Cars Specification

Draining the System
1. Park the vehicle and allow it to cool or wait long enough so that you can place your hand on the radiator for 10 seconds without discomfort. Remove the cap from the coolant overflow tank, then loosen the vent plug on the tank.
2. Unbolt the underbody paneling under the radiator to access the drain plug on the radiator and engine. Place a catch pan under the radiator, then turn the drain plug at the bottom of the radiator counterclockwise. Be ready for a rush of possibly warm fluid, and dont get any in your eyes. Wait for the coolant flow to stop, then pour the contents of the catch pan into a five-gallon bucket with a lid.
3. Repeat this procedure with the drain plug on the bottom of the coolant expansion tank; it should be readily visible and accessible from under the car. Finally, locate the coolant drain plug on the engine block. Youll find it just under the exhaust manifolds, near the center of the engine. Drain the coolant and dump it into the bucket. Reinstall all the drain plugs, and tighten each to 8 to 10 foot-pounds.
Refilling the System
4. Prepare a 50/50 mix of purified drinking water and BMW coolant Part No. 82 14 1 467 704, or just buy pre-mixed antifreeze approved for use in this application. Set the heater controls to maximum and set the heater fan to the lowest speed; this will engage the auxiliary heater pump, and flush the heater core of any remaining fluid.
5. Start the engine, and begin slowly adding water/coolant mixture to the coolant overflow tank. Make sure the vent valves remain open, or youll end up with air trapped in the system. Continue slowly filling the system with coolant until the coolant backs up into the overflow tank and stays at the "Cold Fill" line.
6. Close the coolant vent plugs, check for leaks and replace the cap on the overflow tank. Check the coolant level after driving about 50 miles; there may have been a bit of air trapped in the system, and it will gradually "burp" out as the system pressurizes. Add coolant as necessary to reach the "Cold Fill" line on the overflow tank.

1. Use a floor jack to lift the front of the BMW. Remove the splash guard under the engine. This is held on with screws and plastic plugs that are removed by hand. Turn on the ignition, set the heater to 91 degrees and set the fan to the low speed. This will get the coolant out of the heater core.
2. Locate the radiator fill cap in the engine bay and loosen the bleeder screw with a screwdriver. Make sure you let the car cool down enough if it has been driven recently.
3. Locate and remove the two blue radiator screws located directly beneath where the radiator fill cap is located. Place a container under the drain plugs and drain them one at a time. Reinstall the radiator drain screws. Remove the 13-millimeter engine block drain plug, located on the passenger’s side of the engine block near the front axle, and drain the coolant into the container. Place a new washer on the drain bolt and put it back in the block, tightening it to 18 ft/lbs with a torque wrench.
4. Remove the intake ducting by carefully prying up the three plastic rivets that hold it to the top of the radiator. Remove the neck of the air box by pressing the two vertical sides of the ducting together and pulling it off.
5. Remove the wires that go to the radiator fan and the T25 Torx screw that holds the fan on. Remove the plastic rivet on the driver’s side with a screwdriver. Remove the fan by pulling it straight up and out.
6. Remove the wire that goes to the thermostat. Use a 13-millimeter socket to remove the bolt on the upper right part of the thermostat. Use a 10-millimeter socket to remove the three bolts on the top and bottom of the thermostat.
7. Remove the upper and lower radiator hoses from the engine block. Remove the thermostat. Clean the surface where the thermostat gasket is installed so there is no gasket material remaining.
8. Install the new thermostat with the 13-millimeter bolt and the three 10-millimeter bolts. Use a new gasket when you reinstall the thermostat. Tighten the bolts to 7 lb/ft. Reinstall the radiator hoses. Reinstall the fan and the intake ducting. Top up the system with coolant.