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How can I tell how old my cooling system is?

24K views 64 replies 28 participants last post by  bluebee 
#1 · (Edited)
So I just got a 02 540iA with 103K from a used car lot. The car had no documentation, i did not get a pre-purchase inspection, bought the car based simply on the condition and test drive. Title and carfax are clean for what thats worth.
This car is by far the nicest i looked at. Its hard to beleive its 8 years old. The interior is beautiful, not a scratch, almost no wear, even functioning cup holders. Under the hood is clean enough to eat off. The car has obviously been well loved.
How can i tell what needs to be replaced. I know that if the cooling system is original it needs to be redone but when you look at the radiator area it looks like brand new plastic. Its completly spotless. And its obvious that its not just been cleaned with armor all by a detail guy prior to going on the lot, i've seen lots of those cars. It looks like its never been dirty. What do i do? Should I plan to change it all anyway and risk changing out newer components? Thanks everyone, this board looks great. I was on e46fanatics.com before (2001 330Ci), this board looks like it will be just a big a help.
 
#33 · (Edited)
By way of cross reference, a wonderful set of pictures was taken today of cooling system parts removed from an E39 that are relevant to determining the dates of all your cooling system parts:
- E39 (1997 - 2003) > manufacture dates on components'

From these date codes, the OP determined:

  • Expansion tank (was original)
  • Thermostat (had been replaced)
  • Water pump (was original)
  • Water pump pulley (had been replaced)
 

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#34 ·
Awesome as always B.
 
#35 ·
Am I just lucky?

I have a 97 528i looks like still have the original cooling system working at 124K mile. I got the car 3 and half years ago at 99K without knowing much about it. The car had three POs and no service record. It has been problem free for more than 3 years and recently the starter failed and also some oil leak from valve cover. I started to read in this forum and was able to replace the starter and the valve cover gasket myself thanks to the information here. Now the cooling system is making me awake at night. The more I read this forum, the more I worried. The car does not overheat but all components of the cooling system appears to be original. The radiator label does not have a date on it, but I appears still to be original based the information I read here. The upper radiator hose has a 97 marker on it. I have no idea on the thermostat and water pump but the coolant in the expansion tank is very very dirty. It is cloudy and looks like brown or rusty. I plan to do a complete system overhaul when the weather getting a little bit warmer.
 
#52 · (Edited)
I have a 97 528i looks like still have the original cooling system working at 124K mile. I got the car 3 and half years ago at 99K without knowing much about it. The car had three POs and no service record. It has been problem free for more than 3 years and recently the starter failed and also some oil leak from valve cover. I started to read in this forum and was able to replace the starter and the valve cover gasket myself thanks to the information here. Now the cooling system is making me awake at night. The more I read this forum, the more I worried. The car does not overheat but all components of the cooling system appears to be original. The radiator label does not have a date on it, but I appears still to be original based the information I read here. The upper radiator hose has a 97 marker on it. I have no idea on the thermostat and water pump but the coolant in the expansion tank is very very dirty. It is cloudy and looks like brown or rusty. I plan to do a complete system overhaul when the weather getting a little bit warmer.
I bought mine at Christmas with 191 k kms on it and the only thing I could find from the records that was changed was the t stat and pump. After reading all the posts on cooling issues I had all the remaining cooling parts changed. As one poster said, change them as they WILL fail. The only vehicle I have ever owned in 35 years where I pulled into a shop and said. This rad etc ? The stuff that's working fine? Rip out out and replace it! Now I sleep well!
 
#36 · (Edited)
Just shot a photo of my date coded OEM radiator label. Here it is: "29/04/02" So with 135,000 miles and just under 10 years, I may be in the running for longest-lived OEM Behr cooling system.

Now - I need to start procuring new parts, as by all accounts I am living on Way-borrowed time!!
 
#39 ·
I too have what I think is an original first year radiator and expansion tank (if the green canister in the attached photos is the expansion tank). The radiator sticker has no date. The green canister has "96" in a raised plastic circle. Also, as bluebee pointed out using a photo, my radiator has a white plastic plug on the engine side of the radiator about six inches up from the bottom.

The car is at 137,000 miles and 15 years. I need to get these vintage pieces replaced!
 

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#40 ·
I may have all of you beat on this one. I've had the car (98 528I) for about a month and a half now and my mechanic told me the radiator was still fine. That is until I saw this thread and wondered so I had to check, the radiator I have is still the original. Look at the picture, on the yellow tag I believe it states 10 12 97. I will certailny replace this radiator in Feb (once the funds come in) with the hoses and expansion tank (I believe its all original)

The car came with aluminum thermostat so I'm assuming the previous owner replaced it and I just replaced the water pump.

After the radiator gets changed, I should be able to sleep well at night.

Thank you all for the info on this one.
 

