anyone have a DIY for Thermostat replacement for N52 Engine?
11-03-2011, 03:22 AM
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The instructions referenced are posted here and here.
Based on my experience, this part looks correct:
I honestly don't know if the N52 engine in the E60/E61 has a block drain plug or not. My Bentley manual infers that my car's engine does not have a block drain plug, and I didn't look for one. In hindsight, that was a mistake.
A Google search was inconclusive. RealOEM.com suggests there's a drain plug and washer on the left (U.S. driver's side; diagram item #'s 6 & 7) of the engine at cylinder #2 for my particular E61, but that would seem awkward and messy to me.
Accordingly, I'll pass on this part:
The following instruction steps seemed to work, but I skipped the struck-through steps, as I had not disconnected the car battery, and a couple of the steps seemed to be redundant. And, it's possible that an AT-equipped car's coolant capacity is 10.6 liters rather than the 10 liters indicated.
Step 5 does take ~12 minutes (I set a timer), and you'll be able to hear the electric pump doing its thing. The key to this step is to turn on the ignition but not start the engine. In my car with an MT, that means not depressing the clutch pedal when I push the engine start button.
The video looks like it's for an N52 engine in a different BMW, as includes steps for a real bleed screw, which my car does not have.
I have conflicting info on coolant capacity of AT- vs. MT-equipped E60/E61 cars with the N52 engine. But, the difference is small (0.6 L, or ~0.6 U.S. qt), so I'd be prepared for the larger value.
If the capacity is 11.2 U.S. qts (10.6 liters), you'll need 5.6 qts (1.4 gallons) of BMW antifreeze and 5.6 qts (1.6 gallons) of distilled water to fashion a 50:50 mix that totals 11.2 qts (2.8 gallons). However, unless you're confident that you drain all of the coolant, there will be some amount left behind that will dilute the new coolant.
In thinking about this a bit last night, I've decided that I like this procedure:
HTH,
Jim / crewzer
Based on my experience, this part looks correct:
Cooling, draining and filling procedures:
1. Remove splash shield from under the engine. Unscrew fasteners (8 screws) and lower rear of cover and pull out of bumper cover.
2. Remove cap from radiator expansion tank.
3. Place 5-gallon pail underneath radiator.
4. Loosen drain plug on peacock at bottom of radiator and allow coolant to drain.
1. Remove splash shield from under the engine. Unscrew fasteners (8 screws) and lower rear of cover and pull out of bumper cover.
2. Remove cap from radiator expansion tank.
3. Place 5-gallon pail underneath radiator.
4. Loosen drain plug on peacock at bottom of radiator and allow coolant to drain.
I honestly don't know if the N52 engine in the E60/E61 has a block drain plug or not. My Bentley manual infers that my car's engine does not have a block drain plug, and I didn't look for one. In hindsight, that was a mistake.
A Google search was inconclusive. RealOEM.com suggests there's a drain plug and washer on the left (U.S. driver's side; diagram item #'s 6 & 7) of the engine at cylinder #2 for my particular E61, but that would seem awkward and messy to me.
Accordingly, I'll pass on this part:
5. Place 5-gallon pail underneath engine block coolant drain plug.
6. Remove engine block coolant drain plug and drain coolant. The engine drain plug is located on right side of engine block near cylinder 2 (If you are sitting in the driver seat and looking at the windshield, cylinder 1 is at the front of the engine). See page 120-2 of the Bentley Service Manual. (DOES ANYONE HAVE A DIAGRAM OF THIS?)
6. Remove engine block coolant drain plug and drain coolant. The engine drain plug is located on right side of engine block near cylinder 2 (If you are sitting in the driver seat and looking at the windshield, cylinder 1 is at the front of the engine). See page 120-2 of the Bentley Service Manual. (DOES ANYONE HAVE A DIAGRAM OF THIS?)
The following instruction steps seemed to work, but I skipped the struck-through steps, as I had not disconnected the car battery, and a couple of the steps seemed to be redundant. And, it's possible that an AT-equipped car's coolant capacity is 10.6 liters rather than the 10 liters indicated.
Step 5 does take ~12 minutes (I set a timer), and you'll be able to hear the electric pump doing its thing. The key to this step is to turn on the ignition but not start the engine. In my car with an MT, that means not depressing the clutch pedal when I push the engine start button.
