E46 330i - Help with coolant flush.

[viskop 99]

All,

Anyone willing to help me flush and refill the coolant in my 2000 BMW 330i? If someone is willing to help, pls name your price (case of beers, or 2 cases ??). I can come to you (closer to Johnsonville the better). And I can only do weekends (pref Saturdays).

Story is: I bought the 330i on Monday afternoon 20 Aug, I drove it home from Winger BMW to Grenada Village, halfway the engine light came on and stayed on. I parked the car at home and Tuesday afternoon I popped the hood, opened the radiator cap and there was hardly anything in the tank. So I topped it up with tap water, turned the car to on, and the engine light stayed on. I left it overnight, and Wednesday afternoon I checked the water level again, and it was fine, so I started the car...and the engine light came on for 1 second, then turned off. I then drove the car to New World Churton Park, no issues.

Also drove the car yesterday all day, no issues. So I want to flush the coolant system and fill it up again, and if anyone can help, that will be appreciated. It seems the price for a flush is from $88 upwards. Yesterday I bought 3.78L of Prestone Concentrate Antifreeze/coolant at Repco, but checking some youtube videos, they were all over the place, and no video was the same.

 

Thanks.

Charl

[hotwire 352]

I would be inclined to get the cooling system checked / pressure tested first. The coolant has gone down for a reason - that needs to be determined.

[viskop 99]

13 minutes ago, hotwire said:

I would be inclined to get the cooling system checked / pressure tested first. The coolant has gone down for a reason - that needs to be determined.

Awesome, appreciate the suggestion, and I will rather do that.

Cheers.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

take the coolant you brought at Repco back, and buy genuine BMW coolant from dealer. it is same price/L as the repco stuff so you might as well use it, and is the correct stuff for the car.

[viskop 99]

28 minutes ago, _ethrty-Andy_ said:

take the coolant you brought at Repco back, and buy genuine BMW coolant from dealer. it is same price/L as the repco stuff so you might as well use it, and is the correct stuff for the car.

Cheers Andy, much appreciated ?.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

working on your old 330i today ha. such a shame to pull this car apart, it is very good condition!

[zero 1162]

Yes, definitely get the correct coolant, as the non bmw stuff can damage the bmw aluminium parts.

 

And definitely get a pressure test on the cooling system to find the leak. We can help you source parts when you find the leak.

[viskop 99]

5 hours ago, _ethrty-Andy_ said:

working on your old 330i today ha. such a shame to pull this car apart, it is very good condition!

That is life, Andy. I always take very good care of my car/s...always have, always will. ?

[viskop 99]

4 hours ago, zero said:

Yes, definitely get the correct coolant, as the non bmw stuff can damage the bmw aluminium parts.

And definitely get a pressure test on the cooling system to find the leak. We can help you source parts when you find the leak.

Cheers Nathan, much appreciated. ?

[KwS 2425]

I cant help with this, but i'm curious, does low coolant on a E46 trigger the CEL?

[gjm 3258]

10 minutes ago, KwS said:

I cant help with this, but i'm curious, does low coolant on a E46 trigger the CEL?

Dunno about the CEL, but I think there's a low coolant warning light.

[hotwire 352]

^^^^ Yep no CEL but low coolant warning.

[viskop 99]

...in my case I need to replace the coolant thermostat and housing. Getting this done tomorrow (Frid 31 Aug) at Winger BMW. ?