I smell coolant

[andrewwynn]

@elec: get some coolant dye and track that leak down. Take off the belly pan (6 bolts with 16 or 18mm head). Seal behind crank bolt is oil not coolant.

You can leave the plate off for a while as long as you replace the back four since they hold the sway bar. (I wouldn't go off road with the pan off it's actually structural)

If you have the V8 there are coolant pipes in the valley which don't have the most awesome seal but look like a real pain to resolve being behind the timing chain cover

[BeemerUser]

i ordered dye from amazon website so put in late this week but over weekend and today no smell of coolant. so strange and concering.

[andrewwynn]

Did the dye also have sealant? Also: any chance you had too much coolant and it burped?


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[BeemerUser]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Did the dye also have sealant? Also: any chance you had too much coolant and it burped?


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I putting coolant tonight. Coolant a little low from stick under cap but no dashboard warning. I smelled again yesterday. Not today. Report back this weekend few days in car.

[andrewwynn]

E53 has no level sensor. Well the the sensor is there but connected to nothing. Maybe newer models might have but not mine.


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[Crowz]

My 2005 has a level sensor.

Well it has something that makes it say "Check coolant level" or something similar. It did that when I was getting it back topped off from changing the thermostat last weekend.

[oldskewel]

My 2001 E53 has a coolant level sensor in the expansion tank, too. Uses a float and a magnet, I believe.

[andrewwynn]

Mine has the sensor just no cord to plug into the sensor. I just changed the tank and there was a note to the effect of "some models don't use it". Maybe you have the V8?


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[Crowz]

Mine is a 2005 3.0 and as far as I knew all of the e53's should work with it. Heck the e39's have it too.

[chedeng]

I don't post here much since I bought my first BMW (2001 BMW X5 3.0i) but I do concur that early models of X5 have no connector for the coolant level sensor. The coolant sensor is there but nowhere to plug it to. I found this out when replacing the expansion tank due to a micro crack and could not find the connector for it.

I check coolant level (when cold) by the floating dipstick everyday. Also, since I have the Eonon radio, I bought OBD Fusion with dashboard showing coolant temperature and among other PIDs to monitor while driving.