# Bmw Coolant



## no_limits_known (Oct 10, 2007)

*running green coolant....problem?*

I have an 89 535i E34 with the m30 engine. i recently had my water pump replaced (because of an accident) as along with the rad. The Shop filled my car with GREEN coolant. I am told this is almost death for my car and that it should be BLUE coolant only. My mechanic is telling me its fine and "its all the same" I find it hard to believe. Can anyone help me clear up this confusion. BMW wants 40 bucks per 4 liters and I need 2 of them :S.........any suggestions?


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## BMW_tech (Sep 20, 2007)

Coolant System Repairs

In conjunction with any repairs where aluminum or metal cooling system components are replaced, drain and completely replace the long-term antifreeze/coolant. These components require corrosion protection that's only available with new long-term antifreeze/coolant. 

For all other repairs involving the draining of partial quantities of coolant, replenish those drained quantities with new long-term antifreeze/coolant. It is important in order to to maintain corrosion protection, to not reuse any drained coolant. Always recycle or properly dispose of used engine coolant.

Initial Filling at the Factory and Refilling

The antifreeze concentration of the coolant installed at the factory is valid for all areas of the U.S. and Canadian markets. This should be checked before the beginning of each winter for sufficient protection against freezing. An antifreeze tester is required to correctly determine the level of antifreeze concentration.

Diluted or Contaminated Long-Term Antifreeze/Coolant

The corrosion inhibitors of long-term and short-term antifreeze/coolants do not work together, so it is not advisable to mix the two products. Topping off a long-term antifreeze/coolant solution with a short-term antifreeze/coolant solution dilutes the level of corrosion protection. In an emergency situation, when long-term antifreeze is not available, top off with water until a long-term antifreeze/coolant is obtained. Since adding water will dilute the level of antifreeze protection, always remember to check and adjust the antifreeze concentration as necessary after such situations.

The color of BMW-Long Term Antifreeze/Coolant is blue; however, the colors of other locally available long and short-term coolants vary. These colors include green, orange, pink, red or yellow. Mixing BMW Long-Term Antifreeze/Coolant with these different color and types of antifreeze/coolants can result in a discolored solution in the cooling system. If a discolored antifreeze/coolant solution is found in the cooling system, determine the cause, repair the vehicle as needed and, if necessary, replace the antifreeze/coolant completely to ensure adequate corrosion protection.

BMW Long-Term Antifreeze/Coolant Chemistry

Long-term antifreeze/coolants utilize Organic Acid Technology (OAT). OAT-type antifreeze/coolant solutions use organic acid salts in place of the inorganic corrosion inhibitor additives found in traditional short-term antifreeze/coolants. OAT-type corrosion inhibitors are slower acting, last longer and provide excellent long-term corrosion protection for various coolant system aluminum and metal components, along with no required change interval.

BMW's Long-Term Antifreeze/Coolant (82 14 1 467 704) is a Hybrid OAT (HOAT) solution, since it also has added silicates to provide quick-acting protection for aluminum surfaces. Silicates help repair surface erosion caused by cavitation in the water pump. 

BMW's Long-Term Antifreeze/Coolant does not contain nitrites or phosphates and has been formulated to prevent excessive silicate gel precipitation, significantly reducing the possibility of harmful deposit formation. 

BMW Antifreeze/Coolant Maintenance Summary

BMW's Long-Term Antifreeze/Coolant can be used for all model years; however, its use does not eliminate or supercede a stated change interval. Always maintain the antifreeze/coolant in accordance with the cooling system maintenance requirements outlined in the corresponding vehicle's Service and Warranty Information Booklet. 


EVERY 3 YEARS ON : (E-39) M5 and (E-52) Z8

EVERY 4 YEARS ON : All other vehicles

MODEL YEAR 2004 AND LATER DO NOT REQUIRE COOLANT REPLACEMENT MAINTENANCE.


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## edgar620 (Aug 26, 2007)

I think the lifetime fluid thing is crap. How can antifreeze not have to be replaced. That is the same thing as lifetime tranny fluid. All fluids break down and need to be replaced. There is not a single oil or fluid that will not decompose over time.


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## BMW_tech (Sep 20, 2007)

edgar620 said:


> I think the lifetime fluid thing is crap. How can antifreeze not have to be replaced. That is the same thing as lifetime tranny fluid. All fluids break down and need to be replaced. There is not a single oil or fluid that will not decompose over time.


