2009 M35, only 80K miles, radiator crack. Common problem?

Diesel oil in with the coolant, in the radiator? Very unlikely. Engine oil in radiator indicates a leakage like head gasket, cracked block or head. Transmission oil in radiator indicates a leaky radiator where the hydrolic fluid is cooled inside the radiator.

Check your fill/refill bottle for cracks as most are made out of plastic and heat can crack them over time. hoses are a common source of leaks. if you are seeing bubbles then there is air circulating through the system some where, its common to open it and see the water flow but bubbles indicate a leak. the only other thing i can think of is to check your freeze plugs, you might have one damaged just enough to cause a small leak.

Common sense with that

You have to replace the Radiator no other fix

The Plastic tanks expand from the coolant pressure
& heat & they do fail

They can be replaced but the difference in that & a new
factory radiator isn't worth it.

While you may get other opinons on other issues
I would never add any type sealer to any part or
system on any vehicle. Just diagnose & make the
correct repair solution.

it sounds like the coil in the dist. is bad and when you inspect it look and see if there is any white powdery stuff where the wires connect to it inside of dist. and also check to see if the wax on top of the coil is cracked or has any burn spots in it.the coil is a common problem on these cars with a lot of miles on them or age and also if you did not replace the rotor check for any cracks in it. the only other thing that i can think of is the efi temp sensor but i think it is going to be the coil. good luck and i hope this info will help you let me know............

It may be the radiator cap itself, but is most likely a crack that has formed around of near the radiator, causing steam to exit from this area. It seems like it is a small leak, otherwise the coolant loss would not be so gradual. Radiator replacement will most likely solve this problem after the radiator is inspected and a crack is found. I do not recommend the use of Stop leak to correct leaking radiators, in the long run, they do more harm than good.

When the water pump goes bad it has a valve that sprays coolent out of the bottom water pump so it may need replaced.

REPLACE IT ITS VERY COMMON JUST CHANGED MINE WAS LEAKING FROM SAME SPOT WHEN YOU PULL IT ULL SEE THE CRACK BETTER

water pump, thermostat, or worst case radiator.

the intake manifold gaskets on these are known to leak. the coolant leaks inside and runs into a cylinder and is burned up in the combustion process so you'd never see an external leak. i assume its a 3.1 or 3.4 v6 both have the same problem

The cylinder head is a crucial part of all combustion engines, and cylinder head cracking can result in catastrophic damage to the engine. In some cases, cylinder head cracking may result in such severe injury to the engine that it must be replaced. As a result, most motorists try to prevent cylinder head cracking, as an ounce of prevention in this case is worth many pounds of cure. The causes of cylinder head cracking are all relatively simple and easy to prevent, except in the case of mechanical parts failure through no fault of the operator. The cylinder head, used in combination with a head gasket, seals the cylinders of the car, along with other parts associated with them. The cylinder head is customized for the vehicle, and has very precisely milled surfaces to provide a smooth and flush fit with all connecting parts. In the case of a minor crack, the cylinders may lose compression and misfire. Major cracks can cause severe damage to the cylinders of the engine. For this reason, when replacing either the cylinder head or the head gasket, make sure that you are using the correct parts, including bolts, for the job. Even a brand new car can experience cylinder head cracking if parts have been installed incorrectly or if there are weaknesses in the metal. Especially in the case of a vehicle which is still under warranty, drivers should contest the cylinder head cracking with the dealer. Be certain to inspect any vehicle before you purchase to check for weak spots in the metal or incorrectly installed components. This includes the cylinder head gasket, because improper installation of this vital part can cause cylinder head cracking. Cylinder head cracking has become more common as car manufacturers use mixed metals in their engines. Many vehicles, for example, have a solid cast iron engine block but an aluminum cylinder head. These two metals expand at different rates, and this can lead to cylinder head cracking. The most common cause of cylinder head cracking is overheating. When a vehicle overheats, it puts stress on all of its metal components, including the cylinder head, which is often at the center of the heat. This can cause the head gasket to fail, which may lead to cylinder head cracking as the components warp and pressure begins to leak. All drivers should properly maintain their vehicles to prevent overheating. Many drivers mistakenly pour cool water into the radiator when their vehicles overheat, in an attempt to bring the temperature down. This is not a good idea, because the rapid temperature change will cause cylinder head cracking due to thermal stress. In a case where the cylinder head survives overheating, the driver may inadvertently destroy it by trying to do good. To prevent overheating, make sure that your radiator is filled and in good condition, with a tightly sealed cap. Check to be certain that your engine thermostat is in good working order, and accurately reflecting the temperature. Make sure that you have no leaky belts or stretched hoses, and that the fan is working effectively. If your car does overheat, stop, turn off the engine, and allow it to cool completely before adding water. Cylinder head cracking can also be caused by localized hot spots in the engine, which usually represent a failure in some portion of the cooling system. Always make sure that hot spots are addressed, particularly if your head gasket has failed and required replacement recently. Hot spots are often caused by uneven expansion of engine parts, leaky hoses, and pre-ignition in the cylinders of the engine. If your car has overheated, check the cylinder head and gasket for signs of cracking or warping. If the cylinder head has warped even slightly out a flush state, it will cause cylinder head cracking. In this case, the head gasket may need to be replaced and the cylinder head should be ground even again before it cracks. Thanks for using FiXya - a FiXya rating is appreciated!