BMW 325i - Coolant leak Diagnose and Repair

Everything sounds Easy when you say it Fast :)
2001-2005 BMW 325i Expansion Tank removal and replacement
2002 BMW came in with an antifreeze leak
Luckily for the owner this is a serviceable part however its not always so easy when dealing with old plastic and dried out O-rings! Not to mention the replacement part is aftermarket! Wish me the best and follow along as we tackle yet another job that has a few hurdles

[@elcheapo5302]

Bring More Water! What an overcomplication of what should be a simple system. Well done, Will.

[@robinsonsauto]

lol thats pretty good :) its funny you say that because there is jugs of water in the car hahaha thank you!

[@wyattoneable]

Finding the leak was easy enough. Getting to the part, a little more difficult, then comes the details. That's where you shine. Making sure everything fits as it should and even securing the air box as an extra step. Nice.

[@robinsonsauto]

wyattoneable thank you wyatt! It's nice knowing the efforts are reconized.

[@aubreyj.tennant1123]

Good job to point out the final click to seat the reservoir. And point out the spring retainer clip locks only when it’s properly seated. Really important when working in hard to see places…👍

[@BigDog50001]

Excellent job, plastic parts on a BMW are always fun.

[@robinsonsauto]

Big Dog50001 Automotive thank you!!! lol

[@Throughthelurkingglass]

I had the same exact problem, vest part it stops leaking at a threshold where it doesn't overheat, imma get one tomorrow but 8 hours driving with that busted tank, only thing I'm losing is my heater at the moment. I'm amazed with this cars ability to keep going, no matter what's wrong with it. As though it's engineered to fail

[@jason-xb9wx]

thanks man, that was exactly where my leak was too. saved me a tone of money

[@Diagnosedan]

Well done Elvis 😎. Thanks for another great Video. Put a little grease on the O-rings and it will make live a lot easier😉

[@robinsonsauto]

DiagnoseDan thank you Dan 😁🎸your welcome anytime! yes good tip!!! lube surly helps👍

[@bodgitandleggitgarage]

Wow a BMW with a leaking coolant bottle I've never seen that before🤣🤣🤣🤣 another fantastic video mate great to watch

[@robinsonsauto]

bodgit and leggit garage lol another mechanic that works with his eyes closed 🤣 🤣🤣 happens a lot when you get really good at your job 😋 thanks for stopping by mate it's always nice hearing from you

[@rommellopez9627]

Any other means of coolant getting in the oil pan?

[@Bighead-he8zb]

Hey Will, Astro Pneumatic 78585 is a coolant kit that I just picked up for about $200. It has the pressure testing adapters but also has a vacuum fill ability which draws air from cooling system allowing for a quick fill without running the engine to remove air pockets.

[@robinsonsauto]

Bighead awesome I have been eyeballing that one actually!!!! Thank you I will most likely be picking this one up!! 👍

[@TheDisgruntledMechanic]

good job Will! and using those good ole Dorman parts.

[@robinsonsauto]

Thank you Mike! their into everything it seems lol

[@acajoebox]

Great video a lot of help, great mechanic

[@cpowerscpo2002]

whats up big guy thank you for taking your time to get another great vid

[@robinsonsauto]

not much my friend getting ready to take the family out for dinner actually :) your welcome anytime

[@nancyj9881]

Thank you so much! Now I can do it myself and not trouble my hubby!

[@skunkedagain]

Thanks for the great video, and the pressure tester idea. hF next stop for the kit.

[@viviankinney2283]

Thank you very informative and straightforward

[@Mr105246]

This video has helped me out alot cus I had problems seating my reservoir

[@williamridley8490]

Will thanks i leaned alot from watching u great job! Bill

[@peterastley-sparke7526]

Very helpful video - many thanks.

[@wysetech2000]

I learned a long time ago that you have to replace the O rings on those type hoses. Nice job anyway, Will.

