Fluid loss front offside corner
 

Chaps, I'm losing some kind of fluid from the front offside corner.

I imagine this is washer fluid, are there any existing threads / how-tos on to access, diagnose and repair please?

(I did do a search but could not find what I was looking for)

There were a few comments in this thread that may give you a heads up:

Item 23 onwards:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=16912

Its 2 grommets that you have to replace, forum sponsors sell them. its also a good opportunity take the washer fluid tank out and wash out any junk out of it with a kracher etc.

thank you both +++

Any theories why it should start leaking while sat in my garage?

Good news: it's not leaking washer fluid

Bad news: it's coolant

Discussions with our resident Doctor suggest it is probably the oil cooler pipe. I've not had chance to get on the ramps and have a look, so have just ordered the parts (they'll come in useful one day if not now!) and booked in with a local mechanic over the next couple of weeks, hopefully fixed and sorted in time for the annual meet. :eek:

My simple brain still cannot understand why it should start leaking being tucked up in a warm(ish) dry garage

I recall comments that often it's as likely the grommets/washers around the pipe as the (definitely fragile) plastic pipe itself.
Mine had been leaking for ages (years!) before MJ replaced it during its overhaul, though I don't recall how damaged it was.

Usually the plastic cracks in the o-ring grooves so the pipe comes out in three pieces. The cracks propagate from the sharp edge in the grooves, eventually going all the way round, and then coolant slowly seeps out. It is fully constrained by the engine block and cooler housing so it can't catastrophically fail. It just dribbles in varying degrees.

Replacement pipe has still not turned up, starting to look doubtful the D2 will make the annual meet, the risk of me showing up yet again in a BMW is increasing each day that goes past

Despite it's insignificant size, it's a b*gger of a job to do with the engine in the car, with the increased risk of stripping a couple of the bolt heads, so extreme care needs to be taken.

It might be worth providing the following link to your mechanic so that they have knowledge of what's involved. This was for work on a 4.2 32V engine, with notes at the bottom for the 40V ones. MJ may have a much better insight on any other possible snags along the way:

http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articl...reinstall.html

If its confirmed to be the oil cooler pipe, I'd take it to the meet and just top up as necessary. It can't fail catastrophically and as Andrew noted, they can run for many years with the pipe cracked with no adverse effect than marking their territory overnight :D

The only activity that failure would stop me doing is taking it on a track +++

Thanks Sean, both PDFs already printed ready to handover to the mechanic.

Had a quick read through myself, had not realised, for example, that the oil would need to be drained and refilled as part of the process

Noted, I've just not had chance to get it on my ramps and take a look yet

I can't recall how long mine was leaking but I just carried a big container of water in the boot and topped up as necessary, at least over the summer.
Before winter I'd add neat coolant concentrate fluid.

I know mine was leaking fairly steadily for the meet in Falmouth (2019) and way before that, with no serious consequences. I was aware of it dribbling and bought a metal pipe many years before that. It finally got fixed last summer (2022).

It just arrived in the post, tiny little thing, for some reason I expected something bigger

I get that a lot, learnt to get used to it now. :):ROFL:

So the guy who told me he'd do it has let me down, for now at least.

So, I've got the car up on the ramps, will get the undertray off this weekend and have a poke around. if it is the oil cooler pipe, then she gets taxed and we come to the meet in the S8 with a bottle of water in the boot for top ups.

Presumably the leak will worsen a little when the motor is running and it is under pressure?

Then it'll get dealt with after the meet, either by MJ when she takes on work again, or my local specialist when he has recovered from his operation, either way the time pressure is off

I got her up on the ramps on this weekend, undertray off and had a look, seems my leak is coming from the same joint as Sean had with his, the coolant return pipe where the steel pipe joins the rubber pipe returning to the radiator.

I can see the clip is badly corroded bottom side, but cannot see any signs of rot in the pipe, but am halfway to removing the surrounding gubbins to get to it, currently battling a spinning bolt on one of the covers. The leak is very slow, not anywhere near catastrophic as Sean experienced.

I am hoping that a replacement clip of the jubilee kind and reseating the rubber pipe will be all that's required, so fingers crossed.

I have never attempting any work like this since working/learning on my first car, a 1972 Triumph 1500, back in 1986, but hoping with a bit of common sense and support/info from this community that I can tackle it. Whether or not it's done in time for the annual meet will depend on what I find when I can get the bottom half of the airbox out.

Wish me luck!

OK, have managed to remove the gubbins in the way and got to the pipe join, my metal pipe (item 11) definitely has at least one hole in it, right next to the little metal 'pin' on the pipe, so will need replacement.

Going to try to order items 9, 11 and 3 (3 in case it needs replacement, won't know for sure until I get to it, but can't harm to replace, right?) and hope I can get jubilee clips on the pipe at the back

[How do I embed the attachment to this post pls?]

Most importantly right now, question aimed at Sean and/or MJ, how do I get to the join at the back, where pipi #3 is located, do I go in from underneath, or from above, and any tips or niggles to watch for please?

I'd recommend one of these to get to the spring clip at the back:

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...AC_SL1131_.jpg

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CNWOOAIVE-F.../dp/B08BLCRV65

Tbh I can't comment on what its like to get to in the car because mine is manual with no SAI so plenty of room for access up or down. Sean is probably better placed to advise on that.