Before refilling radiator:
1. Switch ignition on. Do not start engine.
2. Set temperature controls to full warm.
3. Set blower control to low.
Using a coolant mixture of 50% antifreeze and 50% distilled water, fill expansion tank ?slowly?.Continue until coolant emerges from bleed screw. For the N52 engine with automatic transmission, the capacity is 2.6417 gallons (10 liters).
Cooling System, bleeding (N52 engine) procedures: Whenever the coolant is drained and filled, bleed the cooling system.
Close cap on coolant expansion tank and perform the following steps:
1. Connect vehicle to power supply (I guess this procedure prevents the battery from draining when the car engine is not running for 12 minutes during the process).
2. Switch ignition on.
3. Set heater to MAX temperature and turn on fan to lowest speed.
4. Press accelerator pedal to floor for 10 seconds.
5. Bleeding procedure begins when accelerator pedal is pressed and takes approximately 12 minutes. (Electrical coolant pump turns ON and OFF automatically after approximately 12 minutes).
6. CAUTION: Do not open expansion tank cap while electrical coolant pump is ON.
7. Fill coolant expansion tank 100 ml above MAX (dimension A).
8. Check coolant system for leaks.
9. If leaks are found, remove ignition key and wait approximately 3 minutes before repeating cooling bleeding procedure.
10. When bleeding procedure is complete, close coolant expansion tank cap until marks on cap and tank line up.
1. Switch ignition on. Do not start engine.
2. Set temperature controls to full warm.
3. Set blower control to low.
Using a coolant mixture of 50% antifreeze and 50% distilled water, fill expansion tank ?slowly?.
Cooling System, bleeding (N52 engine) procedures: Whenever the coolant is drained and filled, bleed the cooling system.
Close cap on coolant expansion tank and perform the following steps:
4. Press accelerator pedal to floor for 10 seconds.
5. Bleeding procedure begins when accelerator pedal is pressed and takes approximately 12 minutes. (Electrical coolant pump turns ON and OFF automatically after approximately 12 minutes).
6. CAUTION: Do not open expansion tank cap while electrical coolant pump is ON.
7. Fill coolant expansion tank 100 ml above MAX (dimension A).
8. Check coolant system for leaks.
9. If leaks are found, remove ignition key and wait approximately 3 minutes before repeating cooling bleeding procedure.
10. When bleeding procedure is complete, close coolant expansion tank cap until marks on cap and tank line up.
The video looks like it's for an N52 engine in a different BMW, as includes steps for a real bleed screw, which my car does not have.
and I also found this Video Guide on bleeding the N52 electric pump. I believe this is the right one. Can you please verify.
If the capacity is 11.2 U.S. qts (10.6 liters), you'll need 5.6 qts (1.4 gallons) of BMW antifreeze and 5.6 qts (1.6 gallons) of distilled water to fashion a 50:50 mix that totals 11.2 qts (2.8 gallons). However, unless you're confident that you drain all of the coolant, there will be some amount left behind that will dilute the new coolant.
In thinking about this a bit last night, I've decided that I like this procedure:
1) Drain the cooling system.
2) Fill the system with straight distilled water (~2 gallons; it's cheap), bleed the system per instructions, and drain again.
3) Repeat step #2
4) Fill the cooling system with ~5.6 qts (~1.4 gallons) of undiluted BMW antifreeze, and then complete the fill and bleed procedure with distilled water. Assuming that whatever "coolant" was left behind after step #3 was mostly clean distilled water, you'll have a 50:50 mix of new antifreeze and distilled water in your car's cooling system.
I like this procedure! You'll need two one-gallon bottles of undiluted BMW antifreze, and six one-gallon jugs of distilled water (readily available from grocery- or drug store chains). You can use what's left over to make your own 50:50 mix for topping off as/if required.2) Fill the system with straight distilled water (~2 gallons; it's cheap), bleed the system per instructions, and drain again.
3) Repeat step #2
4) Fill the cooling system with ~5.6 qts (~1.4 gallons) of undiluted BMW antifreeze, and then complete the fill and bleed procedure with distilled water. Assuming that whatever "coolant" was left behind after step #3 was mostly clean distilled water, you'll have a 50:50 mix of new antifreeze and distilled water in your car's cooling system.
HTH,
Jim / crewzer
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