*Lifetime :* the period of time that something lasts.A product's service life is its expected lifetime, or the acceptable period of use in service. It is the time that any manufactured item can be expected to be 'serviceable' or supported by it's originating manufacturer.

Expected service life consists of business policy, using tools and calculations from maintainability and reliability analysis. Service life is a unique commitment made by the item's manufacturer and is usually specified as a median. Actual service life is the maximal recorded life of a product.

Service life is different from a predicted life, or MTTF/MTFB (Mean Time to Failure/Mean Time Between Failures). Predicted life is useful such that a manufacturer may estimate, by hypothetical modeling and calculation, a general rule for which it will honor warranty claims, or planning for mission fulfillment. The difference between service life and predicted life is most clear when considering mission time and reliability in comparison to MTBF and service life.

There are other factors to consider,it is not always the fluid to be blamed.I once saw a lease return from a Rabbi when I was still in NY.This E-38 was filthy,all the badges have been removed,trunk full of garbage,and smelled like garbage.I drove the vehicle and it ran great,considering it had 130,000 miles.Upon performing an inspection of the vehicle,to my surprise *everything was the original part as it came off the plant.* The engine oil was sludge,almost mollasses like.Never made a single "tick" or set off a warning lamp for low oil level,heck not even pressure.But the car ran great and never gave the Rabbi any problems.He simply drove the vehicle regularly,wherever he had to go.You can do all the preventative maintenance to your hearts content,does that assure you of trouble free operation of your drivetrain components ? What about the "driving profile" ? Short/frequent trips to the store and back. Would that be enough to reach operating temperature to ensure proper lubrication and protection ? I guarantee that when you drained your fluid,there were metal particles contained in the small magnet on the drain plug.Was that due to viscosity breakdown ? That fluid would have lasted 30,000 miles in another similar transmission and maybe more if no problems or symptoms of gear engagement.Those guidelines are according to the manufacturers requirements and specifications and not the laws of men.You can put in the magical jism or mud from the fountain of youth.Does the manufacturer spend time,money,and tons of research and tests
on the product they built ? I can change my oil every 100 miles,does that guarantee my engine to last 3 lifetime ? I can already hear the hydraulic lifters tick and the chain tensioner grind by the time I refill the oil during the second "change".Would I be free from misfire faults and fuel mixture problems ? If I change my fuel pump every 60,000 miles,that would guarantee a no service engine soon warning lamp ? Do I have to use 150 octane plus a bottle of octane booster so my transmission works in unison with the engine adaptions ?
Don't hate the playah and stop playah hatin'.Hate the game ! You wouldn't believe what I have seen and the amount of vehicles I have repaired.Theres never a dull moment,this text you are so upset about doesn't even come close to the problems I see everyday.*Do I believe in life after Death ?* Lifetime,definately....there are symptoms/warnings/and diagnostic procedures.


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## edgar620 (Aug 26, 2007)

That is why the fluids have to be changed, because of metal particles and things like that. If the fluids were operating in systems that were theoretically perfect then they would not have to be changed but that is not how things are. BMW claims that certain fluids don't have to be replaced like the tranny fluid but metal particles will be everywhere and the fluid will break down over time. For this reason ALL fluids have to be replaced and there can't be a fluid that will last the lifetime of the vehicle. Now if you change it every 100 miles that is not enough time for the fluid to breakdown so it is not necessary to change it that often. They have to be changed according to how the vehicle is driven and where it is used. 

By the way that dude is a dmbass for not taking care of his car. I can only imagine what kind of condition the car must have been in. I would have hated to have been you and had to do the inspection on that car. I bet that thing took forever to get back in a decent condition. I'm still looking for a clutch and flywheel that aren't stock. I can't really find a well-known kit for my M3. I don't know if you know of any good aftermarket kits.


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## edgar620 (Aug 26, 2007)

Also do you know of a DIY site to replace the clutch and flywheel. I have done it on other cars and don't know if anything is different on an M3. I don't see why anything would be dofferent, I just don't know if i'll run into any electrical problems by doing it myself.


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## njoni007 (Aug 19, 2007)

It is easy to know if you can retrofit. Remove the Airbag, and check in the upper part of the steering mount if there is a connector with more than few pins (actual pins, not dead/reserved pins). The connector should be black in colour. All E46 have an Electronicaly controlled throtle (motorized), and you don't need anything extra under the hood).


