[nuron]

Hi all, I just bought an E90 and I wanted to get your advice on the cooling system overhaul. The car has 101K miles on it without a water pump replacement so I'd rather just do it myself (plus thermostat) to save the headache later on. However, since I'm working on the system already, what are your thoughts on replacing these additional components:

1) Radiator
2) Hoses. I know replacing all nine will be difficult without a lift but how about if I just do the main two or three hoses?

After all this, I'll have to do the VC gasket as well so I'll replace the plugs when I'm in there--trying to save some time!

I think I'll be getting these parts from OEMBimmerParts once I make a decision. Thanks in advance

[ctuna]

Download the Mike Miller old school schedule.
Most of the radiators in my other cars have lasted
about 125 k . When it gets up around this milage its
best to have regular pressure tests at least.

Google Mike Miller BMW and download the old school
maintenance schedule he goes over what should be
replaced if you do aircraft maintenance( change things
based on time and use)

If you do to many things at once and something goes
wrong it will be more difficult to isolate the problems.

So change the plugs then test.

[kkasson]

Radiator failures don't seem very common the E90.

A member posted about changing his coolant hoses around 250k miles. He said some of them are extremely difficult to get to, and that they all still looked alright even at that mileage. It shouldn't be hard to do the upper and lower radiator hoses if you want, but they'll also probably be fine. There's a vent hose above the radiator that has been known to fail though. It's cheap, something like $35.

[floydarogers]

FYI, Mike Miller has retracted his blanket recommendation "to replace cooling system at 60K-90K". He notes that the modern cars have more reliable components, and the ECU shuts down the motor if things overheat. He wrote that in Roundel, and I believe his most recent guide has it.

The pump is pretty expensive ($400-$500 or so) and the thermostat is close to $100, so it's pretty pricey to replace them "just because". (Granted, early electric water pumps for the E9x failed earlier than they should.)

Although radiators did fail (in older cars, E46 and such), the expansion tank was the real baddy.

[techwhiz]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

FYI, Mike Miller has retracted his blanket recommendation "to replace cooling system at 60K-90K". He notes that the modern cars have more reliable components, and the ECU shuts down the motor if things overheat. He wrote that in Roundel, and I believe his most recent guide has it.

The pump is pretty expensive ($400-$500 or so) and the thermostat is close to $100, so it's pretty pricey to replace them "just because". (Granted, early electric water pumps for the E9x failed earlier than they should.)

Although radiators did fail (in older cars, E46 and such), the expansion tank was the real baddy.

had the radiator on my 335 fail right after the expansion tank.
Typical failure of the top hose connection. Crap plastic tanks.

[ArcticRik]

Originally Posted by techwhiz

had the radiator on my 335 fail right after the expansion tank.
Typical failure of the top hose connection. Crap plastic tanks.

Same, had the radiator go first and then the expansion tank a few months later

[nuron]

Originally Posted by kkasson

There's a vent hose above the radiator that has been known to fail though. It's cheap, something like $35.

Do you have the part number for this? I'll take your advice and replace it as well.

Originally Posted by floydarogers

FYI, Mike Miller has retracted his blanket recommendation "to replace cooling system at 60K-90K". He notes that the modern cars have more reliable components, and the ECU shuts down the motor if things overheat. He wrote that in Roundel, and I believe his most recent guide has it.

The pump is pretty expensive ($400-$500 or so) and the thermostat is close to $100, so it's pretty pricey to replace them "just because". (Granted, early electric water pumps for the E9x failed earlier than they should.)

Although radiators did fail (in older cars, E46 and such), the expansion tank was the real baddy.

Good to know about the 60-90K schedule edit--I've always read that on the forums as well. From what I've read, doesn't the electric WP throw some codes right before it fails? I might wait for that to happen before doing anything...

Originally Posted by techwhiz

had the radiator on my 335 fail right after the expansion tank.
Typical failure of the top hose connection. Crap plastic tanks.

