Coolant Beeder Screw

[IraSummers]

I cannot get my coolant bleeder scew to tighten up and therefore is leaking like crazy. This is the last problem before I can finnaly begin driving my car agian, haha, this is my luck. Still waiting on the new radiator top rubbers to come in from the dealer.

I have the cork gasket on as well as the o-ring. There are no visable cracks/damage to the plastic screw or the expansion tank. The darn thing just does not want to tighten up! I know how I could fix it, but do not want to go that route, especially this late in the game! Any help would be exclent. Thanks!

btw, this is all after a large swap. I installed everything new.

[IraSummers]

anyone?

[bennyfizzle]

Try a new one? Or just get a new res..it's like $20

[IraSummers]

That is one way to do it, but I am trying to avoid just replacing everything. The expansion tank was one of the fiew parts I did not replace. It's looks great, just this one small thing. Not to menton, I would like to try to drive my car this week at least once, so doing a repair would be better. Thanks though. That is possibly what I will end up doing.

[RRSperry]

If the expansion tank bleed screw doesn't get tight and leaks, get a new tank. They are about $40 on ebay,(about $80 at teh dealer) or see if the dealer can get you pn 17111712788, a new screw. If you are lucky, you may have just stripped the threads on it and not the tank itself.

The tank is another one of those replace every time you change radiators, water pump, and t-stat parts... Every 80K miles...

[bennyfizzle]

Not trying to replace? Skimping on a $30-$50 coolant res because you 'didn't want to just replace everything' makes for headaches down the road. Just saying.

[M3S E36]

you can replace the bleeder screw without replacing the expansion tank, I believe the screw is < $10

[bennyfizzle]

you can replace the bleeder screw without replacing the expansion tank, I believe the screw is < $10

not if the res is stripped

[IraSummers]

Well, I did just dump arround $4500 into the car thus far...lol. I will likely just buy a new tank and all then. I was hoping that it could be fixed and I could do the rest of the stuff in a couple months. Looks like the car thinks otherwise.

[Braymond141]

The plastic screw is crap, I replaced mine a long time ago with a rounded head (flat botton) allen key bolt from the hardware store. I just looked in the metric section, found one with nearly identical threads, stole the oring off the plastic one and screwed it in. So so so much better and more reliable, and it's black so it's not an eyesore either.

I'd personally do that and never look back.

Something like this
http://www.blueridgeperformance.net/images/silverscrew.jpg

[Braymond141]

http://ipccomputers.org/misc/coolant_bolt.jpg

[IraSummers]

Brett, you are the man! I will give this a shot. I am planning on replacing the expansion tank and all, but I want to wait untill this winter when I want something to do in the gurage. I have a couple small things planned, including an electric fan, so I would like to hold off taking the shroud off untill then.

Did you use anything other then the o-ring? What about the cork gasket? Any liquid sealant or anything? Looks much better to say the least! Last, do you remember the diamater/thread of the bolt you got? Thanks!

[Braymond141]

Just the oring and the bolt, that's all you need... doesn't leak a drop.

Take the plastic screw with you to the hardware store. In front of the bins there should be a bolt ruler that will tell you diameter... I want to say M8, but I'm probably way off. Then just find a fine thread and roughly the same length.

Oh, I think the plastic bolt isn't exactly to metric diameter so the metal bolt will be a tad bit larger... that's good though, and it does go in smoothly with a tad bit more effort. You're going to be reshaping the plastic threads essentially, but it works.

[IraSummers]

Just the oring and the bolt, that's all you need... doesn't leak a drop.

Take the plastic screw with you to the hardware store. In front of the bins there should be a bolt ruler that will tell you diameter... I want to say M8, but I'm probably way off. Then just find a fine thread and roughly the same length.

Oh, I think the plastic bolt isn't exactly to metric diameter so the metal bolt will be a tad bit larger... that's good though, and it does go in smoothly with a tad bit more effort. You're going to be reshaping the plastic threads essentially, but it works.

Yeah, the reason I was asking is because I have to drive like 20 minutes to the hardware store from my house, lol. If you knew it off your head I was just going to swing by on my way home this afternoon. I have to get a couple things at the parts store tommrow, so I will bring it with me. Did you use any teflon? I assume it is not needed, but because you are reforming the threads and using a larger bolt, that will basicaly make another seal that is not built into the plastic POS.

What do you bet they made it a diffrent diamater/thread count just so you would have to buy the f-ing $10.00 plastic crap, lol.

[Braymond141]

Yeah, the reason I was asking is because I have to drive like 20 minutes to the hardware store from my house, lol. If you knew it off your head I was just going to swing by on my way home this afternoon. I have to get a couple things at the parts store tommrow, so I will bring it with me. Did you use any teflon? I assume it is not needed, but because you are reforming the threads and using a larger bolt, that will basicaly make another seal that is not built into the plastic POS.

What do you bet they made it a diffrent diamater/thread count just so you would have to buy the f-ing $10.00 plastic crap, lol.

o-ring only that's it. Teflon is for metal on metal

I think the treads are the same, the size isn't.

[gsxrpeter]

rap it in white plumbers tape

[Hova]

rap it in white plumbers tape


like Brent said, that's for metal on metal. There is no need for it since there is a washer ment to hold it air tight.

[IraSummers]

like Brent said, that's for metal on metal. There is no need for it since there is a washer ment to hold it air tight.

and duct tape is only for ducts :D. I will be doing brents idea. Hey...I wonder if it would hold if I put some teflon on the plastic...? hmmm... Still going to get a new bolt...

[gsxrpeter]

you could use pvc glue but the thing would never come back out or

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-Coolant-Expansion-Tank-E36-325i-328i-528i-Z3-M3-NEW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33602QQihZ004QQitem Z140262717513QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

i bought mine from the dealer for 200$ this is a smokein price

[Braymond141]

Brett