[@robinsonsauto]

wysetech2000 you were probably thinking the whole time I hope he replaces those o-rings 😁 live and learn, will be sure to have them for the next one

[@wysetech2000]

How did you know? HaHaHa

[@mohammedashfaq3892]

Hi Wysetech2000 can you please help me how did you fix it. Coz mine is also 2009 550i and its a leak underneath. how much does it cost and is it a serious problem. Coz i took to one local mechanic and he faked the price somewhere around 2000-3000 dollars? need help

[@DatM135i]

@@mohammedashfaq3892 keep trying garages until you get a decent price maybe?

[@beauxdid7996]

Not to be mean but to inform everyone watching this video there is a high level and low level indicator in expansion tank that should never be overlooked. Should never overfill "top off" past the high level mark. Overfilling will decrease the life of the overall system and possibly cause a failure. If your having overheating issues this could cause a catastrophe. The expansion tank needs the air gap for expansion during normal operation as the fluid will be retained there. You certainly don't want a hose to burst as you will have only seconds to pull over to shut the engine off. Robinson...please edit video warning your viewers to fill properly and possibly saving someone grief. I like your video and wish you well, thx. Oh and btw a good mechanic showed me how to use a silicone lubricant from a spray can to make those pesky orings snap into place very easy. Worth the 3 dollars to have around.

[@billk5727]

Great video Will! Dependable parts are at an all-time low these days. Bet you are glad to have the lift. Take care.

[@robinsonsauto]

Bill K so true! Yes I'm very thankful for that investment not sure I could be doing this otherwise. Thanks

[@dc5723]

Great fix, hope that Dorman part holds.

[@robinsonsauto]

RareDiamond Ching thank you!! Fingers crossed 😉

[@tsmgguy]

LOL. Yeah, I saw those drops on the floor from the driver's side at the beginning of the video and thought, 'expansion tank'. So it was. This is always the first thing to suspect with coolant leaks on E46 BMWs.

[@rxlo1062]

Excellent job 👍

[@U4Eye]

I had the same problem but while I was down there I figured I might as well replace all the hoses in thermostat

[@rusco321]

You can use the plastic screw on the upper rad hose to purge air out of the system as you’re filling it.

[@robinsonsauto]

rusco321 yes correct thanks for sharing 👍

[@grahamclay9702]

The expansion tank does crack only leaks when hot till it fails

[@raulradillo191]

Hell yeah thanks for the Vlog I’m having issue with my hose also now I know the problem smh 🤦‍♂️

[@Zombie_Ki11a-XzOmBieKiLla6X]

Hey Robinsonsauto, I was just curious if you could share where you’ve got your pressure tester from? That’ll make my jobs a bit easier in identifying leaks, thank you and I appreciate it!

[@AP9311]

Nice and relaxed repair. Way to go, Will. Nice job! I enjoyed watching it. What can I say about Dorman? Lol. You know what Eric O would say about it, LOL!!

[@robinsonsauto]

Josh Benney thank you you the feedback 👍 there is so much that can be said 😂but I was talking nicely to it in hopes it was listening or something hahaha

[@robinsonsauto]

Just my personal thoughts and experiences. I honestly still keep my faith in Dorman products, I don't keep up on everything but from the little i know is: they are primarily based in the USA they private label for many companies and they invest millions of dollars a year in the automotive industry. Not to mention they employee thousounds of people here in the us! While giving us options. To me that's worth something! Sure at times something might not fit 100% but for the most part it dose the job. A lot of people would be suprissed who's products are really under that private label. Is anything really OEM? If it's not old new stock? From that model year/month

[@AP9311]

robinsonsauto that is very true. But I have had few bad experiences with Dorman brands. That's why I don't have much faith on that brand. I can see why Eric O says same thing as well

[@robinsonsauto]

Josh Benney understandable, it's the "Dorman" parts we use under different labels that many turn a blind eye to because we are not aware and consider a good part that conflicts. that's all

[@firstendo]

Good way of getting it out but I believe that was a level sensor for the coopant

[@Dougarony]

Good stuff man!

