bleeding cooling system without the screw?

[gregs325is]

I recently replaced the t stat, water pump and timing belt on my m20, bled the cooling system with the screw and it ran great for the drive from LA back to NYC for the summer.

Last week, a heater core hose popped so I replaced the hose and went to bleed again and the screw snapped...is there any way to bleed the cooling system without the bleeder screw? or should I be looking for a new t stat housing? thanks

[jlevie]

You can bleed the system by removing the small hose that runs from the reservoir to the radiator from the radiator.

[jw 325ic]

Why not try to extract the old screw from the housing? Worst case just replace the one half of the housing that the bleeder screw is in and be done with it? Shouldn't be too expensive...

pelican has that part for $18.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=11-53-1-265-059-M9&catalog_description=Thermostat%20Cover%2C%20E30%20325%2C%20325e%2Fes%2C%20325i%2Fis%2FiC%2FiX

[DaButt]

never tried it, but heard EZ Out will work.

[jlevie]

While the broken bleed screw can probably be extracted, before attempting that I'd take a look at the hose nipples to see how much corrosion pitting there is. If significant I'd just replace the housing.

[u3b3rg33k]

how hard were you cranking on it? it takes a few inch pounds (if that) to close it.

[paperplane94]

How about the thermostat housing plug, or one of the sensors.

[bimmernut333]

Since we're on the subject it'll be a good time for me to ask. On the Tstat housing where the bleed screw is there is that opening where the coolant comes out. I've debated on welding a nipple or hose barb over that opening so I could use some clear tubing and run it right back to the expansion bottle. My thoughts are I could run it as long as I'd want, be able to visually see there's no more air coming out and wouldn't be losing coolant down the front of my block.. it would rather recycle the coolant back into the system.. any thoughts? Would this work? If so why wouldn't BMW do this from the factory?

[u3b3rg33k]

That's like asking why doesn't bmw run a hose from the brake bleeder back to the reservoir so when you're bleeding it you don't loose any fluid.

Anyways I never wait until the bubbles stop, just until the coolant starts - it bleeds itself into the res after that...