I hardly ever comment on UA-cam videos, however I feel the need to thank you mate. All your videos are incredibly helpful. Particularly, for me, your cylinder head gasket change playlist!
Just completed my first coolant change on my E36 328i. Watched your video before I had even bought my coolant . I followed it precisely and it went like a dream. Very informative, straight to the point. Keep up the good work.
I replace my 98 e36 M3 cooling system last summer. Watched a bunch of videos on it. Yours have been one of the best on this (And other other topics). Keep it up. Maybe return of the Sunday drive series. At least once a month?
thanks for your help! the radiator blew on my Z3 (E36/7) and I had to do a full replacement. This was my first time doing a radiator or coolant change, and your video was very useful for getting everything bled and working correctly
Thanks for the helpful videos dude; it's nice to see someone cut straight into the work, rather than spending the first five minutes telling me about a great deal from Audible 😂
Thanks for the great video got into the bmws for the last two years I find them easy to work on just got to get patience do a few things like bleeding the cooling system just drove it to work without bleeding it right and needle got into the red so I am going to bleed it here at work but it is a 1997 318i that I am rebuilding and restoring sense the last owner let it sit in the Arizona sun and did not drive it for a few years it is pretty much a total rebuild .So thanks for the help
It seems that you were able to bled it well with just the heater fan on and then running the engine with the radiator cap off and bleeder screw open. Thus, it didn't need to be bled anymore after the drive. The front end being higher may have helped too. So the air bubbles have been bubbling before you can even see them.
Thanks for the video. Plan on doing a coolant bleed on my z3 M S52 tomorrow. Copying&pasting a comment from another e36 coolant bleeding video and it references what the BMW tech manual instructs to do, thoughts? "Chilton and BMW tech manuals indicate to fill the coolant system with the ignition in the ON position (electricity running only) with the heater on. Then actually START the engine after the level in the expansion tank no longer naturally drops. With the ENGINE now running, rev it with 3 short bursts of 4500-5000 rpms. This allows the water pumps rid the air of the system itself. After 30 seconds to avoid the engine from heating up and coolant expanding, tighten the bleeder screw and shut the engine OFF. Check the expansion tank coolant level and fill to the appropriate level, replacing the cap. Restart the car and allow to run to normal temperature. Turn it off, let it cool down and check the expansion tank level one last time."
Recently picked up a 96 328i and love it more than any of the American or European cars I have owned. Had no idea why it was overheating so I changed the thermostat, refilled the coolant level and still overheating. I know I'm not alone with how touchy the BMW is about how it needs to bleed, burp and topped off a few times. Your video saved me from going right back in and replacing the water pump. Just subscribed and will put in the time to learn watch and learn what my big baby likes and don't like. Thank you!
What I heard that helps is taking off the upper hose from the radiator and filling thru the hose first then reinstall and use the reservoir once the hose is backing up
Awesome video, I didn’t close my cap enough one day when I was checking my coolant before a drive, needless to say it was all over the engine bay after that drive. Topped it off after getting some coolant from BMW and noticed it kept going down. I thought I had a leak. Watched this and did the exact same steps. Seems to be okay now! When you come back to it hours later and if the coolant is lower then it was, do you just refill it to the “cold” point?
I rarely comment on UA-cam but this is such a helpful video, my tank didn't empty nearly as fast as yours did at the start before you sqeezed the hoses but I just did that and it was fine, thanks so much
Hi thanks a lot brother, you've been much help, so easy to bleed now, I've got a 320i m50, Won't it damage anything pouring water in if its hot still? Or can I pour water in if heat temp rises without damaging anything?
Yo my guy gg again on the video had a question tho lets say ur pockets are alil short what other radiator fluid do u thinks acceptable lol i might have used peak 50/50
Just subscribed! Thank you for the informative video! Question, I have a 98' M3 vert (looks like that is what you have). Mine is a "weekend" driver (about 1K miles a year...). Always garaged in SoCal. How often should I do a flush? Also, do you have any DIY's for top maintenance? Thank you!
Thanks bro I really appreciate this video, what can cause this air bubbles in the system? Leaks? I have a couple leaks on my Z3 and this happened to me yesterday.
Great video, you didn’t mention it needs to cool down after driving and refilling. So during this whole crazy process, after the test drive is it safe to just remove the reservoir cap? Thanks
Thanks for posting this. I just finished putting the 92 325is back together after replacing the head gasket. Not sure i bled the coolant system right the first time but followed this video and it should be right. Having a bit of an issue. After just a few minutes with the engine running, the temp gague was almost fully in the red. Even with the heater on full. I let it run a few minutes like that not knowing what to expect and hoping the thermostat would open. The upper hose was hot but the lower remained cold. I didn't want to take a chance, so i turned it off. Thermostat is new, water temp sensoris new. Any thoughts?
Hi there,this video regarding bleeding was very helpful.I have bmw f34 and had low coolant signal popping.I got it checked for any leaks ,didn’t find any leaks.got it pressure checked,still no leaks.I have tried bleeding it once.but didn’t get heater on with engine running and may be that’s why next day after a 30km drive,the coolant level dropped a bit.so should I top it more and let engine run with heater on for a while and keep filling coolant?
