking but you're driving so you never see it.
Make sure your oil, antifreeze, and plugs look good. Then, top it off and let it heat up or drive it around and watch for a leak (or for the gnomes).
Last edited by azale; 10-20-2005 at 12:17 PM.
Job 14:1 Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.
az