2nd Gen JCW Most liked posts in thread: This doesn't look good...

Any odor to the liquid?

 

Is there a blueish tint? If so that would be coolant and due to the volume that would be my first guess. If it was brake fluid you would have known on the drive today. Another possibility is windshield washer fluid.

I'd check all those levels and top them off if need be.

Oil would be dark and so would transmission fluid. Power Steering would be reddish. Hence I am counting them out.

 

Leaky upper motor mount?

 

Ok, so at the track this weekend I learned a lot about coolant reservoirs. 1-most of the time they're overfilled and that's bad 2-driving a car hard with too much coolant = overboiling after you've shut it off 3- most people freak out when vapor escapes bonnet after a track session.
sooo, that said you might have a leak, but keep the coolant at the minimum mark, otherwise there is not enough room for expansion and things explode. Be aware that most dealers overfill too. Hope it's a loose hose and nothing major!

 

I'd say there's more than a good chance it's a leaking thermostat. Second idea is leaking heater core. Good luck with the fix.

See also a similar account here: http://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/cooper-s/5759-whats-going.html

 

Coolant smells sweat. Have your system pressure check if you feel it is coolant.
Clear is most likely hydraulic fluid,i.e. power steering, brake,engine mount or even A/C Compressor. As mention you would have most likely been aware of of these with a warning light, noise, or hard steering? Because it is on the front right passenger side of the engine bay the best thoughts to be coolant.

 

Don't post much here...but been here quite awhile...anyways:

Had the exact same thing on my 2010 with about 3500 miles on it. Turned out to be the water pump. Towed in via MINI Roadside, fixed in a day with a new water pump. Never been another issue.

 

Dupe post! Eeek!

 

Normally, when I've seen coolant leak, the edges of the puddle show a white crusty build-up (if the puddle has had enough time to evaporate a bit). The MINI factory coolant, when mixed properly, is pretty green.

It's possible that this is washer fluid. The R50-53s had a problem with washer fluid tanks leaking... if you have Xenon lights, there is one just behind each of the front wheels, built into a cavity behind the body panels. The stock MINI washer fluid smells of an organic solvent, but isn't sweet like coolant or greasy like brake fluid.

 

Perhaps you foglight fluid is leaking.

If I'm remembering correctly, the OEM foglights use the same fluid as the blinkers. You can get a bottle of blinker fluid for under $9 and top it up easily through the plug on the back of the fixture.

Blinker Fluid [BF-01] - $8.99 : KaleCoAuto, Hard to find automotive items!

 

Here ya go.

One Degree - Finding Left Handed Monkey Wrenches for Left Handed Plumbers

Jim

 

Mark

 

Link does not work:frown2: and I could use one of those.

Mark

 

Found it.

Left-handed Monkey Wrenches for Left-handed Plumbers « BFOUND

Mark

 

Muffler bearing could have popped and drained out, too...