This video is legit. Keep in mind guys, sometimes you have to bleed it wayyyy more than you think. Took me 3 days of driving it around town, parking, cracking the bleeder screw, waiting for the expansion tank to cool, then topping off coolant. After about 10 cycles of that the bubbles finally stopped and finally coolant started passing through my heater core and giving me heat
Hi menace..nice video...I have question. During filling the coolant after the engine temp reaches normal temp (tstat open), do i have to rev a bit to clear out all the bubles ?
Hey! Quick question, I have a bmw z3 1997 1.9, M44b19 engine. I replaced the radiator earlier today and tried my best to bleed the system like you described. The heating system blows out warm air when I’m driving around but at idle it blows cold air! Any suggestions?
Hi is it the same method whether it's a manual or an automatic BMW? I have a 330ci manual. Also if someone put green coolant in when radiator was replaced and 200 miles later my water pump failed..... Could that be why? I think there might have been some green coolant left inside from that, and when I fixed the water pump I put blue coolant in. Is that okay to mix? The guy who replaced my water pump did not bleed the system as you are doing.
Hi If you replace with new all the cooling system components on E39 528i 1998 M52 engine and you don't see coolant mixing with the oil.... And you have rock solid hoses, what's would be your suspect for this. BMW dealer here in UK is telling me this is normal but they are exceptionally hard can't squeeze them? When I drive temperature is solid 94C but idling goes to 102 and looks coolant doesn't circulate proper thru the radiator to activate the viscous clutch /fan.
Bottom hose of reservoir tank pops off - is it caused by air bubbles? It was also really hard for it to tell if the hose is clamped on to the tank. Should I replace it? Also don’t think I bled it right.
When my e36 is off the coolant drops/drains from the kalt line to about the middle of the coolant sensor but when running it raises to the kalt line is this normal ?
Hey bud thanks for all your help! Have u ever heard of people using the 98 or so 518i thermostat housing on e36 since that housing has a bleeder screw? Just need to cut the upper hose a bit
thanks for doing this, you're becoming an authority on this bro. do you know why the lower radiator hose collapses when the engine is cold? mine keeps doing that and i've bled the system again and again.
@@M3NACE it uncollapses when i remove the radiator cap but i just bought the radiator cap like a few months ago, it's brand new. Im already on my second brand new radiator cap because i thought it was the cap initially as well. but as soon as the car heats up the hoses uncollapse, it did overheat on my in traffic randomly the other day but went away as soon as i pulled over and idled my car? i'm perplexed.
After around 16 videos about bleeding the system, I can say that this is the best one about it. I really clearly understood what I need to do to properly bleed the cooling system. Thanks man. One question. I want to completely clean the system before I insert new coolant and I dont want to open the draining plug on the engine block, simply because I`m not an expert and I dont wanna unscrew the wrong screw, so , I saw on the other video that they are doing it by draining only the radiator then they add distilled water only to push out the old coolant from the engine block, they heat up the engine, then drain the radiator, and they keep going like that until few flushes are done, just with distilled water. After the last flush when the clear water is coming out, that is where im confused. I drain the radiator , but i dont know how much distilled water only is still inside the engine block. I cant drain the block so i dont know how much antifreeze I need to add. I dont wanna premix antifreeze and water , because there is also water still inside the block, and it will ummmm make the antifreeze less resistable (If you know what I mean, i cant find the English word).... What do you think, how much water can engine block still have inside after i drain only radiator? How much coolant do i need to add to be 50/50? Is that method any good? Or should I use your method? Did you drain the engine block as well, or just the radiator? Thanks
drain the radiator and the engine block. there is only 1 bolt on the side of the block, and it's the drain bolt. you will not get confused, i promise. way more simple than drain/flushing. if your concerned about coolant/water balance, buy pre-mixed BMW coolant and run only that.
Just keep bleeding, if the heater works it will bleed. Ive had them take up to half an hour after getting to temp before it gets hot. If it doesnt, you could start diaging the heaver valves and associated components
Isn’t distilled water frowned on? I thought it was suppose to be soft water? Thanks .. I was checking in if you were going to use a vacuum bleed . But good instructions about burping it out .!
ive heard it both ways, but drinking water is frownd upon because it contains minerals that will accelerate pitting and cavitation, distilled water does not so it is fine to use, although some people dont think so and think it's worse for some reason. ive never had a problem with it, and in fact most racetracks want the cars that run for drift events and track days and stuff want you to run strictly distilled water with water wetter in case of a crash, it wont leave chemicals all over the track, and will evaporate with no mess. if its a rule of thumb in the racing world i cant imagine it would be bad, ya know?