[@63256325N]

It's a Dorman product, I'd have been shocked if it actually worked right out of the box. As soon as you said Dorman I smelled trouble. Can't say I'm too impressed with the BMW hose design. Typical engineers, take something simple and complicate it. Thanks for the video.

[@robinsonsauto]

Duncan MacKenzie glad I wasn't the only one having that feeling. I have done radiators and whatnot over the years and reused the original o-rings without fail. Dorman was Slightly different I assume, live and learn. Yeah those quick connects aren't so quick lol Thanks for the feedback 👍

[@ericcorse]

Hot dog first, Those short sockets look pretty handy especially in conjunction with Nano.

[@robinsonsauto]

:) thanks

[@keshav4324]

Great job. But that's a really really loud engine. I've got an e46 and it would be a lie to say that it makes half the sound. (Not talking about the squeak but thr engine itself( any idea how to prevent that from happening?

[@swissbliss24]

I have a 2007 335i with 154,000 miles. I just had the radiator replaced about a month ago and today I had the low coolant light come on. I was informed the radiator had a crack and that's why the coolant was leaking before I had the radiator replaced. Now I am wondering what the issue is. There doesn't seem to be any noticeable leaks.

[@rusco321]

What do you oil your coolant system tester with?

[@efthimios]

Hey there I had my 2011 335 pressure tested by dealer- it passed but I still run out of coolant like 3 weeks driving about 30 miles a day - Wonder if I should bring it back Sounds like they didn’t open the bottom cover to inspect for leaks just pressure tested

[@markferraro5250]

nice job Will thanks

[@robinsonsauto]

Mark Ferraro thank you!! Your welcome anytime

[@Krillekris]

Nice job. Enjoyed the video :-)

[@robinsonsauto]

Krille's Garage thank you!!

[@flatratemaster]

BMW with a leak never seen that before ;)

[@robinsonsauto]

Flat Rate Master lol never🤣 that's where the old saying comes from "I can do that with my eyes closed" hahaha I didn't see no leak either 😂

[@m96k3y7]

never... (silently exits house to go fix a leak at this moment on a damn 320i) :'D

[@guysmalley]

Flat Rate Master yea tell me a make of car that hasn’t

[@265chevy]

Good Work learned a lot and i see a lot of tool i want lol

[@robinsonsauto]

thank you!!! :) anything that can make the job easier and save a mess is worth the investment

[@Daniel22777]

such a great video!!!!!!!

[@gloom_nz]

I just picked up an e46. been battling the expansion tank and hoses since. I installed a new one and everytime I get a leak fixed a new one appears when under pressure

[@smooveking773]

I just took out my expansion tank and have a new one do they have orings?? 2003 E39 525i

[@MrJaz8088]

My E46 330i blow the Top Completely off the Plastic Expansion Bottle, I left everything in the tank and just pressed it down hard, it popped in easy enough, problem i had was at the top, getting the smaller hose all the way on so the clip could be pushed down in it's slot

[@ManicMechanic007]

Aftermarket parts sure ain't what they used to be. I don't mind working on BMW's until I have to remove plastic parts. Scary. Well done Will.

[@robinsonsauto]

ManicMechanic007 very true! I'm with you on that one 😁👍

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Hey Will! I just worked on a BMW 325Ci that had like 5 oil leaks xD Must be BMW season in Pennsylvania!

[@robinsonsauto]

Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics hey Ivan great seeing you here!!!! lol it must be that time of the year 🤣Its funny because when I see a Dorman part I think of you and Eric. I was thinking what would Ivan or Eric say hahaha

[@armandoarriaga5526]

Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics lol mines leaking either from vamos solenoid or oil filter housing and my coolant reservoir keeps leaking even after I replaced it-.- and I got a bad thermostat replaced it and still is bad -.-

[@candicedownard9939]

Wow! a $1.00 O-ring just turned into a $40 hose. Glad im not the owner! This is why i fix my own BMW. But good repair video

[@betweenyouandme]

where did you buy the expansion tank air pump? that is a must-have :)

[@hater8812]

how should I know if it's too much air trapped? I just change the expansion tank that cracked due to high temperature. I want to avoid this in the future. Do you know how to prevent expansion tank failure due to high pressure?

