UltimatePeter

Here's another Do-it-yourself How-to video I made this past weekend:

The following instructions will walk you through replacing the Radiator in your BMW e60.
I used this BEHR e60 radiator: Amazon.com: Behr Hella Service 376745761 Radiator for BMW 5 Series 04-08: Automotive
I only paid $165! while the Dealership wanted over $1,000!
This is not too hard and can easily save you at least $800.


This video should cover:
BMW 525i / 525xi Sedan (2004-07)
BMW 528i xDrive Sedan (2009-10)
BMW 528i / 528xi Sedan (2008-10)
BMW 530i/530xi Sedan (2004-07)
BMW 530xi Wagon (2006-07)
BMW 535i xDrive Sedan/Wagon (2009-10)
BMW 535i / 535xi Sedan (2008-10)
BMW 535xi Wagon (2008)
BMW 545i Sedan (2004-05)
BMW 550i Sedan (2006-10)
BMW M5 Sedan (2006-10)

1. Drain the cooling system.

2. At the top of the metal radiator support, remove the ten T30 Torx fasteners.

3. Lift the radiator support toward the engine bay to remove it, then, flip it over and rest on the top of the engine.

5. Working on the top plastic radiator cover, remove the five T25 Torx fasteners.

6. Now, pull the coolant reservoir / radiator vent hose out of the plastic mounts. Be careful, as these hoses become brittle over time and can break. These break about 30% of the time. Have one on hand if you are not sure of the condition of yours.

7. At the top of the cooling fan, remove the AUC sensor by pushing in the side clips, then lifting up and removing. Place it out of the way, on the left side of the engine compartment.

8. Lift the plastic cover up and off the radiator in the direction of the engine bay.

9. Working at the right side of the radiator, remove the hose clamp from the radiator vent hose. You can either pry it open or cut it off. You will have to replace this clamp with a new hose clamp when replacing the radiator, as it is single use. This was the only thing I had to buy besides the radiator and the coolant. Once the clamp is loose, remove the hose from the radiator.

10. Working at the upper radiator hose, use a flathead screwdriver to lever out the coolant hose retaining clip. Be sure to pull the retaining clip out until it rests at the stop. Mine came right off, which is fine too.

11. Next, inspect the outside of the fan housing, facing the engine bay. There are coolant hoses clipped to the outside of the fan housing, and will need to be removed from the clip guides. (I think 4 or 5 clips?)

12. Now you should be able to pull the fan housing up and out. As you face the engine bay, there is a hinged guide on the right hand side of the fan housing. Bending this hinge will allow you to move past the upper right hose port we just disconnected two steps ago. Pull the fan straight up and out.

13. Now that there is some room to get down in front of the engine, use a flathead screwdriver to loosen the quick-release on the left-side hose. Be sure to pull the retaining clip out until it rests at the stop.

14. Next, remove the coolant hoses from the radiator. This can be tricky. The hoses have been attached to the radiator for quite a while and may not come off easily. You will want to pull the hose off, while rocking it back and forth. Be careful not to damage the hose if you plan to reuse it. Now be very careful with this technique, as everything you are prying on is fragile. You may want to use a bucket with the lowest radiator hose, as it was lower than our drainage point, and released more fluid for me.

15. To remove the radiator, pull it out of the support upward and out of the engine compartment. Note the amount of debris stuck in the vehicle radiator. E60 radiators seem to collect a great deal of debris. If you have poor cooling or poor A/C operation, you can check to see if your radiator is plugged like this one.

16. If your radiator is plugged but not leaking like this one is, you can spray water from the engine side of the radiator (low pressure) to clean the debris out.

17. If you are replacing your radiator hoses, you will have to swap the radiator outlet temp sensor over. Be sure to inspect the hoses for damage.

18. Filling and bleeding cooling system: Using a 50/50 coolant mix, slowly fill the expansion tank until the coolant level indicator reaches MAX. Check the level of the float with the top of the fill hole. Trapped air is common when filling a cooling system and can result in improper cooling. On late 6-cylinder models with electric coolant pumps: Install the expansion tank cap. Turn the ignition ON (do not start engine). Set the temperature controls in the vehicle interior to full warm and the blower fan to Low. Press the accelerator pedal to the floor and hold it down for ten seconds. Run the electric coolant pump for about 12 minutes to circulate coolant and bleed air from the cooling system. Once the pump has run the cycle, check the level of coolant in the expansion tank and adjust it as needed. Start and run the engine at idle until it reaches operating temperature and check the cooling system for leaks.

This BMW E60 is a 530xi and may vary slightly from yours as models do change and evolve, as they grow older.