I just got my first bmw it’s an e36 323i. I was out driving it hard and it overheated and shot an radiator hose of and some coolant ofc, and now it won’t drop in temperature. And I’m thinking either my thermostat is broken or I might have a lot of air in the system. Now I don’t get any heat inside the car anymore so. I’m asking you if you have any idea what can be the problem
have you tried bleeding it like I do in this video? it's possible the thermostat might be stuck. If I were you I would rebuild the cooling system fully, new water pump, thermostat / housing, radiator and hoses.
Hey man, I just threw in a Mishimoto into my e36 and have been bleeding it since then. It’s been good, hasn’t overheated, no leaks from any radiator connections that I can see, and the air blows hot in the car really quickly. However, it has been drinking a lot of coolant... when should I start being concerned? The intervals in which it needs more has become greater in time which is good, but I’m unsure when to start worrying if I have a coolant issue elsewhere besides the radiator.
@@thetuckerstclair9314 well I would check to see if there are any external leaks to begin with, pressure testing the cooling system would probably be a good idea to start. car didnt consume coolant prior to replacement im guessing?
@@M3NACE When I very first bought the car I had to fill it up with coolant a little bit after a road trip, but no not really consuming anything. I'll set something underneath the car to see if it's leaking anything and look into pressure testing it, thank you!
I did a cooling system rebuild about 6 months ago and used your video, so thank you! Unfortunately, I was sent a faulty expansion tank with a slow leak and had to put the old one back on. I just got around to putting a new one on. But now I have air in the system I can't get out. I park on my inclined driveway, take the bleeder screw off and hold the engine around 3k RPMs with the t-stat open and heater on until coolant is spilling out of the bleeder screw with no air bubbles. I tighten everything up and then let it cool down all the way before topping the coolant back up the cold line. When I'm moving and the radiator is getting airflow it's perfectly fine, but when I idle for more than about 5 minutes the temp gauge creeps passed the middle and keeps climbing up. I can't seem to figure out anything different that I would be doing from your video. Any ideas?
This video's been up a while but if you see this, please answer. I heard that one shouldn't open the reservoir cap after running the engine and it's still hot. They say the cooling system will suck in air if you do that and will cause the engine to overheat. How true is that?
not true at all. you shouldnt open the cap when its hot because there will be high pressure. however, if you are bleeding it from cold you dont have to worry about that because the radiator cap needs to be on for the system to build pressure.
Great video!. Please help me with the following. I have changed my radiator for a new Nissens on my 2000 323ti (M52B25). There are no leaks under the car and I do not have the idea that there is a leak. But I have driven the car since the bleed 5-10 times for 30 minutes and I still have the idea that after sitting for a day the expansion tank coolant level is a bit lower every time. But when the car is cold and I open the radiator cap and the bleed screw the level comes up quite a bit. Is this nornal and how can I be sure that all the air is out of the system?
@@M3NACE thx. When can I expect the coolant level to stop being lower than the day before when the engine is cold. Can that mean that there is still air in the system?
You said when coolant consistently pours out of the bleed screw is when the system is properly bled and car is at temp. But the the first time I started my car (once the system had taken as much as it could) coolant consistently came out of bleed screw.
@@hamzashafique5333 well it might be pouring out due the the thermostat not fully opening yet, id close the cap and let it get up to temp. if you crack the bleed screw and coolant still comes out, top it off and take it for a drive, but watch the temp gauge religously. if it starts to clomb at all, pull over, crack the bleed screw, let it air out, then pop the cap off and fill. rinse and repeat until its holding temp well.
it should build pressure and get hot, we want to make sure it is working properly and stays up to temp. if you need to open it, go slow and vent the pressure, and you might need to let it cool down a bit before you crack it open.
Awesome video man, but i have a problem with my e36 320i and maybe you can help me. It's an m50 s2 and i thought i had a leak which made me change the radiator and the hoses,bled it a couple of time, but now it seems my engine is running a little bit too hot altough my gauge is dead center.. It's like something is making way too much pressure in my whole circuit which releases when i shut the engine off and looks like a leak ( radiator cap maybe?) Or my thermostat is stuck on closed?
@@M3NACE well I'm worried not break my head gasket if I dont solve that leak, which points me to the rad cap because everything else is new.. guess I'll double check the thermostat but it's weird it's not climbing to the red zone when the engine obviously seems overheated
I've been having some trouble bleeding my system, I hear air bubbles in the dash board and sometimes my coolant sensor will go off, but when i remove the radiator cap and then loosen the screw the coolant level rises to the kalt line again. Any ideas?
The level raise is from the coolant cap holding vacuum, you can try replacing it if you are that worried about it but I wouldnt worry. Aside from that, have you raised the front right corner of the car up and tried bleeding it that way? Also, does your A/C work?
@@M3NACE Coolant cap is brand new, i have been bleeding it with the front on jackstands but not higher on the right side, and no my a/c unfortunately doesnt work.
Just re did my water pump , thermostat and thermostat housing and still over heat at idle. Is this possibly air in the system? Or most likely clutch fan?
