How to bleed swapped cooling system?

[X2theZ3]

For my s50, i know the system is supposed to be self-bleeing. But i dont think mine is as i dont believe my expansion tank has a vent hose.

This is what my expansion tank looks like. http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...06&hg=17&fg=05

Is there any other way i can bleed the system of air?

[SchnellerVert]

do the recommended way of bleeding an E36. Point the engine bay up hill this will allow some of the air to escape out of the system.

[X2theZ3]

do the recommended way of bleeding an E36. Point the engine bay up hill this will allow some of the air to escape out of the system.

Yea,

but on the on the e36 system, there is a bleeder screw next to the cap. I don't have that on mine.

[SchnellerVert]

Still gonna help just on principal that air tends to flow in a trapped system to highest spot.

I would assume you have done the full heat and fan on in the interior? You are one of the first people I have heard about with the M/S conversion having a coolant bleeding issue.

[DanGillan]

just run the engine with the cap off, rev it up a little, should bleed fine.

[m42technic]

What radiator are you running? M20?

[Skafrog]

drill a 1/8" hole in the t-stat.

[X2theZ3]

What radiator are you running? M20?

yeah the m20 radiator i believe.

drill a 1/8" hole in the t-stat.

thanks, i'll be sure to try that. :)

[Skafrog]

uhh, im not joking. people who dont have time to bleed air out of their systems for 2 hours in a closed m50 conversion coolant system can take advantage of this.

[DanGillan]

totally unecessary. bleed it like a normal cooling system and move on, this isnt rocket science.

[LINUS]

+1 for Skafrog. I just bought a new t-stat from zionsville - they knew I'm a swap and had already done the hole for me. You could tell it wasn't a factory thing since it had telltale wire wheel abrasion around the hole. Not bad worksmanship, just obviously not factory and those guys were looking out for me.

---Ben

[Skafrog]

yea dan, you totally know what you are talking about, with your massive experience from running at RA or Barber in the summer. How are you going to open the bleeder when you have a late model e30 radiator, late model expansion tank, and a closed coolant system? hint: there is no bleeder, besides opening the expansion cap. You are not getting the full amount of trapped air out of the system if you just "rev it up a little" if you dont drill a hole.

[thuibers]

where in the thermostat is the hole drilled?

[X2theZ3]

so you just drill a hole and thats it?

[Skafrog]

right over the arrow, then put the hole at the highest point in the housing. Drill a tiny hole, dont make it too big.