Dumb Question About Bleeding Coolant in 3.0i

[BimmerM3inGA]

FWIW: I have done numerous cooling system overhauls on BMWs. Probably around 20, including the 3.0 M54 in my wife's E85 Z4.

What has me stumped is the electric water pump in the E53 3.0. This is my usual procedure for bleeding coolant:

1. Engine off
2. Set heat controls to max heat
3. Loosen bleed screw
4. Remove expansion tank cap
5. Slowly pour in coolant until it comes out of the bleeder
6. Start the engine with the heater still on full heat
7. Watch the bleeder until a steady stream of coolant comes out with no air bubbles while keeping the expansion tank topped off
8. This usually takes 10-15 minutes, then shut off engine, tighten bleeder and install expansion tank cap
9. Let the car sit overnight, then loosen the bleeder to "burp" the system
10. Remove expansion tank cap and top off if necessary
11. Then I usually check the level after a couple of days - just to make sure it's good.

What's got me confused is that as soon as I turn on the key, the electric pump starts and sprays coolant out of the expansion tank and the bleeder. So it's impossible to keep it topped off or even tell if air is coming out.

Is there a trick to doing this? Can I unplug the electric pump while I'm bleeding the system? Or, is there a way to run the engine without the electric pump being activated?