Given how much brute force was need to get the pipe #9 off, I'd anticipate somehow needing to get my arm down to pull pipe #3 off the other end

Have posted a response in my 'coolant loss' thread, and MJ has also mentioned about the relevant tool to access the rear clip.

Just to repeat here for future reference to this thread, part number for the clips is N90655801.

In terms of awkwardness and difficulty, the rear clip will only be removed with the tool MJ provided a photo of, and from above. The two bolts holding the pipe are a case of finding them with your fingers. I used a allen head bit along with a stumpy ratchet spanner to remove them. Removing the airbox gives a little bit of room, but not much.

I didn't even touch pipe #3 at all as it looked fine.

EDIT: Once pipe #9 is disconnected, removing the metal pipe was just a case of gentle up and down movement from the front (like using a ratchet) and easing it off pipe #3.

Long reaching tool thingy and some G12 coolant ordered, next challenge will be getting this pipe off, wish me luck again

Had another poke around this evening, lokos like my pipe actually has multipe small holes, see image - I've stuffed the pipe with blue paper towels, you can see the blue through the holes.

I've got the right allen key bit for the two bolts, but I cannot work out at all how I am going to get to back of the pipe - I could see from beneath with a torch, but could not get hand to it, and can't see it at all from the top.

Am hoping when I remove the air intake in 2nd image that a) I'll get better access to the 2nd bolt holding the pipe on and b) it might help me see the back of the pipe from above.

Any tips / advice please?

Should have called this thread WISG (What's In Sarg's Garage) :D

Are they all around the little metal stud and would have been under the rubber pipe? Two for two that they both failed at the same point.

Definitely remove that air intake pipe. I would loosen the front bolt before starting on the rear one. For the rear one, I used an allen bit and a stumpy ratchet spanner. One hand to get the bit into position and hold the spanner in the right place, and the other hand to move the spanner. A real pain in the back and knuckles, but it can be done.

About to leave on being a tour guide for the day, so will be tonight before I can check on progress.

Exactly at that point, yes - the stud is still there, holes dotted around it.

Thank you, not sure how much I'll get done today anyway - the tool for the rear clip arrives today (and a new air filter) but paid work has to take priority, might manage an hour or so after work. EDIT: the tool arrived while I was typing :)

Going to look for some safety gloves first to protect my knuckles :ROFL:

I now have all the (known) parts I need, and the tool, work restarts tomorrow morning, stand by for much head scratching and appeals for help and advice on here :)

For the car, just the pipe, two clips and G12. 'Long reaching tool thingy' and some method of getting the allen bit into place and turning it. Other other requirements are likely to be a swear box and some sticky plasters, depending on big your hands are.

I also have a replacement air filter to go in during the refit.

I have all listed, including goalkeepr sized hands, about the relative size of this smilie... +++

Sean's going to have to be on point for this one as I'm hoping to be doing some laps of the nurburgring :p

Would offer to do it no problem, but a bit far from Londonderry to West Northamptonshire... and there's quite a bit of water in between... unless you meant at the meet!

Sean, no need to be here :)

But stand by for PMs :D

By all means, please do if you get stuck.

The bugger is out at last

Note the corrosion of the clip, I think water was getting trapped between pipes corroding from outside

Next task, get the replacement in and put back together

It’s all over for the S8 coming to the meet

This is the replacement coolant pipe

I thin these were sandblasted or similar before powder coating, the blasting smoothed out a rotted through hole, then powder coat over

I’ll be washing one of the BMWs tomorrow ready for the trip

A little update:

The coolant pipe problem seems to be resolved at second attempt. Got a couple of secondhand pipes from the US sent directly to MJ, which she got balsted and powder coated, one of which is now installed and am not seeing any coolant loss.

However, not yet fuly bled the system as cannot get it upto temperature for long enough because:

1. While laid up, the fuel pump has borked :mad:
2. The alternator has given up, probably as a result of its coolant shower :-(

So, alternator is next on the list, after which will try to get it down to MK for the fuel pump, but we're off on a little holiday so it will have to wait a while

I think I may have the same problem
 

Came home last night and noticed what I thought to be oil, but quickly realised it to be antifreeze, car had been sat for a day in this position.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/065j...uqUKHGeSLigS0g
https://share.icloud.com/photos/065j...uqUKHGeSLigS0g

I have a feeling it may have been leaking for a while as my coolant was low in the tank.

Seems to be drivers side & more toward the front possibly however, that may be due to undertray confusing things.

No obvious signs of leakage and oil is clear so thinking it maybe the same pipe?
Are these available still and does anyone have a part number and apologies if this has been asked before!

Definitely not available new, but you need to reach out to MikkiJane who may have a refurbed item available, but you need to check first, it's very easy to find with the bonnet open

EDIT: also check your washer fluid as that is right below the washer tank

Thanks, I checked washer fluid and that was okay. Anyway I’ve dropped it off to my mechanic for further investigation, which is 20 miles away and it didn’t loose too much coolant to be fair, I could still see plenty in the expansion tank.

Fingers crossed 🤞

After much time, the coolant bathed alternator has now been replaced and she is running again this morning.

Weekend will finish bleeding the coolant, then it's putting all the plastic trims back on and off for an MOT, with fingers crossed the fuel pump is not goosed