[@ozzstars_cars]

No more coolant bleeding. Nice fix Will!

[@robinsonsauto]

Ozzstar no more and no less lol all depends on how the cookies crumbles, if I completely drained this it would be a headache for sure. thanks Glen

[@govhickenlooper]

We guarantee the bleeding to not return again for at least 3 weeks!

[@robinsonsauto]

Dorman Products hahaha well that's one heck of a prediction 🤣 gatta admit I didn't think it would match up at all, so your faith in it proved greater than mine 😂😂

[@ozzstars_cars]

Dorman that's a pretty good warranty. I was thinking more like 3 days. lol

[@emilioquiroz4823]

What’s that noise at the end of video my car started doing that lmk thanks?!!

[@sasukeuchihaanbucapt]

I'm having this problem on my 325CI but I changed the reservoir tank and the hoses are good but can't locate the leak, where ever it is i get not even 30 minutes out of it before the coolant light comes on and the tank is empty

[@jgeorges3061]

WILL, when i do any euro car use a vacuum refill tool that put the system under vacuum around 25 and watching the gage for couple of minutes that will till u we have sealed system 100% at the same time using another adapter to refill the system using the vacuum to suck the coolant in this way 100% no air bubble . good video as always cheeeeeers

[@robinsonsauto]

j georges been wanting to invest in a vacuum filler!!! Great tip thanks for sharing. Any recommendations On what setup is good?

[@jp450r]

Great video but correct me if i am wrong but with any vehicle, dont it have to be running with the heater set to wide open to get it completely full and then Burp/bleed it? Just for fun............Its Raid iator not Rad iator, keep up the great videos.

[@ninerdogdude]

will this repair stop my engine from overheating

[@arnoldogarcia2495]

Thank you por video

[@firesquad6150]

Hey I’m interested in buying a 2009 BMW 328 i xDrive with about 48k miles, is this 3 series reliable or what problems should I expect ?

[@roadkill5333]

DORMAN!! When you absolutely, positively want to do it a second time!

[@robinsonsauto]

roadkill5333 lol that's a good one

[@zmanvideo1]

great video

[@robinsonsauto]

thank you

[@zmanvideo1]

i was cringing when you were moving those plastic parts, can't believe how much plastic they use under the hood, glad it all worked out in the end!

[@robinsonsauto]

zmanvideo1 you and me both 😰

[@kevinfraser640]

Jesus, I can’t get the reservoir off the last O ring. It’s killing me. It won’t release I can’t believe it. And now even more worried how I gonna get the new one back on

[@wayealan8165]

Good job until the green stuff showed up...European blue and bleeding screw ..!

[@rsad2857]

Indeed!! Also need to bleed the system with the heater on High.

[@dj2574]

Did you know about the e46 bleed procedure . As I don't see you doing this. Maybe if u didn't empty the whole system .

[@johnszoke586]

You missed a bunch of things, you got to bleed the system out and Jack the car up on the driver side so it tilts to one side. You over filled the tank now there's no where for the fluid to go to and it will probably break something else. Didn't check the water inlet pipes

[@R.E.HILL_]

Another good informative video. Engine rebuild/replacement next? I like those, very much... ☺

[@robinsonsauto]

thank you ;) possibly lol just never know what may come in. currently i have a few cars lined up but no motor jobs at the moment. that's not counting the old small block project i still gotta get back on

[@tgd1565]

I have a 325ci 2003 and I have a leak somewhere I already replace the expansion tank but still no go. Anyone have ideas to where else it can be ?

