Suspected radiator leak

[shirleyj]

I have a 92 325i that is leaking coolant...somewhere. I have checked all the hoses and cannot find where the leak is. I suspect it might be the radiator itself. There are times when I can smell the sweet odour when the heater fan is on.
My question is, should I use a radiator sealant and if so, where do I pour it?

Thanks
Shirley J

[Jeron]

I would not use radiator sealant. I would try to find the leak first. Obviously checking near the heater core should be your first stop.

[topless318]

I do not like the radiator sealant either. Any spots on the floor? I was thinking the 6cly had radiator problems. 92 model, how many miles on your cooling system?

[M835]

Hi Shirley,
I would not use any sealers. I have a '89 535 and just got a '99 m3. Both cars Loose coolant and I can not find where it goes. I just add it to both cars each month. On the 535 I was hell bend on finding where the coolant was going, I changed the heater core because their was not a sign of coolant any were, after changing the core I was still adding coolant. I have been working on cars for 30 years and I can not figure where the coolent is going. The 535 has a extra 35k miles since I got it and the lost coolant does not seem to bother the car.
Good luck and just keep adding coolant.

[Jeron]

If you loose coolant you might consider putting in some new BMW coolant. BMW coolant has a chemical in it that leaves a white powdery residue when it evaporates. This makes it fairly easy to find leaks.

Other than that one benefit I can't bring myself to pay $20 a gallon for coolant.

Oh, and yes BMW's do have radiator problems due to the plastic components but the common problems are usually catastrophic.

[my325is]

Hi shirleyj,

I had a similiar problem with my car during the summer. If you suspect that you have a coolant leak, then I would bring it to a reliable mechanic and have a pressure test done to check for the leak.