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#43 ·
jbarrow22 - I think if you snap a close up of your yellow sticker - as Ninety-8 E3nine did you may be able to see through the perforations your actual build date.

Yes, I agree, you two both have me beat! But I'm starting to search through rockauto and other sites to collect the needed parts. Would rather not wait for a failure!
 
#44 ·
I strained to read the green tag and could not. I'll have to get a smaller camera to snap a closeup.

I called my mechanic, Vladimir, and told him the age of the system and asked about a replacement. His quote was about $600 using Behr/BWM/OEM. All other front-of-engine parts (pulley, tensioners, belts) have been replaced in the past year.
 
#45 ·
Turbo 585 - What kind of radiator are you going to get? I'm debating between Behr and Nissens. I found a Nissens for only $136 (I cant remember the website but I'll search it again) but I'm kinda skeptical as to why its so cheap. Maybe too many defects that they want to phase it out?

Do you have any other brands in mind? (Except Zionsville, a little too much for my budget unless theres a cheaper same quality version)
 
#47 ·
So far have only found Nissens, however I prefer OEM and will keep looking until I find such. I agree Zionsville is the best, but I have to insure I will commit to keeping the car long-term if I go that route. Seems solid enough, it may just be worth the $1200 or so!
 
#49 ·
This thread discusses the sanded down BMW markings:
I don't know. Did I get played? My expansion tank has a sticker that says 'Made in Germany' and there seems to be an area below sanded down.
 

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#54 ·
mine does not have the big factory sticker, just a smaller BEHR sticker with a smaller sticker with 'G', so apparently, mine has been replaced sometime in the past. Since there is no room to see anything, I am cleaning everything that is not clean, and am going to look for new spots and drips, if there are any. I am curious about spots of old red fluid under the power steering area. And caked dirt. There is no fresh oil under the power steering unit. It looks like several parts have been replaced on my engine and other.

The valve cover gasket looks like it was replaced. The radiator looks to have been replaced, that big factory sticker is not on it. And maybe some power steering leak may have been fixed, as the hoses and connections are dry even though there was prior fluid under it on the engine. Very hard to hand clean, doing it in small stages with simple green, and paper towels. The Alternator looks original, or at least if ever replaced was with factory part, as it has the BMW sticker on it.

What joy to drive after al those years in an old economy car. :thumbup:
 
#56 ·
Apparently there is a test sticker on the bottom of some radiators ...
My radiator appears to be leaking on its side up top where the black plastic meets the aluminum.

I did some looking around and found a sticker on the bottom. Behr leak test performed 20/01/11. I'm guessing that's jan20th of 2011? Is that the build date?

I'm going to assume the cooling system has been replaced already as the car has 130k on it. If so that rad isn't very old.

Where can one get this repaired and what's the warranty on it? How do I contact behr? Says made in South Africa on it.
 
#57 · (Edited)
For the crosslinked record, the question came up as to how to tell the BRAND of the radiator from the stickers:
> E39 (1997 - 2003) > Behr Radiator ?

I recently purchased a 2000 e39 with 134k. Everything is great but knowing from past experience and lack of a complete history on the car, I was looking at the cooling system. It looks like it's had some work on it and was wondering if there is a way to tell the difference between an aftermarket Behr radiator and an original BMW radiator?
 
#60 ·
That's a great question. I just looked through my system, and everything in there is manufactured 2005 or later. I can see why parts were wearing down in the car's early life. It spent its first 7 years in South Florida, which puts non-stop stress on cooling systems. Even when the engine isn't running it's almost 100 degrees! Since all the replacements, the car has lived in the relatively cooler North Carolina mountains.

Still, I think I'm going to start quietly collecting all the expensive parts in my garage, and plan on doing the upgrade later this year.
 
#61 ·
This blown upper radiator hose nipple shows what non-OEM hoses look like...
> E39 (1997 - 2003) > Uh-oh! I just blew my upper radiator hose!
That upper rad hose looks like the cheap one made by Gates that I purchased at Rock Auto.
I compared the Gates to OEM Behr and didn't like how different it was and won't use it:


Left Behr / Right Gates

I think you are luck, all you should need is a new rad hose and you should be on your way.
BUT if you don't know how old the cooling system is, consider replacing rad, thermostat, expansion tank and water pump.
 
#65 ·
I'm not sure were to cross reference this, but this thread has useful information:
> E39 (1997 - 2003) > M52 vs M54 Cooling Systems...
So a friend on mine went out and bought a radiator and expansion tank for a cooling system refresh and realized that he got a M52 setup rather than a M54 (he owns a 530i).

I'm wondering what exactly are the differences between the two? I see that the radiator of the M52 doesn't have a place for the aux water pump and the expansion tank only has 2 ports instead of the 3 on the M54.

My friend will be returning his purchase, but just out of curiosity, could one actually retrofit a M52 expansion tank/radiator into a M54 setup? Would the hoses connect properly? Or are they that different?
 
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