Wierd Leak On My 96' 328i......................Please Help

[e36m34life]

Ok, so I might be overeacting, but I thought I would ask anyways.

After I wash my car, and even after all the ground is dry, hours later I will get this pool of water right under where my engine is, only there, no where else. I check the expansions tank, and it doesn't look like I lost any coolant, and the pool seems to be clear and doesn't have any smell to it so I think its water, but I dont know why it leaks right under the motor?

Has anyone else experienced something like this?

[bboyvek]

100% common. ur water pump fail on u. weird ur coolant level isnt dropping tho, yet ur pump is the culprit.

[e36m34life]

100% common. ur water pump fail on u. weird ur coolant level isnt dropping tho, yet ur pump is the culprit.


Right, thats what I thought aswell, but the thing is that I dont overheat, and the water level isn't dropping, the water pump doesn't chirp or make wierd noise, and there just isn't any other symptoms of it being anything to do with my cooling system.


Did you read my whole post?

I THINK its something to do with washing my car, but I dont see why it would be hours later, and specifically under the engine part of the car. :dunno:

[Chris S]

maybe water is getting under your hood and slowly dripping down later... say if its been bumped or maybe just taking a while to go all the way down to the ground

[e36m34life]

^^Hopefully thats the case, becuase Im clueless as to what else it could be if its not in the cooling system?

[98_328i]

Does the liquid have a color or smell to it?

[Chris S]

hmm put something in the water when you wash it ... like water soluable dye (make sure it comes off before you try it.... dont want to stain your paint or something similar) then wash you car and see if its the same color under the car.... tho better off using something else but i guess the concept stands

[e36m34life]

Does the liquid have a color or smell to it?

Neither, I cant see a color, and I cant smell it, I dipped my finger in it and I couldn't smell nothing. :dunno:

hmm put something in the water when you wash it ... like water soluable dye (make sure it comes off before you try it.... dont want to stain your paint or something similar) then wash you car and see if its the same color under the car.... tho better off using something else but i guess the concept stands

Ehh...Good idea, but im too scared it would stain the paint, I dont want to take the risk.


Im concerned, its really bothering me. I guess I just need to wait today, and see if there is going to be another puddle, and theres no way it would be the same water from the wash, if it happens again, then I have a leak somewhere. :(

But either way, its really strange because it was a pretty decent size puddle, like 1ft. in diameter circle :eek:

[Chris S]

checked the washer fluid? could be that... had that prob with my car

[98_328i]

Neither, I cant see a color, and I cant smell it, I dipped my finger in it and I couldn't smell nothing. :dunno:




If it has no color and you can't smell anything I wouldn't be concerned. If it isn't water the only thing it could possibly be is either coolant or washer fluid and both of these are identifiable by color

[Chris S]

put a cup or pan under the spot where its dripping from and see if theres any color to the liquid and that way you can tell what color it is or if its clear.

[e36m34life]

Thanks for the help guys, I will try doing the cup thing, to make sure its clear water.

Oh, and I dont have a washer fluid tank, I threw it out to install the HID ballast.

[e36m34life]

**Update

Ok, so heres the scenario.....

Yesterday, about 11am I washed and dried the car by hand at home, it was a sunny day.

About 9:30Pm, I go to leave to work, and as im backing out, I noticed a puddle of liquid right under where my engine would be. So I get out, and check the liquid with my fingers and a smell test, it appears to be clear and odorless. The rest of the driveway is dry, just the puddle.

**This is where my original post belongs

So the car sits in the parking lot of my work from 11pm to about 7am, I drive out hoping that I wont see another puddle.........and................................ ...............







































(Oh the suspense)





























(Do you really care enough to continue?)























(What are you doing on these boards, go do something productive)













THERE WAS NO PUDDLE! Not one drip! Woohooo, no leak afterall, just for some reason water from the wash decided to form a puddle right underneath the motor? Oh, and the coolant level is up to par, didn't go down. :)

[ahull]

On an E46 - Water in the cabin filter drain pan (opens through top of hood by firewall) slowly draining out overnight? Clogged there or on the winshield drains making for slow drainage?

"The suspense is terrible. I hope it lasts."

[estoril blu]

I thought it was pretty obvious it was the water which you wash the car with since its only their when you wash the car no?