Rexgo's '97 528 Cooling O'haul

Just replaced the cooling system items that have been causing me to loose sleep. I made my decisions based on the work that has already been done (dealer receipts).
Recently done:
thermostat, PS hose, Vanos, belts, tensioners, alt, ambient air sensor, and prob more.

Also, saw too many posts here about failed cooling systems, and CL adds with E39's for sale that need a head.

Thks to bluebee, and CN90, and several others for their information.

Here's the work I did on my 1997 528i, auto with 65k orig:

Ordered everything from Autohaus - IMO great prices, website, and delivery < 1 week to Chicago:

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Here's the typical signs that you need to do work:

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Current expansion tank:

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Removed shroud & fan - needed screwdriver wedged to WP bolt to break fan free.
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Here's a tool I've used for years to remove hoses:

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New parts:

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Expansion tank comparison - old / new - only 1 outlet used on my 1997:

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backside:

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Some jello in the old one:

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Re-used the old cap on the unused hose outlet with teflon tape:

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Ready to go:

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Old fan assy:

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Removed blade assy, and cleaned alum finned hub:

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Installed new fan blades:

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New expansion tank ready for install:

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Current thermostat was just replaced, but the housing is leaking:

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With the hsg removed - you can see they used some black silicone:

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removing the gasket:

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I replaced the housing with an OEM ($55), and the new looked very similar to the old - except for minor differences:
old is on top:

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old on right - bleeder screw location slightly closer too hose shoulder / stop:

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I'm old school when it comes to sealing water passages, and surrounding bolts. I had to use some Permatex form-a-gasket on the t-stat hsg, and bolts. I like to see a little ooze around the housings.

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radiator - no date codes?? - this also had me worried from the posts I read:
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Installed old radiator mounts & sensors:

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New one installed:

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I love my air ratchet - made this job uber fast:

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Used the dental floss trick on the fan - worked great:

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New expansion tank looks great:

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Followed the: open both bleeder screws, and fill the t-stat one first - then the expansion tank one - worked great!
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Done:

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After I'm done I feel great, and it wasn't bad at all - plus I can sleep at night.

Great Job! How much was the total?

Nice. I got a kick out of you starting with the packages at the door Anything you'd change or add to in the DIY's?

Glad you did the homework, incl the dental floss trick LOL!

I bought the Fan Blade by MTC, it broke after a year so I installed BMW dealer Fan Blade.

NICE

Feels good, doesn't it???

Originally Posted by filon102

Great Job! How much was the total?

~ $350

Originally Posted by bobdmac

Nice. I got a kick out of you starting with the packages at the door Anything you'd change or add to in the DIY's?

Thks - I've got a unique take on things

Originally Posted by cn90

Glad you did the homework, incl the dental floss trick LOL!

I bought the Fan Blade by MTC, it broke after a year so I installed BMW dealer Fan Blade.

CN90 - thks very much - your posts, and PM's helped me greatly.

I found the '97 to be a little different than other posts.

Originally Posted by WagonTheDog

NICE

Feels good, doesn't it???

Absofrickenlutely - I feel good enough to shift it now - lol

Good job!

One additional thing to consider, get the brass bleeder screws, as the plastic ones will fail over time, like mine did...

Check it out here: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=520253

Originally Posted by nyclad

Good job!

One additional thing to consider, get the brass bleeder screws, as the plastic ones will fail over time, like mine did...

Check it out here: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=520253

Thks - I did on the exp tank - see last pic - will get another for the t-stat hsg - good advice for all.

You know, I've been thinking about that "Jello" photo of the coolant reservoir. It bothers me and doesn't seem normal. because it's evidently not water soluble, as coolant should be. Have others found this? I wonder what this substance actually is, given the history of head gasket problems in the 6-cylinder.

How many months and miles since a coolant flush? Do you know?

Originally Posted by bobdmac

You know, I've been thinking about that "Jello" photo of the coolant reservoir. It bothers me and doesn't seem normal. because it's evidently not water soluble, as coolant should be. Have others found this? I wonder what this substance actually is, given the history of head gasket problems in the 6-cylinder.

How many months and miles since a coolant flush? Do you know?

Yes - < 10k miles ago / 2 yrs from a BMW dealer. Yeah, surprised me too. Prolly more the reason to do flushes, or the cooling system O'haul. Don't really like jello - lol

Don't throw away the old stuff yet.