When you pull over on your test drive, after opening the bleeder valve, do you need to worry about the radiator cap exploding off when you try to open it?
as long as there is no pressure built up it wont overflow, you can squeeze the upper hose to check. if its soft like then it's cold, your fine, if it's rock solid I wouldnt open it.
I have an S52 engine too. My problem is when the car cools down, the coolant level drops. By opening the cap, the reservoir depressurizes and coolant level goes back to max level. Looks like there is still a pesky bubble somewhere. Any pro tip to bleed the final bubbles?
does it overheat? i would leave it and drive it for a few days, the bubble will work itself out. just check the level every day and watch the temp gauge.
Do you know something about it, what type of coolant should be used according to the climate of a country or region? I understand that the blue coolant that everyone recommends, the one you used in this video, is very good for cold climates, but in my case, I live in a hot country, and in my city there are never climates below 20 degrees Celsius. I appreciate any help, I do not find official information about it
G-48 coolant thats what BMW and several European carmakers use. I used Zerex G-48 coolant in a BMW and no problems. Factory approved too. Preferrably 50/50 coolant and distilled water. You don't have to use original BMW coolant,but you do need to use a coolant that is suitable for BMW. Which is a G-48 type HOAT coolant.
When I try to bleed the system coolant gets pushed out of the expansion tank cap and makes a mess. How could coolant be pushed backwards and out the expansion tank? My obd2 scanner shows temps getting all the way to 217 before I shut off the car, how do I get it to properly bleed? Thanks it’s extremely frustrating
Is it possible that the check coolant light appears if the coolant levels are too high? My coolant level is near the top of the expansion tank when cold and I’m still getting a check coolant light when I turn off the car
shine the light INSIDE of the reservoir to see the coolant level accurately and easily. instead of shining it on the outside.
Intro blew my ears out lol
Yeah ive since stopped using it for that reason lmao
Its bad ass right 😆
Gets me every time I watch his videos😂😂love it though
SOOOO THIS IS WHERE QUINN STARTED NICE
I hardly ever comment on UA-cam videos, however I feel the need to thank you mate. All your videos are incredibly helpful. Particularly, for me, your cylinder head gasket change playlist!
thank you man! it's good to hear.
Just completed my first coolant change on my E36 328i. Watched your video before I had even bought my coolant . I followed it precisely and it went like a dream. Very informative, straight to the point. Keep up the good work.
I replace my 98 e36 M3 cooling system last summer. Watched a bunch of videos on it. Yours have been one of the best on this (And other other topics). Keep it up. Maybe return of the Sunday drive series. At least once a month?
I would be up for a once a month Sunday drive, have any suggestions for topic's?
Thank you, very thorough and informative, will do mine this weekend.
thanks for your help! the radiator blew on my Z3 (E36/7) and I had to do a full replacement. This was my first time doing a radiator or coolant change, and your video was very useful for getting everything bled and working correctly
BEST overview on exactly how to handle this. Thank you so much!
Thanks for the helpful videos dude; it's nice to see someone cut straight into the work, rather than spending the first five minutes telling me about a great deal from Audible 😂
lmao +1 thank you dude, im to niche to have sponsored content lol
Thanks for the great video got into the bmws for the last two years I find them easy to work on just got to get patience do a few things like bleeding the cooling system just drove it to work without bleeding it right and needle got into the red so I am going to bleed it here at work but it is a 1997 318i that I am rebuilding and restoring sense the last owner let it sit in the Arizona sun and did not drive it for a few years it is pretty much a total rebuild .So thanks for the help
So many of your videos have helped me on my e30 318i rebuild. Thank you! Keep it up from SFV So Cal.
awesome man! glad they are helping lol
Excellent advice, just what I was looking for, thanks.
It seems that you were able to bled it well with just the heater fan on and then running the engine with the radiator cap off and bleeder screw open. Thus, it didn't need to be bled anymore after the drive.
The front end being higher may have helped too. So the air bubbles have been bubbling before you can even see them.
Very informative and helpful! Your videos are one of the reasons I bought an E36!
awesome! im glad you took on the challenge lol
Thanks man!
Absolutely the best video on E36 cooling system bleed process
thanks gary!
Thank you for everything..you made it simpler. .again ty!!
Great vid and good information. Thank you.
THANKS BROOO!!!🙏🏼
Great video thanks for your help
Very thorough! Thanks very much!
Thanks for the video. Plan on doing a coolant bleed on my z3 M S52 tomorrow.
Copying&pasting a comment from another e36 coolant bleeding video and it references what the BMW tech manual instructs to do, thoughts?
"Chilton and BMW tech manuals indicate to fill the coolant system with the ignition in the ON position (electricity running only) with the heater on.
Then actually START the engine after the level in the expansion tank no longer naturally drops. With the ENGINE now running, rev it with 3 short bursts of 4500-5000 rpms. This allows the water pumps rid the air of the system itself.
After 30 seconds to avoid the engine from heating up and coolant expanding, tighten the bleeder screw and shut the engine OFF.
Check the expansion tank coolant level and fill to the appropriate level, replacing the cap.
