Coolant Expansion Tank Options
 

Many brands of coolant expansion tanks online- I want to avoid the "bad" brands but hoping there was a lower cost option than the OEM so hoping for recommendations....


Also, I hope the Forum is ok with these specific threads/titles. My past experience is you can waste a lot of time searching threads for info many may want sorting through posts with unrelated titles. Just hoping it simplifies for the next searcher- thanks!

I can only suggest OEM. That was the choice I went with.

Curious though, as to what others have experienced.

Behr is probably the OE supplier. I'll happily use them vs. Genuine.

When my original tank blew in the driveway (whew). I bought an OE Behr, to get up and running so I could get to the shop for a new cooling system without a tow.

When comparing a brand new OE Behr with 30 miles on it to an OEM tank, there were noticeable differences in the quality, and most importantly the welds.

That was my experience.

Interesting to note. I have had radically mixed results with Behr Mercedes components- some catastrophic. I hate plastic....

@Happy -- That is good to point out and is often the case, but not always obvious, that a listed as OE or OEM part is not necessarily made to the same standards as the factory original or replacement. That being said, sometimes an aftermarket or factory replacement (usually with a different part number) part can be an improvement as well. Everyone seems to have a different idea of what OE or OEM is but good to know either way.

For the record, these are the definitions that I use:
https://blog.fcpeuro.com/the-great-d...vs-aftermarket

OEM means third tier substitute when I say it.

That makes sense. In those terms, then genuine would be my suggestion. I’m obviously not a parts counter operator. LoL..

Jokes aside though, the Behr OE expansion tank is not the same quality as the genuine, that is the point I was trying to make.

Yeah. And put that way, I don't know that I would call it an OE part. My view on aftermarket OE parts is that they should be identical.

And, of course, Mahle/Behr further confuse the issue by selling a standard and a Premium line. I wouldn't be surprised if the premium line is OE quality (or at least close enough) and the standard line is OEM quality. I have no complaints about the Premium line that the PO put in my X5.

It’s a bit confusing. I did find this,

An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is generally perceived as a company that produces parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer.

However, the term is also used in several other ways, which causes ambiguity. It sometimes means the maker of a system that includes other companies' subsystems, an end-product producer, an automotive part that is manufactured by the same company that produced the original part used in the automobile's assembly, or a value-added reseller.

The underlined is how I was taught in the 80’s when I first started wrenching.


:iagree:

I believe Modine was the OE supplier of these, for my 3.0i at least.

From my notes on my car:

BMW Coolant Expansion tank
17-11-7-573-781

3/15/2013 at 158191 miles, PO had dealer install Genuine BMW expansion tank, made by Modine. Has 2012 date stamp, BMW, and Modine logos on it.

This cracked about 2 years ago and I replaced with a Rein, which is working fine, and is functionally identical to the Genuine BMW one it replaced.

Attachment 82313

Plastic is great against corrosion, not so great with temperature cycles. My original cooling system went 17 years, and 96,000 miles.

Crazy though, how an expansion tank failure can cause catastrophic engine failure. :yikes:

Had I not been outside on the driveway when the failure occurred, the thing would have probably overheated while idling, parked.

I thank God I was present when it bursted. As soon as I heard it, I cut the power. It never had a chance to heat up. :whew:

Standard Motor Products (was a very good brand back in the day) makes an improved replacement, has anyone tried that one?

Mine looked like it had been replaced (W/BMW sticker on it) when I bought the vehicle with 192,000 km on it and I now have 412,000 and all is well but I also switched to the 1.4 bar cap somewhere in between.

So the original went 12 years, and 158,000 miles. Not bad! The replacement may have been defective. :dunno: It did make it 7 years though, which I think is still pretty decent.

There are some OE Behr installations that I know of, that didn’t even make 2 full years. A couple resulted in engine failure. :scared:

still waiting on somebody (morimoto, moroso) to make an e53 aluminum version. I know that ship has probably sailed, but still making offerings to my deities. one day, one day...

Yeah, that would be nice!

In the E39 5-series forum, Behr reservoir (made in China) was terrible with many people losing their engine bc of Behr.

In the 1980s and 1990s etc., Behr was the original supplier for BMW, MB etc.

According to FCP Euro, Genuine reservoir is $110 or so . Dealer price is ~ $98.00.

Somehow the Rein brand (made in China) ~ $42.00 got a 5/5 review on FCPEuro website)...

You definitely don't want to buy a mishimoto tank.

Really, though, these are the sorts of things that you just buy from FCPEuro and replace on a fixed interval.

GET THE BMW BRAND -assures you the best quality and if you are interested in a cheaper version Rein though its made in china- I get my parts from FCP euro there in CT- the lifetime warranty is the best and you dont have to pay for a replacement ever....
I use Rein and BMW original - all from FCP
good luck

I went with FCP Euro, and the genuine BMW tank kit. Not really expecting another lifetime of service from my X5, but I hate surprises....


Enjoyed the thread discussion- as always- Thanks!

Did this on the e38/9 world. OE / Dealer Behr is good. Behr Service that gets sold over the parts counter is garbage. Hold any non OE in one hand, and OE in the other - the weight difference is noticeable. For stuff that you need to make it home, OE is one of the few choices.

GOOD CHOICE OP

I think it is a right of passage for every E39 e46 e53 owner to replacethe Expansion Tank, just like replacing a CV Boot is for any AWD models of the era...LOL

Has anyone tried the aluminum expansion tank from Turner Motorsports?

The page says its e53-specific (M54-only, however).

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-1...sion-tank-kit/

The fact that it's also for e46 and e83 make me wonder how plug and play this thing is.

I eventually did go with the Standard Motor products tank, comes with everything, fit perfectly and does look like an improvement.

OE is different from most of the replacements I've seen. It seems more dense with a different texture plastic from what I've seen.

On the E46 forums I see posts that Modine is the OE manufacturer. Have not been able to confirm though.

I'd probably try that brand if I could find it.

Regarding Modine, the following post shows the failed Genuine BMW tank, manufactured 2012, dealer replaced, in my 2001 3.0i, with the Modine logo shown in the last photo.

https://xoutpost.com/1204244-post30.html

I'll be removing possibly an '06 OEM tank this week. I have two brands as replacements. OEM Nissens vs Rein. I'll compare and take pictures of all three.