[@NewLevelAuto]

It had the acronym right on the hood! Burn Me Will , even I could see that 😄

[@robinsonsauto]

New Level Auto lol 😂 thats a good one Keith

[@pain5940]

Is a sealant that I can use which doesn't stuff things up

[@rickyknight-es9bo]

What if my leak is dropping underneath the passenger side towards the back? What could it be leaking from, it’s a decent amount of drip even when car is off

[@delraemouton4241]

What if it doesn't start due to over heating and there is coolant leaking from the back side of the water pump

[@simiongradinaru7381]

Hopefully it’s not the heater hose valve under the intake manifold. Good luck if it is

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

BMW = Burns My Wallet, lol. Good fix, but it's amusing to hear a mechanic hoping the Dorman part he bought actually works ;)

[@robinsonsauto]

lol I gotta remember that one. thank you, yea its like flipping a coin with most parts anymore it seems lol

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

Vladimir Putin Bill Me Whatever

[@worldfitnesstrainerradekve9234]

Don’t get it twisted sometimes the visual inspection it’s not what it seems, my friend was adding coolant without a funnel so she dripped it all over the reservoir .. I thought it was the top hose ,changed it but it still leaked a lot ,took it to our European specialists ,they changed the water pump ,cost us $800 still was leaking ,they said the thermostat leaks I changed it myself, still leak , changed all hoses than it leak even parked whole gallon of distilled water came out even engine was off so I went get pressure tester (was waiting when you bring it up 😅👌🏼) and it was leaking in the middle of engine i lift the car and when i was under the car it leaked in the middle so difficult to diagnose so I did research because I changed everything even reservoir and radiator.. well it was the heater coolant hoses under the manful over $1200 at bmw it’s 2005 bmw x3 no worth it they charge my friend already $1200 for starter 🤪 so I just spent 14 h to taking the manful out all so bridle 200 k on this car 👵 😂 3other hoses broke while taking it off so tomorrow going to sears it’s just vacuum hoses and air intake that i need to buy .. the 2 hoses which leaked were broken off in the engine so no wonder it was coming all straight out ! I had to scrape the cooked hose with both O’rings out and the new hose doesn’t fit so tomorrow i sand it … I watched KZbin videos and this apparently happens around 200 k miles it’s 💩 job a lot break become more expensive at dealership probably $2000 + better buy newer car before that 😅🚗 I got mercedes 170 k so far nothing the bmw fixing everything since I bought it … just wanted to share today’s experience and that what you don’t do your self you don’t get done right these guys saying 60 y experience better 3 of them but didn’t fix the leak I did and I’m not mechanic, did it on parking lot even rain ☔️ had to take 1h break because of that but needed to recharge lol finished at midnight with flag light 😝

[@ignacioromero5014]

I'm just going to say thanks for the great tips....you lost me with the green coolant, its probably why that tank was stuck, appropriate blue coolant has lubricants for all internals in the cooling system.

[@mikesaelee9094]

Ride-diator!

[@tam1381]

Hey Will these Bmw's can be very challenging to bleed the air out of the coolant system. There are a couple of bleed screws one on the top hose and one on the expansion bottle. However overpriced hoses on these German buckets of crap. Nice video Thanks.

[@robinsonsauto]

thanks for sharing im sure this will help others if they read it. I should have covered more near the end but it was getting the best of me and the customer was waiting. fun fun :)

[@tam1381]

You can easy spend an hour trying to get the air out of these. The older ones with normal hose clips are just as much fun too.

[@MrHusobadao]

Everything looks good, except forget to reinstall a screw for air filter box

[@zionwithano8600]

how much would this cost if i went to a mechanic shop

[@comingundone27]

What pressure tester is that?

[@robinsonsauto]

Nick Dont judge to harshly 😂 "Pittsburgh automitive" a few months back I had a car come in with a minor leak and of course I didn't have the correct adapter!!!! Called around no one had one local so I sent Tammy to harbor freight in a ditch effort and she came back with this nifty kit!! I gotta admit it's paid for itself already and still works

[@comingundone27]

I can not judge you at all! It has a BMW adapter that my kit doesn't have. I might have to look into picking one up myself!

[@joserosario9325]

Explica muy bien

[@michaelprice3785]

Slightly overfilled. You need to leave room for expansion.