Restart the car and allow to run to normal temperature. Turn it off, let it cool down and check the expansion tank level one last time."
Thank you so much for the video, it helped me a lot
Best bleed video yet
Good video. You can monitor engine temperature via hidden BC menu....function 7, clear digital reading so you can observe temperature rising.
Recently picked up a 96 328i and love it more than any of the American or European cars I have owned. Had no idea why it was overheating so I changed the thermostat, refilled the coolant level and still overheating. I know I'm not alone with how touchy the BMW is about how it needs to bleed, burp and topped off a few times. Your video saved me from going right back in and replacing the water pump. Just subscribed and will put in the time to learn watch and learn what my big baby likes and don't like. Thank you!
of course man! these cars are addicting, i will be keeping one indefinitely. feel free to ask any questions that come up!
Dude you rock!
What I heard that helps is taking off the upper hose from the radiator and filling thru the hose first then reinstall and use the reservoir once the hose is backing up
Awesome video, I didn’t close my cap enough one day when I was checking my coolant before a drive, needless to say it was all over the engine bay after that drive. Topped it off after getting some coolant from BMW and noticed it kept going down. I thought I had a leak. Watched this and did the exact same steps. Seems to be okay now! When you come back to it hours later and if the coolant is lower then it was, do you just refill it to the “cold” point?
Thank you 🙏 great video great advice 👍🍀🍀🍀
Saw a few of his videos... very personable... great communication.... I love my e36 & this ia a resource..!!!
thank you!
I rarely comment on UA-cam but this is such a helpful video, my tank didn't empty nearly as fast as yours did at the start before you sqeezed the hoses but I just did that and it was fine, thanks so much
Of course!
Hi thanks a lot brother, you've been much help, so easy to bleed now, I've got a 320i m50,
Won't it damage anything pouring water in if its hot still? Or can I pour water in if heat temp rises without damaging anything?
Yo my guy gg again on the video had a question tho lets say ur pockets are alil short what other radiator fluid do u thinks acceptable lol i might have used peak 50/50
Just subscribed! Thank you for the informative video! Question, I have a 98' M3 vert (looks like that is what you have). Mine is a "weekend" driver (about 1K miles a year...). Always garaged in SoCal. How often should I do a flush? Also, do you have any DIY's for top maintenance? Thank you!
Thanks bro I really appreciate this video, what can cause this air bubbles in the system? Leaks? I have a couple leaks on my Z3 and this happened to me yesterday.
Great video, you didn’t mention it needs to cool down after driving and refilling. So during this whole crazy process, after the test drive is it safe to just remove the reservoir cap? Thanks
Thank you
Nice job 👍🏻
Greetings from Berlin, Germany 👍🏻
Thanks for posting this.
I just finished putting the 92 325is back together after replacing the head gasket.
Not sure i bled the coolant system right the first time but followed this video and it should be right.
Having a bit of an issue.
After just a few minutes with the engine running, the temp gague was almost fully in the red. Even with the heater on full. I let it run a few minutes like that not knowing what to expect and hoping the thermostat would open.
The upper hose was hot but the lower remained cold.
I didn't want to take a chance, so i turned it off.
Thermostat is new, water temp sensoris new.
Any thoughts?
Wasnt sure why my e36 was overheating outta no where. Looked up this video. and what do you know? SHIT WORKED LMAO! thank you! 🙏🏼
Hi there,this video regarding bleeding was very helpful.I have bmw f34 and had low coolant signal popping.I got it checked for any leaks ,didn’t find any leaks.got it pressure checked,still no leaks.I have tried bleeding it once.but didn’t get heater on with engine running and may be that’s why next day after a 30km drive,the coolant level dropped a bit.so should I top it more and let engine run with heater on for a while and keep filling coolant?
Good video man!
This video is legit. Keep in mind guys, sometimes you have to bleed it wayyyy more than you think. Took me 3 days of driving it around town, parking, cracking the bleeder screw, waiting for the expansion tank to cool, then topping off coolant. After about 10 cycles of that the bubbles finally stopped and finally coolant started passing through my heater core and giving me heat
Thanks for this was really stressing out like I have to buy the water pump thermostat and fan clutch
Hi menace..nice video...I have question. During filling the coolant after the engine temp reaches normal temp (tstat open), do i have to rev a bit to clear out all the bubles ?
Hey what if I did a heater core by pass how would I bleed the cooling system?
Hey! Quick question, I have a bmw z3 1997 1.9, M44b19 engine. I replaced the radiator earlier today and tried my best to bleed the system like you described. The heating system blows out warm air when I’m driving around but at idle it blows cold air! Any suggestions?
Hi is it the same method whether it's a manual or an automatic BMW?
I have a 330ci manual.
Also if someone put green coolant in when radiator was replaced and 200 miles later my water pump failed..... Could that be why?
I think there might have been some green coolant left inside from that, and when I fixed the water pump I put blue coolant in. Is that okay to mix?
The guy who replaced my water pump did not bleed the system as you are doing.
