Need help, coolant leak

[Jvaz]

Hello guys 

I’m afraid, my car has a coolant leak somewhere on the exhaust manifold.

the car does not overheat it actually runs smooth and on the cooler side.

I did notice  some white smoke coming from the front of the exhaust manifold yesterday and the coolant level is a little low.

I notice this after the engine was cool.

any ideas of what and where the problems is?

BTW last month had a compression test and it was good.

Thanks

JV

[TobyB]

That's oil.

 

The studs go through into the head-

the fix is to remove them, clean, and seal.

 

i use loctite blue.

 

Pain to fix, won't harm much until you do.

 

t

 

[Jvaz]

So is this normal thing to happen?

It makes sense, I did not touch it earlier since I was in my way out to dinner, but you are right it is oil.

thanks

JV

 

 

[Jvaz]

I just did a search, looks like a common problem.

thanks

[Son of Marty]

Yes it happens quite a bit with the expansion and contraction due to heat they will get loose over time, as Toby said remove the mani pull all the upper studs and clean the threads both on the stud and in the head with brake clean and loc-tite the studs back in and use new copper nuts and your good to go it's a pain in the ass but not that hard to do. PS do your self a favor and use the 320i exhaust gasket with the built in heat shield. 

[Dudeland]

I thought only the one at the front had a leak problem. But I see the one at the back goes into a galley as well. 

 

[TobyB]

Yeah, happens to all of us.

And all 4 on top go through.  And in such a way that there's a puddle of oil

trapped in the open cavity, just waiting to wick down the threads.

 

I've seen bearing oiling systems that weren't designed so well.

 

heh

 

t

 

[theNomad]

I used loctite red due to heat but every darn time I take the manifold off to work on something a stud or two will thread out. Oh well, just a matter of doing it.