I cleaned my old reservoir and throw it in my trunk.
Ditto for the old belts as well as the tstat housing.

Maybe it's a by-product of the cold winter weather.

Originally Posted by cn90

Don't throw away the old stuff yet.

I cleaned my old reservoir and throw it in my trunk.
Ditto for the old belts as well as the tstat housing.

CN90 - Yes - I've saved all parts for the trunk - just-in-case - I feel goooood now!

Many people don't realize the importance of a good cooling system until it fails.
Not only the cooling system goes but it drags along the engine too.
The problem is not so much fixing the cooling system.
The problem is in fixing the engine cylinder head!!!

Originally Posted by cn90

Many people don't realize the importance of a good cooling system until it fails.
Not only the cooling system goes but it drags along the engine too.
The problem is not so much fixing the cooling system.
The problem is in fixing the engine cylinder head!!!

Yes, don't want to deal with the head - so many newbs here start with this problem, and this worries me. Very difficult to recover from this $$$.

great write up, im sure the car runs alot better now.

Stupid question: What is the dental floss trick? I did a search for dental floss but it references the bmw emblem.

Originally Posted by izzyinstl

Stupid question: What is the dental floss trick? I did a search for dental floss but it references the bmw emblem.

It's used to quickly install / thread the fan back on. You basically create a pull-start on the nut. I pulled the dental floss by wrapping it around a socket extension - rawhide would be easier on the hands.

Here's a complete explanation with pics:http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho....php?t=240143&

Originally Posted by rexgo

It's used to quickly install / thread the fan back on. You basically create a pull-start on the nut. I pulled the dental floss by wrapping it around a socket extension - rawhide would be easier on the hands.

Here's a complete explanation with pics:http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho....php?t=240143&

Errrrr Wish I had known about that trick sooner. I fought with the fan for 20 minutes before getting back on.

I'll know next time (I'm sure there will be one)

Originally Posted by izzyinstl

I fought with the fan for 20 minutes before getting back on

It was even worse for me. Not only did I fight with the fan, but, I stripped the first few threads on the water pump shaft!

Two days later, I was able to get the viscous fan clutch nut on using a string of shoelace rawhide.

I think the dental floss, while harder on the hands, has an advantage of not needing to be taped onto the nut (which is what I did with the rawhide).

Since Rexgo's pictures are so nice, I took the liberty of shrinking them to 640x480 and attaching all 35 photobucket pictures to this thread so that they're not lost over time (I hate when I go to an old thread and all the pics are gone).

So as to always add value, I cross referenced Rexgo's dental floss pic here:
- cn90 fan clutch nut replacement trick

And, I cross referenced the jelly on the bottom of the surge tank here:
- Pictorial look at typical E39 cooling system failure modes (1)

Instead of putting the expansion tank in the trunk, I'd suggest Rexgo autopsy it and post pictures here:
- Behr radiator and Behr expansion (aka surge) tank autopsy (1) (2) & request for another autopsy (1)

To Rexgo:
For the hose removal trick, did you consider 'exploiting the gap' using successively larger screwdrivers?
- How do you safely remove the upper radiator hose with u-pins?

How would you compare your method (that hook tool) with the method proposed in that hose-removal thread?

Note: I'm not quite sure how you used that tool to remove the hoses so I'm a bit confused.

Originally Posted by bluebee

...Since Rexgo's pictures are so nice, I took the liberty of shrinking them to 640x480 and attaching all 35 photobucket pictures to this thread so that they're not lost over time (I hate when I go to an old thread and all the pics are gone).

Bimmerfest's reference librarian, on the job.

Originally Posted by bluebee

To Rexgo:
For the hose removal trick, did you consider 'exploiting the gap' using successively larger screwdrivers?
- How do you safely remove the upper radiator hose with u-pins?

How would you compare your method (that hook tool) with the method proposed in that hose-removal thread?

Note: I'm not quite sure how you used that tool to remove the hoses so I'm a bit confused.

bluebee - I always wondered why there were pictures shrunk in threads - now I know.

I might do an autopsy on the exp-tank in a little while. It was recently flushed??

My hoses had already been changed to BMW hose clamps, so I didn't have the u-clips.

The tool is a Tool Aid S-70 - available on ebay: RADIATOR HOSE TOOL # S-70

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The point is tapered:

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And you insert it in the hose to break the bond between the hose and mating part, and then work it around the hose - works great on heater hoses in close quarters against a firewall:

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Here's some better pics (staged):

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