Damn you helped out so much man. I was super worried about my baby. My 1999 e36 took about 2 and a half gallons
Aye man, it takes as much as it takes. As long as there is no leaks or vapor/raw coolant out of the exhaust then you are fine.
Hi
If you replace with new all the cooling system components on E39 528i 1998 M52 engine and you don't see coolant mixing with the oil....
And you have rock solid hoses, what's would be your suspect for this.
BMW dealer here in UK is telling me this is normal but they are exceptionally hard can't squeeze them?
When I drive temperature is solid 94C but idling goes to 102 and looks coolant doesn't circulate proper thru the radiator to activate the viscous clutch /fan.
Thanks!
Yooo thank you!!
Bottom hose of reservoir tank pops off - is it caused by air bubbles? It was also really hard for it to tell if the hose is clamped on to the tank. Should I replace it? Also don’t think I bled it right.
So close to 5k brother 🤙
Were almost there man! Lmao
When my e36 is off the coolant drops/drains from the kalt line to about the middle of the coolant sensor but when running it raises to the kalt line is this normal ?
Whether the bmw radiator cap can discharge over vapor pressure...?
you say to top it off while on the test drive, but you're not supposed to open the cap with the engine hot?
Is the bmw blue prediluted or do i have to add water myself
it's the same way to bleed the BMW 318ti M44.?
Is it safe to open radiator too after test drive like you said? I didn’t hear any safety advice this video.
Hey bud thanks for all your help! Have u ever heard of people using the 98 or so 518i thermostat housing on e36 since that housing has a bleeder screw? Just need to cut the upper hose a bit
X2
thanks for doing this, you're becoming an authority on this bro.
do you know why the lower radiator hose collapses when the engine is cold? mine keeps doing that and i've bled the system again and again.
Colapses like under vacuum almost? Does it uncollapse when you remove the radiator cap? Its possible the cap might be bad.
@@M3NACE it uncollapses when i remove the radiator cap but i just bought the radiator cap like a few months ago, it's brand new. Im already on my second brand new radiator cap because i thought it was the cap initially as well.
but as soon as the car heats up the hoses uncollapse, it did overheat on my in traffic randomly the other day but went away as soon as i pulled over and idled my car? i'm perplexed.
@@notme5834 have you tried replacing the hose? Maybe it was manufactured improperly or it is defective.
@@M3NACE could be, the hose is actually less than a year old too. my brand new stock (from the dealer) expansion tank cracked in about a year too. lol
After around 16 videos about bleeding the system, I can say that this is the best one about it. I really clearly understood what I need to do to properly bleed the cooling system. Thanks man. One question. I want to completely clean the system before I insert new coolant and I dont want to open the draining plug on the engine block, simply because I`m not an expert and I dont wanna unscrew the wrong screw, so , I saw on the other video that they are doing it by draining only the radiator then they add distilled water only to push out the old coolant from the engine block, they heat up the engine, then drain the radiator, and they keep going like that until few flushes are done, just with distilled water. After the last flush when the clear water is coming out, that is where im confused. I drain the radiator , but i dont know how much distilled water only is still inside the engine block. I cant drain the block so i dont know how much antifreeze I need to add. I dont wanna premix antifreeze and water , because there is also water still inside the block, and it will ummmm make the antifreeze less resistable (If you know what I mean, i cant find the English word).... What do you think, how much water can engine block still have inside after i drain only radiator? How much coolant do i need to add to be 50/50? Is that method any good? Or should I use your method? Did you drain the engine block as well, or just the radiator? Thanks
drain the radiator and the engine block. there is only 1 bolt on the side of the block, and it's the drain bolt. you will not get confused, i promise. way more simple than drain/flushing. if your concerned about coolant/water balance, buy pre-mixed BMW coolant and run only that.
@@M3NACE ok man, thanks for the encouragement. I will try to locate it and do it your way
what is bleeding steps with hvac system remove ?
I don’t think my heater even really works to be honest, is it necessary to throw the heater on when bleeding the system??
Such an awesome video, but i have a doubt, what if i turn the heat on in my car and never gets hot?
Just keep bleeding, if the heater works it will bleed. Ive had them take up to half an hour after getting to temp before it gets hot. If it doesnt, you could start diaging the heaver valves and associated components
What if I have no air bubbles but just steam?
Isn’t distilled water frowned on? I thought it was suppose to be soft water? Thanks .. I was checking in if you were going to use a vacuum bleed . But good instructions about burping it out .!
ive heard it both ways, but drinking water is frownd upon because it contains minerals that will accelerate pitting and cavitation, distilled water does not so it is fine to use, although some people dont think so and think it's worse for some reason. ive never had a problem with it, and in fact most racetracks want the cars that run for drift events and track days and stuff want you to run strictly distilled water with water wetter in case of a crash, it wont leave chemicals all over the track, and will evaporate with no mess. if its a rule of thumb in the racing world i cant imagine it would be bad, ya know?
And does it make a difference using that bmw coolant vs a universal autozone special?
Yes bmw should only run bmw coolant
My 318 ti is now bleeding?
