DIY: 2006 BMW X5 3.0i PARTIAL Cooling Overhaul @ 116K miles
The last time I did the cooling overhaul in my 1998 528i (E39) at 90K, it did the “overkill cooling overhaul”, basically everything had to do with the cooling was replaced. See link below:
ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM REPLACEMENT Tips and Tricks (Very Long, Enjoy!)
In retrospect, it was a bit overkill. As time goes on, the bimmerfest E39 community learns more about lifespan of each component. Below is a list of approx. lifespan that I gather from years of users’ feedback:
- Belts x2 (main belt and AC belt) ---> 70K-90K.
- Pulleys bearing: usually dry out after 40K, a bit of noise at 80K, then noisier at 115K (current situation in my X5), then potentially falling apart at 150K throwing the belt out, unless it was greased every 40K.
- Fan Clutch should last to about 150K. In the M62 V8, it can blow up at less than 60K. But in the I6 M52, M54 engines, the fan clutch easily lasts some 140K.
- Fan Blade should last 150K or so. Do not use aftermarket Fan Blade such as the MTC brand, been there done that, I’d never use MTC brand again.
- Radiator should last to 150K or so.
- The 2 big Radiator hoses easily last beyond 150K, I’d replace them at 160K-180K interval.
- The smaller heater hoses should last some 160K or so.
- Thermostat usually go out (broken prong) at 80K-90K or so. Once I removed the old Tstat with 116K, it appears OK, but with the new Tstat in, the heat is MUCH better for winter!
- Coolant reservoir may burst any time after 110K.
- The factory WP itself should last some 130K or so. My factory WP with 116K has slight play. A tiny piece of black impeller (size = 2mm) was retrieved inside the engine block. WP had slight play on bearing but no leak.
- The WP Pulley sometimes crack at 140K. I replaced mine for peace of mind.
So, for my 2006 X5 with 116K, I need to replace the worn cooling parts now. Then do the other items (radiator, big radiator hoses, fan clutch, fan blade) later at 150K-160K or so.
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Before we get into this E53 X5 partial cooling overhaul, you may want to read some of the DIYs I did in the past, it will make this job much easier…
* 1998 528I Cooling Overhaul:
ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM REPLACEMENT Tips and Tricks (Very Long, Enjoy!)
* Fan Clutch Re-installation trick using Poultry cord. This will make re-installation of the fan clutch much easier.
DIY - Fan Clutch Nut Installation - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums
* How to re-grease the 3 pulley bearings on a 1998 528i:
DIY: Re-grease the 3 belt pulleys - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums
* E39-M54 How to bleed cooling system:
DIY: Bleeding the E39 Cooling System - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums
* The 2006 X5 splash shield screws locations etc:
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...se-fluids.html
* The 2006 X5 Water Pump, Thermostat DIY by Wayne's World:
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...-3-0-auto.html
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So,
my “116K Partial Cooling List” is as below.
BTW, you should use realoem.com for parts lookup.
Local NAPA:
- AC pulley: Gates pulley made by NTN Canada: about $18. Note that normally you need to buy the entire mechanical assembly for about $45-$50 by INA. However, if you want only the pulley, then use NAPA Gates pulley. Do not buy Autozone or Advance Auto pulleys, they are made in China. The NAPA Gates pulley is high-quality stuff made by NTN in Canada. The Gates pulley has round edge, so you can’t re-install the dust cover, instead I smeared a bit of grease on the outside to cover the lip for extra measure. Many people do nothing (no dust cover) and it is fine too.
Eeuroparts.com (Free shipping > $99):
- Belts: Contitech x2
- HEPU Water Pump
- Wahler Thermostat (including housing and gasket)
- Pulleys x2 (My AC pulley is mechanical, but Tensioner pulley is hydraulic)
- Brass bleeder screw
Total ~
$174.00.
Husker BMW dealer in Lincoln Nebraska
Chevrolet GMC Cadillac BMW Mercedes Benz Parts and Accessories
- Coolant Reservoir: 17117573781 ---> $76
- WP Pulley: 11511436590 ---> $24
Total
~$100
Grand Total: $18 + $174 + $100 = $292 for this partial cooling overhaul.
Plus Prestone concentrated coolant
$13/gallon at Walmart, I bought 2 gallons but used only a bit more than 1 gallon. Don’t forget to buy some distilled water. The debate between BMW coolant vs Prestone is out there. I have used Prestone for 30 years, zero issues, so there you go.
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PROCEDURE
1. Again, please read the above links!!!
---> For all connections (WP O-ring, O-rings inside the hoses), I applied a thin smear of grease, it make installation very smooth.
2. Drain coolant, if still new, re-use it, but use a coffee filter paper to filter it before putting it back into your engine. This is because bugs, debris etc. usually get to the coolant in the collecting pan. Mine is 4 years old, so I use new Prestone coolant + distilled water.
- The lower rad hose can be a pain (see link above @ Wayne's World), or you can simply drain the petcock and just let it drain.
3. Fan Clutch-Fan Blade combo off. Remove Fan Shroud (plastic rivets x3).
During re-installation, use some antiseize on Fan Clutch and the “Poultry Trick” in the link above.
4. AC Pulley is Torx 60, if you don’t have the T60, then use T50 on the Pulley Center Bolt, it is fine too.
If short of budget, you can re-grease old pulley (gently pry the seal and inject some grease into it). I use new pulleys (Gates x1, INA x2).
5. Main Pulley is Allen 8mm or 5/16” type. BTW, make a note of the belt routing for installation. Tons of photos on the web re M54 belt layout.
6. Old Water Pump: Pulley is held by 10mm bolts. WP held by 10-mm nuts. To remove WP: some use extractor bolts. I use a pipe and gently tap the WP, once the gap is shown, pry it out.
During re-installation, finger tighten the WP bolts, then stop!
Wait until the belt is installed, then tighten the WP Pulley further. I use 1 finger on the ratchet to prevent stripping the bolts. You need to look up torque values.
7. Thermostat Housing: d/c connector then 10-mm bolts x3. Engine Hook: 11mm and 13-mm bolts.
Clean Tstat mating surface with steel wool. Just remove trace of old gasket so it is smooth. Do NOT score this surface b/c you will have leak. Keep it smooth.
8. New HEPU Water Pump: I applied a bit of grease on the O-ring to make installation easier. I used new BMW Pulley for peace of mind.
9. To remove the hose from Tstat Housing, pry metal clip out, then ROTATE the hose a tiny bit (you cannot rotate much because of the groove, however this tiny bit of rotation break the seal between the O-ring and the plastic housing). Then slide the hose out. It is challenging though!
*** New Wahler Thermostat: I also applied a bit of grease on the seal.
*** Make sure you use proper torque, it is easy to strip these WP and thermostat bolts. I simply snug the bolt, then use one finger on the ratchet to tighten it a bit and that is all you need.
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