Coolant
 

After changing the engine oil and oil cooler gasket, i decided to take a look in the reservoir. Glad I did because it was below the minimum. I notice though, that the antifreeze was green. I thought bmw coolants are blue...

Is there is any wrong with using this current antifreeze. I have 2 gallons worst of the pink vw antifreeze. Can it be replaced with that?

Use a straw and funnel some out to make sure it is green. I thought so too for mine until I took it out and it was blue. I would recommend flushing it and refilling with the BMW blue.

Do not use anything but approved BMW fluids in your X5. That means either the BMW branded fluids OR fluids that are certified to meet or exceed the specs for the system itself.

Short answer, no your pink VW won't work.

Thanks for the quick response.

My wife just got home, so I will give it a couple of hours before popping the top off stick a straw in.

BTW... Anyone use Pentofrost NF ?

Green or blue is no problem. Don't put in the pink or orange.

Just checked and it's green.


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Is there DIY for draining the coolant from this vehicle?


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Yes, I use Pentofrost NF in all my BMW's. It is the BMW OEM coolant and is blue.

Pentofrost it is then... Thanks

What is everyones thought flushing the coolant system with simple green?

I've done it.... When my oil cooler was leaking, it caused some oil to get in the coolant lines.

So I drained, replaced with water + simple green and ran the bleed procedure. It caused a lot of foaming. Drained again and kept running the bleed procedure with a garden hose in the coolant reservoir until all foaming stopped.

Drained and replaced with BMW blue.

Not sure if it was a good idea or not, but almost a year later and no issues.

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I would ask here.

I'm trying to locally source an appropriate coolant. I ordered OEM coolant from FCP, but they failed to ship it and won't be able to get it to me by tomorrow. I found locally Pentosin and Zerex coolants which claim to be compatible. Are these compatible with a partial change, or only if I change out all fluid?

The Zerex is G48 premix @ $20/gal, which I will be buying 2gal to be safe
The Pentosin PF-NF-1.5L would come out slightly cheaper since it appears to be undiluted.

Of course the BMW brand I originally purchased was cheaper than either of these, go figure. It will be arriving Monday and FCP has already agreed to refund me without a return, since it was 2x their mess-up that cost me the fluid.

The Zerex G48 I have doesn't seem to be a premix. It has pretty much the same directions as the BMW one that I also have. Zerex/Valvoline is also the OEM brand (not Pentosin).

The only one I can find states prediluted.

G48 is fully compatible with what is already present from the dealer?

Yes, it's the same coolant. I got mine from rmeuropean.com and it is a concentrate (see link below). Apparently there is also a 50/50 mix being sold in local stores (for more $).

http://www.rmeuropean.com/Products/8...4-MFG1365.aspx

Unfortunately the local ripoff is my only choice for getting the work done this weekend.


Thanks for your time!

Lol been there. Good luck!