What should I do? Please help...

[hexhead]

Facts:
Parts purchase via Internet approximately $180 (incl. WP, T/Stat, alum. T/Stat housing, Upper/Lower Rad. hoses, 2 gal. BMW AF)
Water Pump replacement on 94 540I Auto
BMW dealer - $358.50 (@ $65/hr = 5.515..hours)
Independent BMW service shop $240.00 (@60/hr = 4 hours)
Question:
I need your advise and any expression of optimism. :) I am thinking about doing this job myself in order to saving a few bucks, but after reading over all of the postings containing the term 'coolant', I am a bit fearful that I might run into problems when it comes time to bleed the system. My first question: where is the bleeder screw located. One of the posting indicated that it was located on the T/Stat housing, but that would seem like an awfully dangerous spot to be sticking your hand while the engine was operating.
My other question has to do with one of many, according to my wife, stupid things I did... When the "check coolant level" warning light came on I discovered that the reservoir was low, so I did what any cold blooded American would do and grab the bottle of Preston antifreeze off the shelf in the garage and topped her off. :nono I, unfortunately, used the car since my goof and am assuming that the fluid in the reservoir has mixed with the rest of the fluid. So, I am wondering do I need to flush all of the antifreeze at this point? If so, is this something the weekend DIY can do or do need special equipment? I need to know because it my affect my decision to tackle the water pump replacement project.
And speaking of special equipment, will I need anything out of the ordinary to do a water pump project? For example, tools required to remove the fan. I can't image I would, but ever since I bought this car I've been stocking up on metric tools.

[hexhead]

Crap! No presents under the tree... Oh-wait a second, yesterday was not x-mas. Today is the day!

Seriously, please don't leave me hanging. I really don't feel like bringing my bimmer to the garage cause they never do thing right. I swear they purposely f--k something else up so you'll need to bring it back. I really think these shops are out to f- us; the independent repair shops claim the job will take four hours, possibly more. What's up w/ that? Either this project is more involved than I realize or they are the slowest mechanics in the world. Hell, the BMW dealer said it would take over 5 hours.

I can probably figure out the location of the bleeder screw on my own and deal with it as necessary. But, I would like your opinion regarding flushing the system and/or any special tools required.

[theDogger]

Get the Bible...the Bentley manual first. if you have any exp. working on cars at all should not be that hard at all..


theDogger

[shragon]

agree with brian. if you're comfortable working on cars, i'm sure you can do it.

like brian said, get a bentley manual.

here's some info on coolant and t-stat: http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/maintenance/engine/Coolant%20replacement.htm

might want to post a message on www.bimmer.info as i'm sure they could give you some good pointers for your 540i.

[hexhead]

Dude, are you serious?? I have the "bible" and it's not worth the paper it was printed on. It's essentially the same as a Haynes repair manual except they stuffed the book with a bunch of useless electrical diagrams and over charge BMW owners. Plus, the book geared toward the 6 cylinder repairs.

I need to find a shop manual, but since I saw the mechanic at the dealer sifting through an Intranet, I figured none was available.

Anyway, I know that you guys (and gals) are sick of re-telling stories, but your all I got. And I know there's a few E34 540I owners out there that have replaced their water pump and could share there experiences. I apologize if I sound a bit abrasive, but I am starting to get sick of my car and all of the maintence it has required since I bought it six month ago-- I am 25 hundred bucks in the hole and I am really hoping to save a few more.

[myred318i]

hexhead.... I feel your pain. I've done the t-stat, the WP would've been no big deal. I have the same DIY bug to save a few bucks.

Drain radiator - unhook hoses - let the fluid drain, depending on how you view the annoying varmints running around, keep it in a bucket or don't let pets around. They drink it and die Period.

1. Remove fan. I use a BIG crescent wrench bought from Sears. Paid $16, you could buy a 32mm wrench for $40+, and use it every blue moon that you actually need a wrench that size.:D

2. Remove air box and tubing back to air flow sensor. (Bentleys says to remove AFM to get to T-stat housing. I didn't, you can get to all the bolt heads with a socket extension)

3. Remove T-stat housing. PAY ATTENTION TO HOW ITS ORIENTED SO YOU CAN BOLT BACK THE SAME WAY. Otherwise it'll look right but leak like a SOB. Ask me how I know.:D

4. Undo water pump (I haven't done this, but it's easy to get to when the t-stat is out.

5. After it's all replaced and buttoned up. Refill you fluid, start the car, turn on your heat to high and let the car idle to normal operating temp. I looked all over for a bleed valve. Never found it. Unscrewed the one on the t-stat and never did get anything to run out. :dunno I just left the cap off the resevoir and let it run. As the fluid circulated, the level will drop down, I just kept adding until it was full. I've never had a problem.


A word about coolant. I thought about going the Prestone route (or whatever name brand you want to insert) The parts guy at the BMW dealer said that there really is a difference, and that the other stuff can be harmful to the aluminum in your engine. It's about twice the cost a regular A.F., but I justifed the expense on the great cost savings I was making by DIY :)

I wouldn't call it an EASY job, but it wasn't that bad. The worst part for me was cleaning up all the antifreeze on my garage floor. That alone would be worth the cost of having someone else do the job, for some people. But we're different right ;)

Good luck!

[hexhead]

Thanks Myred318i :clap:

Can anyone verify the location of the engine block drain screw? The BMW E34 website indicates it's below cylinder #6, is it the same for the M60 engine?

[myred318i]

hexhead... I could'nt find it (or reach it) as I don't have a lift. I was basically on my back with the car up on ramps. Here's what I did. Up by the firewall, directly in front of the driver, there is an auxillary coolant pump. I'm not sure if this is only applicable to the V8, but anyway there is a small hose that runs down to the block. I disconnected there as well when I was draining coolant from the engine. (Probably where most of the mess was created, 'cause it's almost impossible to get anything positioned to catch fluid.) Anyway, I felt that that was about as good as getting to any drain plug on the block.

One advantage to the BMW coolant, it's BLUE. It's a real good indicator that new coolant has been flushed throughout the system. Looks like you cleaned your toilet with Tidy Bowl.

I bought 2 gallons at the dealer, the bought 3 gallons of distilled water at the grocery store ($.89 per gallon ;) )

Pour 1/2 gallon of water out, and refill with coolant. Then fill the coolant jug with another 1/2 gallon of water out of the 2nd water jug. Obviously you can make 4 gallons of 50/50 mix. The job takes a little over 2 gallons, counting my screwups with having to undo/redo the f*&^ing t-stat about 3 times to get it on right so it didn't leak, I used up the rest of the 3rd gallon.... but I have a whole gallon of premixed coolant in my garage if I should ever need it. :D

Have fun, brother knuckle-buster. :biglaughb

[hexhead]

FYI. I found this post by KCLARK that sheds some light on the location of the drain plug; "To find out whether the vehicle your considering has the Nikasil or Alusil Block, you will need to lift the hood and on right front of the car look along the 3rd cylinder above the coolant drain bolt." Lets suppose I find the drain plug and open her, do I need to worry about replacing the "sealing washers" as indicated in Bentley's manual? If so, where can I purchase them?

BTW- Thanks for pointing out the color of BMW's AF. I had a local BMW dealer do a coolant flush a few months ago and the color of fluid in my car is Prestone greenish yellow. You don't think they would have put the wrong type of fluid in my car? Or, is there another acceptable AF with the Prestone greenish yellow color?

I bought a few gallon of distilled water this morning ($0.59/gal). :laugh BMW coolant ($18.00/gal) :eek: