So, 2.5 hours away from home in Banbury, picked up my bits that I bough off ebay, gets back in the Hippo (2001 TD4 Auto, 50 mph all the way).

Windows open, 2 mins away from the house can hear a noise like an electric drill. Not sure that its the car.

Stopped up the road, pulled over turned the ignition off. Noise continues.

Popped the bonnet had a look and both cooling fan are going like buggery. No water in the header tank. Crap. Dash temp gauge shows normal

Found the leak....along the top hose (return) from the heater, hose rests on a plastic bulgy bit, with plastic ribs. One rip has worn through the rubber hose, hose split dumping the coolant. Stick my 1 litre drinking water in, goes in search of shops.

As luck would have it, 2 mins up the road find a GSF (German Swish French). Any part for a BMW engine?? (German!!!) NO!!!!

Halfords, hose repair tape, fixed it in the car park.

Stop at the supermarket 5 litre bottle of Evian......fill the header tank up. Got us home. YAY!!!:crazy_driver:


SO if this German engineering is so damn good, why the f**k do they not clip hoses up?!? No wonder we won the war!!! :fighting:

coz they are so well built, they would never need any spares?

Even had to put French water in it

landowner said:

Even had to put French water in it

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Just looked at the bottle, its actually Saka. Chosen because it comes in a 5 litre bottle.

Was looking for something Swedish to pick up, but the other half would not have approved.