I just got my first bmw it’s an e36 323i. I was out driving it hard and it overheated and shot an radiator hose of and some coolant ofc, and now it won’t drop in temperature. And I’m thinking either my thermostat is broken or I might have a lot of air in the system. Now I don’t get any heat inside the car anymore so. I’m asking you if you have any idea what can be the problem
have you tried bleeding it like I do in this video? it's possible the thermostat might be stuck. If I were you I would rebuild the cooling system fully, new water pump, thermostat / housing, radiator and hoses.
Thanks man probably just saved my car
Hey man, I just threw in a Mishimoto into my e36 and have been bleeding it since then. It’s been good, hasn’t overheated, no leaks from any radiator connections that I can see, and the air blows hot in the car really quickly. However, it has been drinking a lot of coolant... when should I start being concerned? The intervals in which it needs more has become greater in time which is good, but I’m unsure when to start worrying if I have a coolant issue elsewhere besides the radiator.
did the swap Thursday, and today is Wednesday. drank about a gallon and a half or so of antifreeze/distilled
@@thetuckerstclair9314 well I would check to see if there are any external leaks to begin with, pressure testing the cooling system would probably be a good idea to start. car didnt consume coolant prior to replacement im guessing?
@@M3NACE When I very first bought the car I had to fill it up with coolant a little bit after a road trip, but no not really consuming anything. I'll set something underneath the car to see if it's leaking anything and look into pressure testing it, thank you!
I did a cooling system rebuild about 6 months ago and used your video, so thank you! Unfortunately, I was sent a faulty expansion tank with a slow leak and had to put the old one back on. I just got around to putting a new one on.
But now I have air in the system I can't get out. I park on my inclined driveway, take the bleeder screw off and hold the engine around 3k RPMs with the t-stat open and heater on until coolant is spilling out of the bleeder screw with no air bubbles. I tighten everything up and then let it cool down all the way before topping the coolant back up the cold line.
When I'm moving and the radiator is getting airflow it's perfectly fine, but when I idle for more than about 5 minutes the temp gauge creeps passed the middle and keeps climbing up.
I can't seem to figure out anything different that I would be doing from your video. Any ideas?
Did you replace the radiator when you rebuilt the system?
@@M3NACE That was the only thing I didn't replace. It doesn't leak at all.
There were no issues before I replaced the expansion tank the other day
For anyone that reads this and has the same issue, it was because my aux fan wasn't working
This video's been up a while but if you see this, please answer.
I heard that one shouldn't open the reservoir cap after running the engine and it's still hot. They say the cooling system will suck in air if you do that and will cause the engine to overheat. How true is that?
not true at all. you shouldnt open the cap when its hot because there will be high pressure. however, if you are bleeding it from cold you dont have to worry about that because the radiator cap needs to be on for the system to build pressure.
@@M3NACE thanks for the reply.
Great video!. Please help me with the following. I have changed my radiator for a new Nissens on my 2000 323ti (M52B25). There are no leaks under the car and I do not have the idea that there is a leak. But I have driven the car since the bleed 5-10 times for 30 minutes and I still have the idea that after sitting for a day the expansion tank coolant level is a bit lower every time. But when the car is cold and I open the radiator cap and the bleed screw the level comes up quite a bit. Is this nornal and how can I be sure that all the air is out of the system?
Normal, the cooling system is under vacuum when cold and sealed. I wouldn’t worry about it.
@@M3NACE thx. When can I expect the coolant level to stop being lower than the day before when the engine is cold. Can that mean that there is still air in the system?
What’s your address I’m mailing you a funnel
This is how you know he’s a serious pro, he doesn’t even need it
You said when coolant consistently pours out of the bleed screw is when the system is properly bled and car is at temp. But the the first time I started my car (once the system had taken as much as it could) coolant consistently came out of bleed screw.
did you replace the radiator or drain the radiator fully?
M3NACE just replaced the radiator
@@hamzashafique5333 how much coolant have you put in already?
1 gallon bmw blue and about 1.5 gallons distilled water
@@hamzashafique5333 well it might be pouring out due the the thermostat not fully opening yet, id close the cap and let it get up to temp. if you crack the bleed screw and coolant still comes out, top it off and take it for a drive, but watch the temp gauge religously. if it starts to clomb at all, pull over, crack the bleed screw, let it air out, then pop the cap off and fill. rinse and repeat until its holding temp well.
So when on the test drive, how come the reservoir doesn't become too hot to open? Will it stay a safe temperate throughout? Great video tho!
it should build pressure and get hot, we want to make sure it is working properly and stays up to temp. if you need to open it, go slow and vent the pressure, and you might need to let it cool down a bit before you crack it open.
bro was your cooling system fully empty when you start filling it with blue water ?
yes, radiator was replaced and engine block was fully drained.
