1st Gen R50 Cooper Coolant leak: theromostat gasket?

Yup, time to head to the dealer and buy a new OEM housing and gasket.

Don't use cheap Non OEM crap from Rock auto for that.

 

Confirmed....likely to be t-stat related. Best to replace housing and gasket. Like Dave, I'd recommend OEM for this location...I've heard of many having problems with aftermarket.

When you get in there, smooth over all rough areas from corrosion....you'll want a smooth surface to seal against.

And avoid any temptation to go to worm screw clamps...stay with OEM type, they work best in the end as they provide constant pressure without cutting into hoses.

 

Actually, you'd be wise to replace both the gasket and housing. Warped t-stat housings are a known issue....best to replace housing and gasket and be done with it...and don't forget to spend time cleaning up the sealing surface to smooth out any corrosion at point where gasket seals.

 

Do them both now or do them one at a time gasket now, cracked housing later.

 

"...all my power steering fluid drooled out onto the driveway..."

Need a better definition of what you mean by this comment...if truly a large amount of power steering fluid, then something is broken....Let us know more about your symptoms and we can help diagnose.

More common is a small but persistent leak which will no doubt be one of the two hoses (the ones with the corrugated insulating metal wrapper) leaking from the reservoir down to the power steering pump...it is a known issue and affects nearly every Gen 1 car sooner or later. Note that the location of oil on the pavement under the car may be some distance from the reservoir as this oil can travel along undercarriage parts and present itself elsewhere on the ground.

Power steering fluid is a hydraulic fluid which over time affects the hoses and allows them to leak at the connection points. Tightening the clamps or adding worm clamps is at best a very temporary solution. Real fix is to replace with new hoses...when I did mine I went ahead and obtained the tools and proper OEM clamps to provide proper clamping action for hydraulic hoses...if you use worm clamps for the replacement be VERY careful not to clamp too tight or else you will damage the hose and be right back in the same spot in sort order.

Which brings up another point...it is a good idea to regularly clean the engine compartment of our Minis....doing so will allow you to easily see where leaks when they occur, making diagnosis better. Notice I said WHEN, not IF....our cars are prone to leaks in several places over time...luckily most all are known issues, and while some are time consuming to get to, none are difficult to fix, and rarely will they create emergency situations.

 

SONAX makes a great engine cleaner now. :ihih: only $12.00

SONAX Engine Cleaner

 

MINI Thermostat w/ Gasket