[@nicknicu1787]

Great video Will! You’re keeping everything professional as usual,unlike some others that can’t wait to tell us how bad these European vehicles are and how they hate working on them. Sorry for the trouble you had with the leaks. I would never install a Doorman part on an European vehicle unless they make a repair kit on something that fixes a part which would require a ridiculous amount of money to replace. But I do understand it’s not up to you when it comes to the parts you’ve used. I tell you it’s the tolerances when it comes to aftermarket parts. You can usually reuse those O-rings if they’re still pliable and haven’t been damaged while removing. Thanks for the video! 👍👍👍

[@robinsonsauto]

Nick Nicu thank you for the kind feedback! I agree with you 100% the tolerances were different on the Dorman part! Many times I have reused o-rings without fail. would have been nice to take a measurement. This happens so often anymore I just work through it but it is very frustrating. I know for next time 🍻 I'm sure we will hear less and less of the complaining now that most modern cars are cramed in like a Sardine Can and use plastic everything lol 😂 I enjoy working on Euro I don't get many in so it's something new most times. Ahead of their time in many ways.

[@NewLevelAuto]

robinsonsauto you want Euro?!?!?! Oh man I got you covered bud😂😂😂

[@robinsonsauto]

New Level Auto hahaha I'm sure you see a lot more than I do so the feelings I'm sure vary especially when you arrive after other people's attempts

[@roadkill5333]

Is this the same 325i that Ivan is working on??

[@robinsonsauto]

roadkill5333 hahaha that's funny Ivan just asked me if this is BMW season 😂😂😂😂

[@roadkill5333]

robinsonsauto...Nope! It's WABBIT SEASON!! from the old loony toons carton!! Hahahahahahhahahaha!!

[@Diagnosedan]

Be carefull Ivan doesn't steel that altenator, he's looking for one🤣🤣

[@nasalimbu3078]

John of arc

[@svengonzales2664]

What's a "Complett" Repair?

[@robinsonsauto]

Good question! ;) fixed it thanks for letting me know "complete" my bad

[@EXOVCDS]

27:19 you look like scannerdanner!

[@robinsonsauto]

Thomas EXOVCDS hahaha I will take that as a compliment!!

[@amana1480]

All of the BMWs that I have had, have ended up having coolant leaks... their coolant system is very weak/cheap... the plastic is cheap quality and weak and always ended up breaking...

[@guysmalley]

That bmw needs some tlc

[@jimwong2823]

I went ahead and purchase all new hoses radiator expansion tank save time save money and save one big headache

[@bfunmaker]

Wrong coolant

[@EXOVCDS]

There's more plastic in modern cars than there is plastic at a Plastic Surgeon's office!

[@robinsonsauto]

Thomas EXOVCDS lol 😂 if it wasn't for modern plastic cars there would be no more plastic surgeons 😂😂😂😂

[@EricChee]

So we(mechanics) are a plastic surgeons. Right?🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@crisfher]

The coolant should be blue not green

[@rascal462]

Green Coolant?wtf?

[@phillipisaacs5150]

Green coolant? jeez... You need something with Ethylene Glycol.

[@turbocharge2512]

Can someone convert those plastic parts into aluminum? I will replace them all in my BMW..

[@milesmartz]

can somebody give me the name of the very first hose he pulled out at 2:26 ? asking for a friend lmaooo

[@gunterhuber7053]

Just to say.....Why did you not hook up the pressure tester before you even took anything apart? It would have saved you a lot of time. The thermostat you are talking about ...is for the transmission oil ..its not for the engine coolant..i think you should have mentioned that. Also, you use a fluid extractor and about 5 min into the video...you are talking about the radiator drain plug.. You should have used that and you would not have the mess Anyway, your video is almost 30 min long....its about a 20 min repair

[@victorlewis8970]

☆☆☆☆☆

[@robinsonsauto]

Victor M Coria thank you

[@josetorres1854]

That’s not the correct coolant it takes