For the lack of a $5 plastic plug"

[Tallyho322]

My 2000 Z3 M Roadster is leaking antifreeze and I started looking around the cooling system for the culprit... found the radiator drain plug leaking.

Put a socket on it, and it was loose...and the head came right off.

Spent the the day at my local BMW dealer, and every auto parts store in the area, but no one had a replacement.

Spent an hour on-line looking, and it seems that the specific plug fits a whole bunch of BMW models...hard to believe not one auto parts store carried the plug.

I was was able to back out the broken piece of the plug out, with just a flat blade screw driver. Recovered the o-ring too.

But it now have to order a $5 plug and pay $15 to ship it. What a pain.

Anyone have a similR issue and come up with a "local" solution?

Greg

[bluptgm3]

Clean thoroughly and superglue the head back on. Then only tighten enough to seat the o-ring

Replace ASAP

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[BimmerBreaker]

Clean thoroughly and superglue the head back on. Then only tighten enough to seat the o-ring


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Would't trust that on a radiator drain plug...

I would have just hopped over to a junkyard or something to grab one off a car there. Aftermarket brass screws are also available

[rf900rkw]

Get the correct part, then install it to the correct torque, roughly 0.01 ft-lb. Probably ought to order a new bleeder screw, alo. Whoever made sure that drainplug was "good-n-tight" likely did the same to the bleeder.

[Tallyho322]

Thanks all.

I dont think I would trust one that was glued together...

Will order replacement from Pelican or Autohauz I guess. Maybe better order 2��

And the brass purge screw while a am at it...but I have had it out already and it seems ok.

But since both both of these can dump the coolant, better be safe.

Greg

[rf900rkw]

The plastic plugs, bleeder and drain, are absolutely fine... until some gorilla tightens them as if they were steel. The brass plug is so said gorilla can rip the threads out of the plastic expansion tank. The sealing of the plugs is radial via the o-ring; it requires zero torque to seal properly.

[E.Hands]

A steel bolt has the same metric thread, accepts the o-ring and only requires hand tightening.

[Tallyho322]

A steel bolt has the same metric thread, accepts the o-ring and only requires hand tightening.

Thanks. Maybe I can try this tomorrow and see if she holds.

Greg

[bluptgm3]

Go stainless


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[Vintage42]

I bought a brass drain plug when I replaced the radiator, but am staying with the plastic plug after reading here that it's a safety feature. Overtighten the plastic and break the plug. Overtighten the brass and ruin the radiator.

[E.Hands]

Remember: plastic threads and finger tight will be alright. Frequent periodic checks have proven this to me for many years.

[steveo539]

Wrecking yard. Until the new one shows up. Then throw the spare in the glove box.

[Tallyho322]

Wrecking yard. Until the new one shows up. Then throw the spare in the glove box.

I don't want to have to drain the new antifreeze out and reuse it....so I decided to wait until the part comes later this week. Had a M10 bolt in my hand today at the hardware store, but decided I could wait a few days for the right part to get here.

Weather in the Chicagoarea sucks this weekend anyway, so not driving the Roadster.

Greg

[bluptgm3]

For a couple of days it would be just fine. I’m not suggesting a long term solution.

[LannVouivre]

Am I the only one here who has managed to undertighten these?

[BimmerBreaker]

Remember: plastic threads and finger tight will be alright

I'm gonna remember that

Am I the only one here who has managed to undertighten these?

I have on multiple occasions started filling systems with no drain plugs at all... undertighten though? Don't think so. Maybe the threads are stripped on yours?

[ECSTuning]

Remember: plastic threads and finger tight will be alright

Words to live by right here.


And for anyone else that finds this thread and goes "I need that" it's part number 17111719384, I even have a note on our site for the part that basically says "you're going to strip the old one", guess I should add or snap the head off.

[Tallyho322]

Does the cooling system really hold 11 quarts of coolant? That seems like a lot, and I did not get that much in my catch pan when I pulled the plastic drain plug out of the radiator.

That is like 3 gallons...right?

Greg

[bluptgm3]

That’s including the volume remaining in the block. The drain plug is between the head pipes in the side of the block.


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[LannVouivre]

I have on multiple occasions started filling systems with no drain plugs at all... undertighten though? Don't think so. Maybe the threads are stripped on yours?

Nope, just was too concerned about stripping them. Whenever I see a phillips head fastener, I have flashbacks of all the screws I've stripped out.

[rf900rkw]

Ummmm, not a phillips. It's a straight slot. Two actually.

[LannVouivre]

That doesn't make it any better!