Buying Correct Coolant for E36 |
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electrofelix
Advanced Newbie Joined: 15-November-2007 Location: Galway Status: Offline Points: 32 |
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Posted: 12-February-2008 at 23:39 |
I've read a number of places recommending that you buy the BMW engine coolant since its designed to prevent corrosion specifically on BMW engines. I've looked around and I haven't come across any coolant that says it's for BMW's. So is there a particular OEM brand that is used for BMW's? Is there a standard that once the coolant means, it will be suitable? Or is this something that I need to go buy from the dealers? Located in the West of Ireland, so not too many motor shops around :(. |
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Sporty1
Really Senior Member II Joined: 18-October-2006 Location: Hertfordshire, United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2297 |
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I always use OE stuff from the dealer, costs about £7 for 1.5 litres IIRC. I've never used it before due to carriage costs but C3 sell some Febi stuff as an alternative..... C3 should also be able to help with your belt, or just go to the dealer. |
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Pete330
Really Senior Member II Joined: 26-November-2003 Location: Aberdeen Status: Offline Points: 8969 |
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I only use OE stuff also
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E36 318is coupe, E36 323i coupe, E30 316 saloon, E30 318 saloon, E46 330ci Sport Conv E92 325d M Sport(3.0),With Loads of gadgets Current: 116i Sport F20 |
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electrofelix
Advanced Newbie Joined: 15-November-2007 Location: Galway Status: Offline Points: 32 |
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Well I did finally spot some coolant that was marked as passing the standard for BMW's today when I was out doing some last minute valentine's shopping (for a card and teddy, not coolant :) ). It also listed various other standards that it met, one of them being and SAE standard, but I forget the exact lettering/numbers. But I'll try the dealer first and see what they say here. Would be nice if there was just a standard listed that I could look for, similar to the way oils are done. |
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bmwcare
Really Senior Member I Joined: 02-June-2006 Location: Galway Status: Offline Points: 321 |
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Even the oils are not standard anymore I'm afraid...
However, any LongLife coolant is fine (pink stuff - renew every 4-6 years) or the ordinary stuff (blue stuff - renew every 12 months) provided that you change the lot... LongLife is standard but BMW still say to change every 24mths. (Don't go for the "fancy" organic stuff - can cause more problems than it's worth) Kind Regards, Eddie. |
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BMW & Mercedes Specialist.
Galway & Surrounding Areas. www.bmwcare.com www.mercedescare.com All BMW models covered including E60/E90/F01/F10 with flash programming/CIP/coding as required |
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stephen520i
Really Senior Member I Joined: 13-April-2004 Location: Co.Cork Status: Offline Points: 342 |
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I've always replaced my coolant with Comma Green coolant, about 30% mix with distilled water. The guy in the car shop laughed at me for using distiller water, saying everyone uses regular tap water.
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E34 520i auto leather
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electrofelix
Advanced Newbie Joined: 15-November-2007 Location: Galway Status: Offline Points: 32 |
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I've heard that you shouldn't use distilled water, but just well filtered water instead. Personally I would have thought that its just that distilled water would be relatively expensive, but I don't see it as being a no-no. Anyone actually heard a proper argument? I've heard ones such as distilled water becomes more conductive, which sounds like a load of BS to me. Ordinary tap water would contain minerals which AFAIK would make it much more conductive than distilled water. |
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Sporty1
Really Senior Member II Joined: 18-October-2006 Location: Hertfordshire, United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2297 |
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Distilled water is 'pure' water, as when water is distilled it leaves all impurities and hardness behind. Think back to your Chemistry lessons.
Edited by Sporty1 |
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r2chy
Newbie Joined: 13-April-2009 Location: Southampton Status: Offline Points: 1 |
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Although BMW do not mention using Distilled water on your car not using it is madness. It costs a few quid and prevents mineral build up, fluoride, chloride and who knows what else in your cooling system. Also look inside your kettle that’s tap water, if you care about your car and want to prolong its life ALLWAYS use distilled water. Conductivity has nothing to do with what happens in your coolant system, that’s for when its used to top up your car battery. Also if possible use proper BMW coolant fluid it is nitrate and phosphate free and probably better quality. Use a 50/50 mix and check the level regular carry some ready mixed in the boot to top up as necessary. When flushing the cooling system to refill with all heating on run the car for 20-30 seconds. You don’t want the coolant to get hot but just to get the aux water pump working and the system fully open and circulating. Rev the engine a couple of times and then shut down, drain coolant using drain screw on bottom of radiator and engine block. Re-tighten all screws and re-fill system capacities in owners manual or Haynes, leave the radiator cap off and start the engine then squeeze the large radiator pipes to remove and air locks you may see the level drop. Just top up, tighten the radiator cap don’t get coolant on your skin or paintwork and off you go. Estimated time 20-30Mins Edited by r2chy |
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thepits
Moderator Group Joined: 09-July-2003 Location: far far away Status: Offline Points: 10000473 |
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The amount of limescale that builds up in your kettle depends on the hardness of the water, so if you live in a soft-water area you will get less - or even none. Also surely if you just boil up some normal tap water that will get rid of the impurities and leave you with (almost) distilled water. Edited by thepits |
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fozzymandeus
Really Senior Member II Joined: 01-February-2006 Location: Sunny Rhyl Status: Offline Points: 607 |
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ions present in water can promote corrosion.
the antifreeze act to counteract this! I really wouldnt bother with distilled water or deionised water in coolant. And I wouldnt bother with OE antifreeze either. As long as you don't mix pink with blue (as mentioned above), you can't go wrong. |
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Beating around the bush.
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Rossi
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 07-May-2005 Status: Offline Points: 3311 |
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Febi stuff for me too, with soft tap water in our area. IIRC, boiling water to collect the steam/condensed water creates de-ionised water? PS: this is an OLD initial post |
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ema02
Newbie Joined: 20-August-2009 Location: New York, USA Status: Offline Points: 2 |
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Here, you could check out this BMW coolant dealer page. I haven't tried ordering from them yet so really can't share you any first hand experience dealing with them.I hope it helps |
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Peter Fenwick
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 27-August-2003 Location: Lost somewhere in time... Status: Offline Points: 6484 |
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Although BMW do not mention using Distilled water on your car not using it is madness. It costs a few quid and prevents mineral build up, fluoride, chloride and who knows what else in your cooling system. Also look inside your kettle that’s tap water, if you care about your car and want to prolong its life ALLWAYS use distilled water. Yes but your kettle sees a lot more water and it is constantly boiling it off. If you boil 1 litre of water a day that's 365 litres a year A cars cooling system only contains about 6 litres or there abouts so the quantity of scale that could be deposited is considerably smaller. It also should never actually boil the water unlike a kettle. At the end of the day it's your choice but what was the last time you heard of a cars cooling system having problems with limescale?
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Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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Peter Fenwick
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 27-August-2003 Location: Lost somewhere in time... Status: Offline Points: 6484 |
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Boiling water and condensing the steam creates distilled water. Deionised refers to a special filtering technique that removes the inorganic ions from the water.
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Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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