Grrrit

While I was doing the pan/pipe, I checked everything I could (with the exception of where the rear transfer pipe goes to the rear "Y pan"). I cannot think of the term for that.

Anyhow, all of the hoses around the expansion tank, waterpump, and transfer pipe were in exceptional shape. I had most of them replaced with the timing case cover job just a couple months ago.

After doing the pipe job, I assumed something would fail somewhere. Knowing pressurized systems, when everything's been replaced but one or two things, you'll find the next weak point sooner or later.

Grrrit

Here's some photos of the task.






Made it to work and back one time yesterday. No issues.

I pulled into work today and noticed this(comically as I was going to check the coolant level).




It's bubbling bad out of where I heard the whistling yesterday.

Has anyone used the behr/hella option replacement?

twh

Behr is a supplier of parts to BMW. I'm sure the Behr part is just fine.

Grrrit

Haha and I did make a huge rookie mistake and I'm very VERY fortunate I caught it before I tried to start the vehicle.

Figure this is good info for anyone who may do this job themselves in the future.

I made it all the way to replacing the cabin filter covers after plugging the harness back in. I was pulling the rags out of the heaterbox ports and it hit me.

I left the paper towels in the cylinder head air ports.

Silly mistake and easy to make. I'm 2:2 with it at that haha. The first motor I took apart to rebuild was a vw vr6. Did the same exact thing with all 12 ports on the cross flow cyl head lol. Easy way to make an expensive mistake. Even while laughing with my friend about doing it the first time on the vw, as I'm bolting down the intake (with the rags still in the ports).

Grrrit

Excellent. Thank you for confirming!
Haha I wonder why the behr labeled tank is half the price of the bmw labeled tank? I know brand name marketing is a key factor, but could the coolant level sensor be inferior in the behr labeled tank replacement?

twh

It will be fine. The BMW labeled part is most likely made by Behr in the first place. Behr makes radiators for BMW. The radiator I replaced recently in my wife's X5, which is labeled BMW, also has Behr markings.

Grrrit

Gotcha. I haven't had to do much work myself on my 545i so I'm still just getting acquainted with it haha. I was waiting for a turn on the family 2-post lift to do my clutch job, when my timing case cover seals blew. I imagine I could've done the seals in the driveway, but I wasn't going to lay in a foot of snow in -20 weather haha. I sucked it up and payed for those jobs.

Grrrit

How common is it for part #6 to fail in this diagram? More so the seal? After the reservoir is replaced (waiting on shipping), that seal will be the oldest part of my cars coolant system. Every other hose, T, and seal has been replaced since I've owned it.

My concern is the placement of that rear coolant pan at the back of the transfer pipe.
As far as the temp/level sensors and T-stat, those won't be difficult to do later on. But that pan will now be the oldest/ weakest point in the whole coolant system. :/

twh

Don't see the diagram to tell what #6 is.

Grrrit

I was mistaken, I meant #5. I've been good for typos all day haha.



I must not have attached it correctly, my apologies.