Originally Posted by ArcticRik

Same, had the radiator go first and then the expansion tank a few months later

What mileage did the radiator fail for you guys? Good mention about the expansion tank--I should do that since it seems fairly easy to reach.

Thanks for all the insight.

[ArcticRik]

Originally Posted by nuron

Do you have the part number for this? I'll take your advice and replace it as well.

Good to know about the 60-90K schedule edit--I've always read that on the forums as well. From what I've read, doesn't the electric WP throw some codes right before it fails? I might wait for that to happen before doing anything...

What mileage did the radiator fail for you guys? Good mention about the expansion tank--I should do that since it seems fairly easy to reach.

Thanks for all the insight.

My radiator failed at around 70k and expansion tank at 75k

[Efthreeoh]

I'm on the original radiator and reservoir tank at 306K. I did all the hoses at 230K and none needed replacing. My T-stat went at 136K. WP went at 156K. My advice is get a BMW scan tool and check for codes and replace WP/T-stat when codes show up.

[nuron]

Wow, that gives me hope! I will just do a coolant change then, as well as the other fluids. Any recommendations on a scan tool?

[ctuna]

Carly app/cable or bluetooth dongle and or a coding cable and download
from the coding cable subforum.
Apparently there is now a cell phone version of
Inpa to.
If you get the coding cable istad/p to .

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by nuron

Wow, that gives me hope! I will just do a coolant change then, as well as the other fluids. Any recommendations on a scan tool?

IMO people around here way over maintain these cars. Mike Miller is using a maintenance schedule BMW used for cars built in the 1980s and early 1990s. It doesn't hurt to follow his schedule, but a lot is just a waste of time and money IMO. And I had an E30 from new to 256K for 18 years. I still have a '97 Z3.

As far as a scan tool, you'll hear around here Carly app and a cable from eBay. I have the Bavarian Tech and Foxwell tools. Anything that reads BMW codes is what is needed. I like the Foxwell unit as it doubles as an OBD2 scan tool as well, so you can use it on any OBD2 compliant vehicle.

[kkasson]

Originally Posted by nuron

Do you have the part number for this? I'll take your advice and replace it as well.

Which model do you have? For the 335i I think it's 17127565094 and for the 328i it's 17127618510. You can double check on RealOEM.com. Click on Radiator, and it's there in the cooling hoses diagram.

I read some people had problems with the expansion tank connector breaking off when they removed the hose, so be careful with that.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by nuron

Hi all, I just bought an E90 and I wanted to get your advice on the cooling system overhaul. The car has 101K miles on it without a water pump replacement so I'd rather just do it myself (plus thermostat) to save the headache later on. However, since I'm working on the system already, what are your thoughts on replacing these additional components:

1) Radiator
2) Hoses. I know replacing all nine will be difficult without a lift but how about if I just do the main two or three hoses?

After all this, I'll have to do the VC gasket as well so I'll replace the plugs when I'm in there--trying to save some time!

I think I'll be getting these parts from OEMBimmerParts once I make a decision. Thanks in advance

I think replacing pipes and the radiator is a waste of money.

If your at 101k, your water pump and thermostat is on borrowed time. So, yes replace the water pump and thermostat. You should also replace the U shaped hose that connects the two.

At 100k, I'd do the following :

1) belts & pulleys
2) spark plugs
3) coils
4) transmission fluid, filter pan & megatronic seal
5) differential fluid
6) O2 sensors
7) Coolant flush and change
8) Any gaskets that have not gone yet
A) VC
B) oil filter housing gasket
C) vanos solenoid gaskets plus clean the solenoids out
D) cam shaft position sensor gaskets
9) shocks & struts, if you haven't done them by now
10) Walnut blast the intake valves & replace the intake gaskets and throttle body gasket
11) run an oil flush and replace the oil and filter
12) clean the MAF sensor and pressure sensors
13) clean and re-oil your air filter
14) replace the power steering fluid

Every 100k on a BMW you are gonna put $2000.00 to $3000.00 into the car, so it can go the next 100k without too many problems

Look at FCP Euro. You get a lifetime warranty on any part you buy from them.