It's Dead, Jim ('01 3.0i)

[Salty B.]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

The hot in summer is ok in winter. I park facing south in winter to get pre heated seats. My first X5 was black everything and when I bought the AC wasn't working so for a road trip was hell. After vacuum and fill of freon find out the damned pressure switch wasn't plugged in!

Ugh. Yeah in winter that's fine. It rarely gets much below freezing here, although we did get some wet sloppy snow last xmas. People lost their damn minds...

Hot in Georgia isn't the same as hot in Wisconsin though 🥵

[andrewwynn]

I've driven black leather black top car in tx in summer. You learn quick to park butt into the sun.

[nahvkolaj]

Update: The oil is dark but no sign of coolant in it. Ran the engine for several seconds. It runs without a knock and sounds smooth after the VANOS settles in (gotta fix that). I’m thinking I’ll have to pull the head regardless to be sure.

I found the leak culprit: the trans cooler! The retaining clip is just gone. I don’t even know how that happens.


Edit: wrong cooler

[andrewwynn]

No need to jump the gun. Get the test kit to sniff for exhaust in the coolant.

Wife had expansion tank rip in half drive about a mile to a parking lot and then after letting it cool I drive about another mile to where I work on cars. She saw the needle go red and steam from the front when she called me.

Engine got pretty hot but no damage out at least 10,000 miles on before trading up.

[nahvkolaj]

I finally got the clip to secure the trans cooler. Started filling the system with coolant and after about 3/4 to 1 gallon heard a dripping noise. I have a leak somewhere near the two hard coolant pipes under the intake manifold; the pipes themselves were replaced ~2000 miles ago. The heater pipe connection appears to be okay. I can't get a good view of the return pipe connection, so I might have to pull the intake manifold to get a closer look.


Is there anything it would make sense to check before pulling the intake? Coolant in the cylinders, compression test? I can't imagine the head could warp so much as to cause an open leak when cold, but I'm new to blowing engines

[X5chemist]

Can you move the power steering reservoir for a better look? A mirror or scope camera can work.

[nahvkolaj]

I stuck a bore scope in there and could not determine where the leak originates. I could see a drip into a pool of coolant in one of the cast webbing features in the block just below the pipe connections.

[X5chemist]

A Harbor Freight pressure kit works great for coolant checks. I checked mine thoroughly before installing the intake. The yellow adapter fits the expansion tank. After testing all the pipes, I found the water pump was also dripping. The o-ring was flat. A new steel impeller pump was installed.

[nahvkolaj]

Well the leak is at the heater pipe. The intake had a bit of dripping oil in the runners but the CCV was replaced not too long ago. I scoped a couple cylinders and they were normal looking, a bit of flaking carbon on the pistons.

Compression test results:
1: 182 psi
2: <30 psi
3: 180 psi
4: <30 psi
5: 180 psi
6: 168 psi

From sticking my crappy bore scope down there I can’t tell anything obviously wrong with pistons 2 and 4.

[aureliusmax]

Originally Posted by nahvkolaj

Well the leak is at the heater pipe. The intake had a bit of dripping oil in the runners but the CCV was replaced not too long ago. I scoped a couple cylinders and they were normal looking, a bit of flaking carbon on the pistons.

Compression test results:
1: 182 psi
2: <30 psi
3: 180 psi
4: <30 psi
5: 180 psi
6: 168 psi

From sticking my crappy bore scope down there I can’t tell anything obviously wrong with pistons 2 and 4.

Doesn't really matter at this point. Your compression losses are either: due to warped valves and they don't seal and air either goes to the intake or exhaust side. Or, breaks in the head gasket where air can exit into the coolant system.

In order to determine which, you need to get a leak-down testing tool. Compressed air at 10-20 lbs is sent to your cylinder while at TDC and if you see bubbling in the coolant tank that's a failed head gasket. If all the air rushes through exhaust or intake, your engine head valves no good.

If just the head gasket, go ahead and replace it.

If bad valves, Buy a known good used engine from wrecker, take the head off, install onto your existing block. Run compression test again, more likely than not going to solve the issue the most inexpensive and quick solution.