DIY - Coolant pipe tools & procedure

Ok guys this is what is needed & how i did it. (NO LEAKS) Hope this makes any sense.

• Tools needed:
• metric torx socket set
• metric inverted socket set
• 27mm socket
• air impact gun
• harmonic balancer puller kit (rent @auto zone)
• front engine support ( rent @ auto zone)
• Magnet

• Procedure:
• Disconnect Battery
• Remove hood (optional)
• Jack up car & place on jack stands
• Drain coolant & Freon
• Remove radiator
• Remove coolant resevoir
• remove radiator hoses
• Remove air filter box & hose
• remove vibration damper pulley
• remove water pump assembly
• remove both belt tensioners
• unbolt a/c compressor & set aside
• un bolt p/s pum & set aside
• Remove p/s resevoir
• Remove the valvetronic motors, the big silver motors sticking out of the valve covers at the top of each. remove the four bolts & twist out.
  • unbolt the wire harness attached to the intake manifold. unplug all sensors & switches to this harness but mark all plugs & sensors.
  • Remove the intake manifold. (it has 5 nuts on each side)
  • remove the valve covers. ( remove the 2 sensors on the drivers side valve cover)Remove the body piece between the microfilters (above the back of the engine) early in the process will give you a lot of wiggle room on various items.
  • Support the engine w/ the engine support bar. (seen in picture)
  • Unbolt the driverside motor mount & bracket and set aside.
  • Remove the alternator & housing.
  • Remove the crankshaft bolt. very hard to remove it's torqed 250lbs. I used a 3/4 inch impact gun.
    Remove vibration damper hub w/ puller kit http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...60&hg=11&fg=18
  • Remove the front oil pan bolts that attach to the timing cover
  • Remove upper timng covers.
  • Remove all bolts from lower timing cover.
  • NOW! use a nice flat head screwdriver or prybar and start sliding the timing cover forward.
  • There should not be any resistant when sliding the cover foward if so stop & find the problem.
  • Once the lower cover is removed your coolant pipe oring is exposed.
    • Remove the valley pan. Yuor coolant pipe will be visible.
    • slide the coolant pipe forward, (may be tight to move but just work it out).
    • once removed clean & prep all gasket surfaces.
  • Installation:
    
  • Slide new pipe and oring in carefully.
  • installl new valley pan.
    
  • NOW! Before we reinstall the lower cover inspect the oil pan gasket to make sure its not damaged and also both slightly exposed head gaskets (very slim chance of any damage but you always should check.
  • Place a small amount of black silcone in each corner wher the lower cover will be placed.
  • Very slow slide the lower cover in place w/o hitting the gaskets if successful reverse the procedure on all the remainig parts.

More questions feel free to call me @314-479-6659 PS. some people do remove the oil pan also to do this job but i did not & was successful. Thanks, Tommie B.

Wow ! I don't need this right now but thank you so much. Its going to be invaluable when my time comes.

Any pictures by chance?

Originally Posted by mccabema

Wow ! I don't need this right now but thank you so much. Its going to be invaluable when my time comes.

Any pictures by chance?

YEP!

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...453&highlight=

Hey I really want to Thank you for posting this. I am a female that have no clue about cars, but I knew for sure I wasn't about to pay 7565.00 to a BMW dealer to fix this. Apparently there is and should be some kind of recall with this coolant pipe. I recently had to replace water pump, upper and lower hoses, thermostat, and this was right after a coolant flush by the dealer. After the coolant flush and replacement of these parts, got home, and coolant was leaking in my garage, next day took it back and they claimingly stopped the leak and then the windshield wiper wlasn'tskeeting water under the car when you turned them on, took it back they told me I had to pay to replace the wiper motor when there was nothing wrong with when I brought it to them. Less than a week later the service engine light came on, I took it back again after having Auto Zone read the engine light and they told me a hose was disconnected, secondary air vacuum hose, or some hose was not connected to take it back, did spoke to manager and a female tech that had no clue. They told me that now this had nothing to do with what they did and it would be 1400 to replace, I insisted that they fix and it was not one trouble with my car until they touched my car. I really believe they clearly messed up something when they put the water pump in. However they are telling me the two parts have nothing to do with eachother. Someone else tells me they do. I am asking you are there some possibilities they did something wrong installing a Reman Water Pump in Could have affected this coolant pipe?

On behalf of everyone, thank you very much for posting this! Even if some people don't do this themselves, they will surely still save a good bit of money at an indy shop or dealer knowing it can be done this way. Easily one of the most valuable posts on this board.
 

Excellent write up. If i ever have that problem i still wont be able to do that type work myself.

Originally Posted by msdallasbeamer

Hey I really want to Thank you for posting this. I am a female that have no clue about cars, but I knew for sure I wasn't about to pay 7565.00 to a BMW dealer to fix this. Apparently there is and should be some kind of recall with this coolant pipe. I recently had to replace water pump, upper and lower hoses, thermostat, and this was right after a coolant flush by the dealer. After the coolant flush and replacement of these parts, got home, and coolant was leaking in my garage, next day took it back and they claimingly stopped the leak and then the windshield wiper wlasn'tskeeting water under the car when you turned them on, took it back they told me I had to pay to replace the wiper motor when there was nothing wrong with when I brought it to them. Less than a week later the service engine light came on, I took it back again after having Auto Zone read the engine light and they told me a hose was disconnected, secondary air vacuum hose, or some hose was not connected to take it back, did spoke to manager and a female tech that had no clue. They told me that now this had nothing to do with what they did and it would be 1400 to replace, I insisted that they fix and it was not one trouble with my car until they touched my car. I really believe they clearly messed up something when they put the water pump in. However they are telling me the two parts have nothing to do with eachother. Someone else tells me they do. I am asking you are there some possibilities they did something wrong installing a Reman Water Pump in Could have affected this coolant pipe?

Yes & No. If they performed a coolant pressure test and the coolant pipe was on the verge of failing well then that pressure test just placed it over the top, but that would still make them responsible. Just keep fighting. The crazy thing about what the dealer charges is that I received my info from the BMW Techs on how to replace the pipe w/o pulling heads & engine.

WOW!!! You are the man and my new hero! I would have never tried this even though I have rebuilt many motors in my time. After your write up I feel confident I could pull this off if the need should arise. Many thanks for taking the time to write up, photograph and share.

Originally Posted by tagsports

WOW!!! You are the man and my new hero! I would have never tried this even though I have rebuilt many motors in my time. After your write up I feel confident I could pull this off if the need should arise. Many thanks for taking the time to write up, photograph and share.

No problem, hopes this helps alot of people.

Wonderful write up! Thank you for taking the time to do that !

ha how does it feel to be a new and loved 7 series hero

Originally Posted by rustar

ha how does it feel to be a new and loved 7 series hero

I would'nt call being a hero but THANKS ANYWAY!!! just trying to put this out there to help others.

Thanks - this seems like useful info! I hope I never have to do this though ... I just replaced the thermostat and it was quite a project! Glad I had a bike to rely on for a few weeks...

Do you need to remove the radiator to replace the coolant pipe or just buy a collapsible pipe kit from bimmerparts and do the job.