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## Brian McKinney (Sep 22, 2006)

anything about adding Redline Water Wetter, I used it when racing and use it now and seems to work great in high heat regions


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## poloxi (Feb 7, 2008)

*Topping off by mixing coolants types*

How wary should i be if i top off the radiator with 1 cup of 100% green coolant? Dealer says no wary.


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## jsc (Sep 3, 2003)

poloxi said:


> How wary should i be if i top off the radiator with 1 cup of 100% green coolant? Dealer says no wary.


Best to use a cup of distilled water (250ml or so will only change a 50/50 mixture to about 52% water, 48% coolant), pick up some of the BMW coolant at the next opportunity at the dealer.


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## kyleh200 (Jun 26, 2012)

Awesome Stuff BMW Tech. I wanted to share some additional info i obtained. I obtained a coolant leak in my 06' 525i and decided to research coolant for my BMW. The forum comments vary some with the conservative side being use BMW coolant only. From what I have determined BMW coolant is a Hybrid Organic Acid technology (OAT). From BMW Tech (forum post) BMW coolant is nitrate and phosphate free and contains silicates to provide quick-acting protection for aluminum surfaces and that silicates help repair surface erosion caused by cavitation in the water pump. I want to address some of this which I think is BMW technical literature. Traditional coolant is ethylene glycol with silicates for quick acting corrosion protection but quick acting decreases over time faster. OAT is slow acting corrosion protection and creates the "Extended life or Long term" corrosion protection. BMW uses the hybrid method by adding silicates to OAT. I still have to research why removing nitrates is beneficial sense zerex adds them as below. So with that said a new car should use Hybrid OAT but after years of service plain OAT should suffice in my opinion i.e. fast acting is only necessary when the galvanic system has no slim on it. The only issue is the above mentioned silicate repair of surface erosion caused by cavitation. Erosion cannot be repaired by silicates they may help prevent cavitation which is why the nitrates are added to the zerex G-05 but of course over time the silicates will be less effective thereby reducing the long life ability of the antifreeze "if" they are needed. Below is a quick search of various products. Preston was very liberal with their ingredients while zerex required some searching of the MSDS and tech literature. Pentofrost had some good sales info but no exact details and BMW and GLACELF do not post their products online from what I can tell.

Summary I rate them as BMW best Glacelf/Pentofrost (these 3 are Hybrid OAT's) next and Preston 3rd since the relative cost of all these is not that different use what BMW recommends. BMW coolant.

Technical review of coolants

Prestone® Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant (AF-2000) 
Ethylene Glycol, 2-Ethyl Hexanoic Acid Sodium Salt, Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Neodecanoic Acid Sodium Salt, Sodium Tolytriazole, Dye, n-Propanol, Polypropylene Glycol. $14/gallon

Zerex G-05 COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS ETHYLENE GLYCOL 107-21-1 >=90-<=100%,DIETHYLENE GLYCOL 111-46-6 >=1.5-<5%,SODIUM BENZOATE 532-32-1 >=1.5-<5%,SODIUM TETRABORATE 1330-43-4 >=1.5-<5%
lower-silicate, reduced pH, phosphate free, It contains deposit
control additives for protection from hard water deposits
and scale. It contains a high quality defoamer
system and will not harm hoses, plastics or original
vehicle finishes. Silicon, from Silicate 240ppm Zerex G 05 is a
nitrite containing coolant designed to protect diesel engine
cylinder liners from cavitation. 
Antifreeze Glycols mass % 94
Corrosion Inhibitors mass% 5.4
Water mass % 2.0
Silicon PPM 252-308
Phosphates PPM 30 max

$19 amazon.com

Pentofrost NF (long term silicates added) is an environmentally friendly Nitrate free
Antifreeze concentrate for multipurpose applications
in water-cooled engines. It does not contain any
nitrites, amines or phosphorous containing additives.
Pentofrost NF protects all material used in cooling
systems and is recommended for non ferrous metals
and year-round use. Meets ASTM D-3306.

$15/ ½ gallon or $30 per gallon

From RM Euro BMW coolant $25/gallon Glacelf coolant $6/liter = $22/gallon (this is organic and inorganic/silicate corrosion protection) neither state anything about nitrates or phosphates but one would have to assume the BMW is free of them.


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