Awesome video man, but i have a problem with my e36 320i and maybe you can help me. It's an m50 s2 and i thought i had a leak which made me change the radiator and the hoses,bled it a couple of time, but now it seems my engine is running a little bit too hot altough my gauge is dead center.. It's like something is making way too much pressure in my whole circuit which releases when i shut the engine off and looks like a leak ( radiator cap maybe?) Or my thermostat is stuck on closed?
Possible the rad cap, if you let it run will the temp keep climbing into the red?
@@M3NACE nope, that's what makes no sense to me, it gets to normal temperature and stays there, but something doesnt seem ok
@@pilu3w4s63 why do you think so?
@@M3NACE well I'm worried not break my head gasket if I dont solve that leak, which points me to the rad cap because everything else is new.. guess I'll double check the thermostat but it's weird it's not climbing to the red zone when the engine obviously seems overheated
How do I tell if the cooling system is circulating properly? I installed a new water pump and removed the thermostat.
Well i mean if its not overheating thats probably a good sign lol
U deleted your thermostat ? Lol
I've been having some trouble bleeding my system, I hear air bubbles in the dash board and sometimes my coolant sensor will go off, but when i remove the radiator cap and then loosen the screw the coolant level rises to the kalt line again. Any ideas?
The level raise is from the coolant cap holding vacuum, you can try replacing it if you are that worried about it but I wouldnt worry. Aside from that, have you raised the front right corner of the car up and tried bleeding it that way? Also, does your A/C work?
@@M3NACE Coolant cap is brand new, i have been bleeding it with the front on jackstands but not higher on the right side, and no my a/c unfortunately doesnt work.
Hi, what color engine coolant do I need for a 318i 1994. Thank you!
OEM BMW blue
Just re did my water pump , thermostat and thermostat housing and still over heat at idle. Is this possibly air in the system? Or most likely clutch fan?
clogged radiator or there's air in the system
When you pull over on your test drive, after opening the bleeder valve, do you need to worry about the radiator cap exploding off when you try to open it?
Crack bleeder screw first and you should be fine, car shouldnt be too hot
as long as there is no pressure built up it wont overflow, you can squeeze the upper hose to check. if its soft like then it's cold, your fine, if it's rock solid I wouldnt open it.
I have an S52 engine too. My problem is when the car cools down, the coolant level drops. By opening the cap, the reservoir depressurizes and coolant level goes back to max level. Looks like there is still a pesky bubble somewhere. Any pro tip to bleed the final bubbles?
does it overheat? i would leave it and drive it for a few days, the bubble will work itself out. just check the level every day and watch the temp gauge.
M3NACE thanks. No overheat. Temperature stays at the middle at all times. I’ll keep driving and checking the level. Thanks again!
Mine is having this problem. Did you get it fixed ?
bro i dont have the bleed screw because my coolant expansion reservoir is mishimoto, do i just skip that step?
Pretty much yeah, you can leave the dipstick loose it will kind of do the same thing
My heater fan is dead, can I still do it if I just turn the heat up? My cooling system is so moody, trying to get him happy.
Yeah, as long as the heater block valve is open it should bleed.
@@M3NACE Sweet, next issue, my lower hose doesnt get hot? Radiator issue?
Do you know something about it, what type of coolant should be used according to the climate of a country or region? I understand that the blue coolant that everyone recommends, the one you used in this video, is very good for cold climates, but in my case, I live in a hot country, and in my city there are never climates below 20 degrees Celsius. I appreciate any help, I do not find official information about it
I live in San Deigo, which is technically desert climate and regulary see 100 to 105+ F in the summers, and BMW blue works fine.
G-48 coolant thats what BMW and several European carmakers use. I used Zerex G-48 coolant in a BMW and no problems. Factory approved too. Preferrably 50/50 coolant and distilled water. You don't have to use original BMW coolant,but you do need to use a coolant that is suitable for BMW. Which is a G-48 type HOAT coolant.
Where did you get your O-rings for the expansion tank cap
??? They come with the cap? Does yours not have any?
I have a 1997 328i M3 runs great I’m thinking of selling it. (Sedan)
Hey bro do you think Zerex g48 coolant is good enough? I have a 323i e36 I think it’s a 1998 or 1999
sure, it will work, i just prefer BMW blue.
When I try to bleed the system coolant gets pushed out of the expansion tank cap and makes a mess. How could coolant be pushed backwards and out the expansion tank? My obd2 scanner shows temps getting all the way to 217 before I shut off the car, how do I get it to properly bleed? Thanks it’s extremely frustrating
is the coolant getting pushed out when the car is hot or when the car is cold?
Is it possible that the check coolant light appears if the coolant levels are too high? My coolant level is near the top of the expansion tank when cold and I’m still getting a check coolant light when I turn off the car
No, it's more than likely either the level sensor has failed or the connector is on improperly/ not on all the way
How much coolant do you recommend I get in total? is 4 gallons good?
Usually takes just over 2 gallons, maybe 3
did you completely empty it before hand?
yes. this was after a full cooling system rebuild
Can this be the cause for overheating problems in an e36?
Yes
What if when i turn the car on the thermostat doesnt open up, and the system doesnt blow hot air?
keep bleeding